If optimistic dressing wasn’t a thing before 2020, it certainly is now. Picking joyful, timeless pieces for our spring wardrobes will go some way towards making us feel good in what we wear, and that’s often half the battle when taking on the day. But it will also energise us for the year to come, an idea that designers clearly clung to when they were working on their recent SS21 collections. As a result, feel-good prints and bold colours were seen all over the catwalks, whether that meant hot pink feathers at Halpern, or starfish-print dresses at Versace.
Luckily this positive approach has also been adopted by some of our favourite affordable brands, making it even easier to incorporate into our everyday wardrobes. Next’s new Label/Mix collection is a case in point. Since its launch in 2017, this collaborative concept has seen an in-house team work closely with a whole range of designers, from rising stars to more established names, including Rejina Pyo, Isa Arfen, and L.F.Markey. The result has been drop after drop of limited edition investment pieces at great prices, designed to be loved and worn repeatedly— and this season's collection is as feel-good as ever.
Relaxed layering takes centre stage, with a huge range of mood-boosting knitwear; something they clearly do really well. But it’s not the only thing; we also love the chic separates and pretty wear-anywhere dresses in bright prints. Not to mention the collaboration with Hill Friends and their instantly recognisable, sell out bags (be sure to snap one of these up quickly if they happen to be on your wish list).
This season’s designer partnerships also include Madeleine Thompson, known for her rainbow knits, and emerging influencer-favourite YAITTE, whose nautical aesthetic transports us straight to the Med. As well as championing new brands like these and giving them a platform, the initiative makes designer-quality pieces more accessible and affordable which is never a bad thing in our eyes.
To take a deep dive into the full collection and find out more about this season’s collabs, you can view Label/Mix’s SS21 Collection Film here. To shop our edit of the best pieces, guaranteed to put a smile on your face, just keep scrolling...
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