Chapter.London: A conscientious British Brand

332

From the creator of maternity brand Lily and Ribbon, fashion brand Chapter.London has newly launched on the fashion scene. Created by Tanya Patel, who previously worked for retail giant M&S, the staple collection of stylish dresses, jumpsuits, tops and trousers. Chapter.London’s latest collection includes bold leopard prints, leather-look trousers and bright made-for-summer midi and maxi dresses all in sizes 8-20.

With sustainability at its core, the brand uses certified OEKO-TEX materials and recycled packaging that is carbon neutral. This new range is designed and manufactured in England. The brand’s supply chain is fully sustainable from end-end, with the products being made in England with a 7-day turnaround. This allows the brand to fulfil much smaller minimum order quantities than fast fashion brands, meaning there’s no waste or stock being sent to landfill. Something that is so terribly important these days with fashion being one of the top worldwide polluters.

I really enjoy brands that are timeless, items I can wear again and and again, so I was excited to receive some garments from Chapter.London. I was sent some dresses from the Summer range, including the Sonia Dress in Black, the Stella Dress in Leopard and the Claire Palm Print Dress, and the one thing that struck me instantly was the quality. The fabric feels thick and well-made, the seams are well hemmed and the cut is flattering and generous. The black dress is perfect for any season, it can be dressed up or down to suit any occasion. I really love the Stella Dress, this has a very flattering cut, and the mesh overlay means it’s great even in the summer in the evening as you don’t need a shawl or cardigan as the sleeves add enough cover for the arms.

The Claire dress was perfect in Dubai with a pair of strappy sandals, the print gives a tropical edge to the look so perfect for a casual dinner out. The cross-cut of the body as well is very flattering creating a synced waist and highlighting the cleavage. Overall the pieces are pretty timeless, with classic cuts that suit any body type and are generous with the sizing so you feel great in the garments. After trying some of the clothing I had the pleasure to interview Tanya Patel, founder of Chapter.London.

Tell us all about Chapter.London: who are you and what inspired you to start Chapter.London?

I’m Tanya, I have experience of being a retail leader for the past 18 years, including working for Marks and Spencer. I’ve always loved fashion and started my first fashion business at the age of 28, maternity brand Lily and Ribbon, which came about after trying to find stylish maternity clothes whilst pregnant. After completely falling in love with the fashion industry, I wanted to move beyond just maternity wear so I created my new brand, Chapter.London late last year.

What are the key pieces in your current collection? Which is your favourite?

Versatile dresses are a big part of what we do at Chapter London. My favourite has to be the Sonia dress. It was the first dress when we had a ‘ah ha!’ moment. The fit was perfect, it has pockets and comes in different prints which you can dress it up or down. It now comes in leopard prints, dot print, black and florals.

What influences the design and style of your pieces?

Prints and colours from my traveling , the changing body shape as I moved through my motherhood journey and versatility.

Where do you source your fabrics and make sure your designs?

All our fabric designing and sourcing is completed in England, something we’re really proud of. It also allows us to turn stock around quickly and order low minimum order quantities to avoid excess stock and landfill.

Who do you see wearing your pieces?

I’ve created the brand for everyday women who want to feel confident and stylish. Our pieces work just as well for weddings as they do for the office. They’re transitional too-many of our pieces go from summer to autumn, so they’re perfect for women who want key pieces that they can wear all year round with some style swaps.

Tell us about sustainability-is that important to your business and what steps have you put in place for sustainability as a fashion brand?

We review each and every step of our supply chain to ensure it is as sustainable as we can make it. All our fabrics are Oeko-Tex certified which is really important to us. Our packaging is recycled and carbon neutral and we make products in a 7 day turnaround time. This means we can fulfill much smaller minimum order quantities than fast fashion brands, meaning there’s no waste or stock being sent to landfill. And of course we’re made and designed in England.

What’s been your biggest achievement for Chapter.London so far to date?

We are delighted to have onboarded with 6 of our favourite retailers in our launch year and exciting times ahead for the next year. We’re now stocked in amazing places such as Wolf and Badger and Silkfred. We’ve also been featured in a range of publications such as Red, Closer and OK!

Finally, do tell us what’s coming up for Chapter.London that our readers should know about?

We have our brand new Autumn/Winter collection which is a beautiful range that I can’t wait to share with everyone very soon. We’ve also just signed with Wolf and Badger which means our products will be available worldwide.