Stitch Fix UK launches own brand collections

Online styling service Stitch Fix UK has unveiled five own brand collections for autumn/winter for the first time, designed for women and men by its in-house London design team.

The UK arm of the successful American brand launched earlier this year in May, and previously sold only third-party brands such as Whistles, Kitri, Warehouse, Jack Wills, Calvin Klein, Rag and Bone, French Connection, Scotch and Soda, Free People, and Tommy Hilfiger, and the addition of two own brands for women, and three for men is targeted at “filling in the gaps” they’ve discovered in the UK market.

All five brands, have been a year in the making and will be exclusive to Stitch Fix UK. They have been designed to be “very UK focused” explained Rachel Stack, vice-president of product and trading at Stitch Fix UK, ex-buying director at River Island and Miss Selfridge and most recently former fashion director at Shop Direct, at the launch.

The two new womenswear collections, Editor’s Cut and Mauvette, currently comprises of between 600 and 700 pieces, and have been designed to target the brand’s “biggest key” customers aged between 20 and 40, and will both retail between 22 - 150 pounds in UK sizes 6-18.

“The aim of the debut autumn/winter womenswear collections is to offer 24-7 wardrobe building right through to Christmas styling,” explained Stack.

Editor’s Cut is described as a “clean, contemporary” collection focused on styles for a “ chic, busy, modern lifestyle” in what Stack adds is very “city-focused and sophisticated” and “all about style”. Key pieces include essential knitwear, tailored trousers, organic T-shirts, statement faux fur coats, cashmere knits, silk co-ords, and jeans.

While Mauvette offers “casual weekend wear through to daywear” with its “unabashedly romantic and feminine” collection inspired by heritage, florals and vintage market finds. At the heart of this collection is Stitch Fix’s exclusive commissioned floral prints, which can be seen on dresses and lace insert blouses. They sit alongside corduroy pieces, faux fur-trimmed parkas, slouchy cashmere knits and jewel-toned satin skirts.

Stack added: “As time goes on we might create more brands to adapt to what we think the customer needs - as we are uniquely positioned to listen directly to customers through fit, style aesthetic and colour palette.”

Stitch Fix UK unveils five new own-brands for women and men

In addition, Stitch Fix UK also unveiled three new menswear collections, 01.Algo, Fairlane and Sons and A-Frame, which currently comprise of around 400 pieces, with retail prices ranging from 25 pounds for a T-shirt to 130 pounds for a coat, in sizes S-XXL.

01.Algo is Scandinavian inspired aimed at “city guys” explained Stack, and features clean, slim and predominantly monochrome with pops of colour detailing, with a focus on shirts, knitwear and outerwear, all designed to work with jeans, chinos or slim-fit trousers.

Fairlane and Sons is Stitch Fix’s “cool heritage” collection comprising of cord shirts, chinos, fair isle knits, floral print shirts and chunky parkas, designed to create casual weekend looks.

The final menswear brand is A-Frame, with takes inspiration from modern sportswear and includes a technical outerwear line featuring wind-proof, shower-proof and water-proof pieces, alongside rugby shirts, check flannel shirts, denim, sweatshirts, T-shirt and joggers.

The Stitch Fix own brands will be offered to consumers alongside its 80 third-party brands currently available across women and men, which includes a mix of high-street and designer names, as well as up-and-coming European labels, such as Samsoe and Samsoe, Gestuz, Baum Und Pfedergarten and Maison Labiche.

Stitch Fix was founded in 2011 by chief executive Katrina Lake and offers customers one-to-one personalised styling, combining human expertise with data science, using the answers to the online questionnaire that the customer completes about their fashion preferences, sizes, budget and lifestyle.

There is a 10-pound styling charge per stylist ‘Fix’, which is redeemable against any item purchased, and each ‘Fix’ features five items. The customers then pays only for the pieces they wish to keep, with a 20 percent discount if they go for all five, and unwanted items can be returned or exchanged free of charge. Delivery of Fixes can be made to home, work, or via Click and Collect locations.

Customers can also sign up to a delivery schedule for their packages that suit them, either at regular intervals, such as monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly, or on-demand – no subscription is required.

Prices across the entire Stitch Fix portfolio, own collections and third-party brands, ranging from 25 to 500 pounds. For women, dresses range from 30 to 400 pounds, skirts from 22 to 220 pounds and denim for 40 to 310 pounds. For men, long sleeve shirts range from 25 to 100 pounds, jackets from 65 to 350 pounds, and denim from 35 to 192 pounds.

Images: courtesy of Stitch Fix UK