John Lewis Announces Latest Collaboration

Following  the success of its collaboration with Alice Temperley in 2012, John Lewis has unveiled that its latest designer partnership is with couturier Bruce Oldfield. The celebrated British couturier has created an exclusive 60-piece ready-to-wear collection called Bruce by Bruce Oldfield.

For Oldfield, it is the first time that he has taken his designs away from his atelier and worked with a high-street brand, enabling him to make his signature structured, elongated aesthetic more accessible to his legion of fans.

"I have spent the past 40 years building my own couture line and I am thrilled to announce my first high-street collaboration with John Lewis," said the designer. "Bruce by Bruce Oldfield draws on my classic silhouettes with key pieces for any modern woman's wardrobe; classic outerwear, juxtaposed tailoring, and sumptuous eveningwear. The collection plays on a monochromatic palette, full of structure and texture and that is softened with a touch of cashmere."

For Jo Bennet, head of womenswear buying at John Lewis, Oldfield's collection will present the department store's customer with something they are not expecting.

"We always take great care ensuring we introduce partnerships at John Lewis that have our customers in mind," she told us. "It felt like a natural partnership for us as we discovered we had a lot of brand synergies; attention to detail, importance of quality and a shared belief that style is ageless. We believe the Bruce by Bruce Oldfield collection is the perfect addition to our unique and distinct offer."

But, while John Lewis is no doubt hoping to mirror the success it enjoyed with Temperley - her Somerset by Alice Temperley collection became the fastest selling collection in the brand's history - they are two very different offerings according to Bennet.

"The two collaborations are very different in aesthetic and influence. Bruce's design handwriting is structured and couture inspired while Somerset is a bohemian signature style peppered with a carefree spirit," she explained.

There is also a charitable element this time around: for every Little Bruce Dress (a black, pannelled shift) that is sold, £20 will be donated to Barnardo's, of which Oldfield is vice president.

Bruce by Bruce Oldfield will be available at John Lewis from September 4, and online at Johnlewis.com.