John Smedley collaborates with six British designers for LFW

By

Cajsa Lykke Carlson

Published
Feb 19, 2016

British heritage brand John Smedley, which is the oldest manufacturing factory in the world and has created knitwear since 1784, has collaborated with six British designers across womenswear and menswear on a modern knitwear collection.

The collection is supported by the British Fashion Council as well as the UK Fashion & Textile Association, and features designers that represent John Smedley's core values: Holly Fulton for her vibrant use of colour, Claire Barrow for her unique artistry, Phoebe English for her dedication to British craftsmanship, Ashley Williams for colour and texture, 1205 for their dedication to perfecting garment construction, and Lou Dalton for her use of unique textures and menswear expertise.

All the knitwear pieces are made by John Smedley in the UK, and will launch at London Fashion Week in February. The collection will be available for AW16 and marks the first time Smedley has done a project on this scale.

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“Throughout our long 230 year history, John Smedley has consistently innovated in every era to remain contemporary as a knitwear brand. We are immensely proud of our British heritage and this project has had many strands to it, but in essence it marries together the best of British talent from across creative design, technical, craft and production. It has been a catalyst for designers to bring their production back to the UK and experience quality craftsmanship techniques that have stood the test of time, and for us to really showcase what our teams can achieve. Commitment to championing British talent, innovation in design and dedication to quality production are fantastic pillars for us to continue our history of innovation with, and a great way for new designers to start theirs,” said Jess McGuire-Dudley, Head of Marketing & Design, John Smedley.
 
"This project provides a great opportunity for younger designers to use John Smedley’s extensive knowledge of manufacturing and craftsmanship. This support from the John Smedley team allows a new generation of British brands to produce high quality knitwear here in Britain," said Caroline Rush CBE, CEO, British Fashion Council.

The collaboration with Lou Dalton was unveiled at London Collections: Men, and each of the womenswear designers will be unveiling their pieces through catwalk shows and presentations during London Fashion Week from 19th February 2016.