Temperley London (Q9301)
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Temperley London is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Temperley London |
Temperley London is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
At a time when many independent designers in London are struggling, Alice Temperley offers a glimmer of hope. The brand, best known for its heavily embellished evening dresses, is opening a new store in Kensington in October, while also expanding its ready-to-wear offering, the White Label, as it begins wholesaling again. “During Covid, we were more evening wear and bridal focused. Now we’re growing,” Temperley explained, noting that both the US market and younger customers are key priorities. “That’s why it’s important to do ready-to-wear, because not everybody goes around wearing evening wear.”The White Label is an expansion of the Temperley world, with the Somerset-based designer being the archetypal customer. “I live in knitted suits, so we’re doing more [of those],” said Temperley, pointing to her houndstooth two-piece. This season, there’s a monogrammed version, emblazoned with the designer’s T logo, and another in black and white. Taking inspiration from a trip to Barcelona, there are lighter pieces featuring floral cut-out detailing, referencing the relief work at the Sagrada Familia, which are likely to have broad appeal.The Spanish influence continued into the evening wear, via the ruffled Flamenco sleeves, and intricate embroidery and beadwork that referenced the tiles at Park Güell. As ever, Temperley is keen to emphasize the craftsmanship that goes into creating her designs, launching digital product passports—a QR code on the tag that you scan—that allow customers to find out more about how each piece was made, and its carbon footprint.After nearly 25 years in business, Temperley prides herself on the fact that she’s not swayed by the trend cycle, staying true to her brand’s DNA and what her loyal clientele wants. “It’s about embracing what we know, what we love, and what we do, and sticking to it—not trying to be something else,” she reflected.
13 September 2024
It is an anecdotal truth that even the most metropolitan of Brits—among them Kate Moss and Charlotte Tilbury and the model Jade Parfitt—reach a point in their lives when the glamour of the West Country becomes irresistible: the darlings, the dachshunds, the image of disco balls strewn across Grade II–listed estates. You get the impression that Alice Temperley has spent the past 20 years designing clothes for the precise moment these revelations take place. “Well, this has been my life!” the designer said, combing the rails at her fall 2024 presentation at Claridge’s hotel. “I’ve always found escapism in dressing up, and things have become pretty gloomy recently, so I think people have realized that life is just too short. Have as much as you can.”The designer’s fall collection was a lesson in high bohemia, schooled in all the decadence that sprung from the 1920s when the Bright Young Things—an uninhibited class of well-to-do socialites including Cecil Beaton and Nancy Mitford—transformed London and their respective country piles into playgrounds of bacchanalia. Consider them a sort of proto-Saltburn.“I’m also known for behaving badly and I don’t care. I like being frivolous and free and not giving a fuck about having to conform,” Temperley said. The flamboyance of that bright young lifestyle was semaphored in silk robes, metallic-printed velvet dresses, leopard-print suits and long-line tuxedo jackets worn over bias-cut slips. “I’m not a minimal person and I like to be around fun people—otherwise, I’d be bored stiff.”The designer continued: “I can’t bear the thought of being considered prim and buttoned-up. And so this collection is a coming out and a celebration of optimism.” The monarch butterfly—which is known to be a symbol of hope and rebirth—was chosen as a recurring motif for this exact reason. Its flaxen wings appeared in dégradé embellishments on bell-sleeve dresses and in photomontage prints on lady-of-the-manor gowns. But it also spoke to the brand’s journey into the spotlight: Temperley will be showing a full ready-to-wear collection in Paris this June. These were clothes about breaking from convention and the transformative thrill of pleasure-seeking. The designer named the collection “Metamorphosis.”
16 February 2024
Alice Temperley frequently draws inspiration from a multitude of off-beat sources, while staying true to her distinctive blend of the bohemian and romantic. Although her new collection mood board is eclectic, she finds herself drawn to the rich heritage craftsmanship of her beloved West Country. For spring, her inspirations include Sally Potter’s 1992 adaptation of Virginia Woolf’sOrlando, featuring Tilda Swinton, and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de’ Medici, who had a deep connection to the exquisite lace crafted in Somerset during the 16th century.During a preview, Temperley shared that the business is growing, saying, “we have more stores opening in the Middle East and a new flagship in London.” The collection is divided into three drops, a strategic choice to provide products with ample space and avoid overwhelming customers.In the first drop, stretch silk and button-up linen dresses feature hand-painted Tudor roses, sequin-adorned calligraphy, and Fresco designs with pearls, orchids, and ornate borders. The brand’s embroidered tattoo motifs are reimagined as sensuous sheer dresses and kimono-style house coats in a fresh twist. Elsewhere, there are leather jackets with Victoriana details decorated with braided leather and pearl accents, as well as sharply cut mannish velvet suits. “We’ve had a lot of men buying into our women’s tailoring, which has been incredible to see,” she remarked.In the second drop, there are lightweight printed slip dresses accompanied by matching head ties in shades of pink and lilac. Essential additions to the summer wardrobe come in the form of cotton voile frocks in ivory, azure, and rose hues. The third drop features a selection of simpler hot-weather styles, including exquisite English lace separates. The standout was a white single-breasted suit crafted from Aberdeen crepe, featuring a striking satin lapel.While remaining loyal to the brand’s essence, Temperley has taken further steps to celebrate the craftsmanship of the United Kingdom. This season, the collection is showcased in a film shot at the world’s oldest tulle factory, Swisstulle, conveniently located five minutes away from the brand’s Somerset atelier.
15 September 2023
Alice Temperley was in cheerful spirits during a preview at Somerset House, where she was to host an event for the launch of her interiors collaboration. While the space was decorated to a suitably Temperley standard—think textured leopard print wallpaper and loveseats, floor-to-ceiling floral curtains at the step-and-repeat—the designer also brought along rails of her latest collection. “I wanted to have a select few people see the clothes up-close—it’s important for them to be able to touch everything,” she said.The English designer, who has long been committed to her West Country-inspired bohemian sensibilities, drew inspiration for her fall collection from female surrealist artists Kati Horna, Leonora Carrington, and Remedios Varo, along with motifs from Mexico City and Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul. This season, textures are a key component of the garments, and Temperley delivered with a multitude of silhouettes: There are wool coats and crepe-back satin kimonos adorned with exquisite hand-braiding and pearlescent accents, as well as sheer-paneled mini and midi dresses embellished with sequins, florals, and trompe l’oeil lace. Her references were also reflected in the colors, which included vivid cerulean, scarlet, and azalea.With single-breasted velvet sets in black and mossy green that were cut to near perfection, the tailoring felt particularly elevated. As for evening wear? There were a couple of highlight moments, including a featherlight, crystal-encrusted lilac dress trimmed with silver tassels, and a bridal look, which included an ivory hand-embroidered floor-length gown with a matching white faux fur coat that emanated Old Hollywood glamour. Of course, Temperley threw on the coat as we discussed it. “If I see it, I have to wear it,” she exclaimed. Her loyal customers are bound to react similarly.
13 March 2023
Alice Temperley decided to divide her collection into two parts: a spring and a summer collection. “We believed that since they were two distinct narratives, they should be shown separately. Additionally, it makes sense from the standpoint of a buyer,” she said as she combed through rails in the basement of a lavish town house in West London.For spring, Temperley wanted to celebrate spontaneous, maximalist dressing. She brought together an array of evening-appropriate separates, from backless floor-length gowns with capelet sleeves adorned with mirror-ball sequins to a vibrant crimson suit with a long tuxedo jacket and wide-leg pants. “We wanted it to feel elevated and polished but still fun for a night out,” she said.Summer, on the other hand, took inspiration from classic notions of the seaside. With her atelier based in Somerset, a country escape awash with picturesque beaches, the designer felt compelled to create pieces fit for a glamorous day at the beach. The tulle- and chiffon-paneled dresses with delicate floral embroidery and matching long jackets stood out, as did the cowrie-shell-pattern dress, a new print applied across the brand’s best-selling styles. The lightweight knit twinsets, featuring trompe l’oeil pocket details, were a welcome addition to the lineup and an area that the designer should expand on in future collections.
16 September 2022
“It’s the Wild West by way of Somerset as the new frontier,” said Alice Temperley of her collection’s mood for fall. “With everything opening up again, we needed more flavor and color, as well as something that’s quite exotic.” The designer—who relocated from the city to the English countryside before the onset of the pandemic—produced the line in its entirety for the first time in her new atelier. The clothes are perfect for going out in: Be it daytime frolics in the fields or a cocktail soirée at dusk, there’s something suitably chic for every occasion.With an uplifting palette that spans suits, ponchos, blanket knits, and prairie dresses, the collection brings together a myriad of references that nod to a Western theme. The brand’s signature floor-length silk gowns are adorned with prints featuring cacti, flowers, and key motifs (a clever repeated pinball detail on the sleeve of one dress is particularly delightful). Tailoring is also a key factor, with razor-sharp separates made from wool crepes and thick sateens in pastel. A standout piece—which happens to be Temperley’s favorite—is a hard leather biker with a silver studded high neck and intricate piping details on the back. “Last year our leather items were some of our best performers, so we wanted to uplift that section more,” said the designer.This collection marks 22 years for the label—something Temperley has commemorated by getting the number tattooed on her wrist. “It’s strange to think of how long it has been, but I’m absolutely thrilled about it all,” she said, beaming with enthusiasm.
20 February 2022
Since moving her atelier to the picturesque English countryside in Somerset more than a year ago, Alice Temperley has seemingly adopted a cool, laid-back air. As she enthusiastically rifles through the racks in her central London showroom, it’s evident that the mood is reflected in her collection, too. “It’s inspired by Agatha Christie, but through a 1970s lens,” said the designer. “She had this quirky independence about her.”Signature pieces include floor-length dresses printed with a cross-pollination ofDeath on the Nilecollages and cross-stitch motifs; breezy, off-the-shoulder summer frocks in refreshing baby blues and lemons; or a single-breasted crepe suit adorned with palm trees. But it’s the denim separates, as well as the tailored, almost androgynous suits in Italian woven check, that truly stand out and feel utterly modern—a development that feels right for her customer’s wardrobe. Temperley agrees: “People tend to think of the brand as purely very feminine, but I’m enjoying exploring new ways of expressing femininity with these pieces,” she says.Since the brand has officially reduced its output to two collections a year, attention to detail and craftsmanship has become more of a focus. Not only is the Temperley team working more closely with local artisans, they also plan on broadcasting weekly videos on their Instagram account of these individuals in action, allowing them to share their stories beyond the clothes. Temperley beams as she talks about the plan: She’s clearly enjoying this new direction.
17 September 2021
Having decamped from the city in the name of her label to Ilminster in Somerset, England, last year, Alice Temperley seemed in this collection to be riffing on the perennial boho vibe encapsulated by Glastonbury just down the road. It contained punchy renditions of the floaty dresses in trippy patterns and animalia that are reliable Temperley standards, along with updated arrangements of her signature tailoring in fresh shades of velvet, leather, and fine-wale cotton corduroy. Plus jumpsuits, obviously.While her change of location has not altered her sensibility, it has affected her emphasis and led to new material. Of a recently developed range of outerwear, she said: “They’re really...practical,I guess. Yeah,practicalis a good word.” An expanded range of double denim offerings and some sustainable cotton jersey logo hoodies (one of which had already been pinched by her teenage son) were further inherently practical pieces.Furthermore, since returning to Somerset, Temperley has rapidly established partnerships with local factories (including one that manufactures the outerwear), leatherworkers, tanneries, and other nearby suppliers to develop a resilient, environmentally sustainable and localized production network, which is extremely practical while adding depth to the label. Meanwhile, her warehouse in Italy will act as the conduit to customers for much of the pieces manufactured offshore, a small post-Brexit mercy.As Temperley pointed out, when times are as complicated as they have become, further unnecessary complication becomes highly undesirable. Scattered with pieces to dance in when the summer comes, but with plenty that was practical too, this was a collection with proper Somerset soul. Roll on Glastonbury ’22.
19 February 2021
Sporting a bolero hat, a trademark swooshy boho dress, and an air of sphinxish serenity, Alice Temperley rattled through a typically Temperl-esque collection this afternoon. In this most turbulent of seasons quite what mystery lurked behind her utterly unperturbed mien— especially given the added distraction of a Harry Potterishly-uniformed schoolboy who was busy pocketing the pricey complimentary chocolates in her Mayfair presentation space—remained unsolved: This was a designer nursing a revelation she was not yet ready to reveal.Unambiguous, though, was this pleasingly 1960s-themed collection with its trapeze shapes shot in a dynamic and Quant-ishly evocative manner, then spiked with a powerful dose of that aforementioned swoosh via a Talitha Getty-ish jet-set throwback vibe. Consistently-selling tattoo dresses and raffish Somerset hunt tailoring were both present and correct. A leather whose tone was termed ‘midnight’ made for compelling shorts, and the saucy Cider With Rosie indigo denim dungarees were further happily-harvestable highlights. Embroidered florals, rainbow-hued sequins, crystals, and dappled strafes of dripped-on multicolor blobs of resin contributed to the kaleidoscope of ornament on Temperley’s classic silhouettes.Considering the school-tied candy-stealer with unflappable equanimity, the designer did at last concede that she is sitting on big news, “but it’s too early to say.” Oh well. In the meantime, this collection telegraphed that rarest of sightings in fashion right now: a designer who seems sure of her path.
18 September 2020
Alice Temperley threw an ace party in her Bruton Street store last night that featured sinuous dancers wearing a strong collection, all washed down by even stronger cocktails. Said Temperley: “It’s just about bringing some sort of fun into an industry that’s in a state of confusion at the moment and enjoying something intimate and relaxed.” Several hundred guests thronged the floors of this beautiful Georgian town house, gabbing and gawping at her models doing their thing to swing, tango, and jive. Fittingly for a collection loosely dedicated to dance, Temperley displayed some fresh steps of her own via the delivery of her first-ever range of handbags, a selection of six or so shapes in three different sizes, each design named after a family member.The collection featured many richly patterned flou floaters for modern flappers, some fine tailoring and a great wrap dress in black leather, a cute dance-step-print T-shirt, and more tailoring in velvet of which a wide-collared cinch-waisted quilted coat in black was the standout piece. There were also some velvet shorts of which Temperley observed: “I love wearing them in the winter, with boots.”
15 February 2020