Jigsaw puts the pieces together for Autumn/Winter 2010

While most of us are relieved that summer may finally be here to stay, we as trade journalists have been given a glimpse of what style and shape fashions will take this coming autumn and winter.  One of my favourite British brands is Jigsaw, which used its new flagship store on King's Road in Chelsea to be the backdrop for unveiling their autumn/winter 2010 collection.  Jigsaw has been involved in the design, manufacturing and retailing of clothes and accessories for over thirty-five years. Since its first store opened in Hampstead in 1972, Jigsaw has remained focused on selling desirable, high quality clothes and accessories in individual and stimulating shopping environments.  No two Jigsaw stores are the same. By not being formulaic, each Jigsaw store is designed to be sympathetic to its surroundings and with respect to the existing architecture.  They always try to find interesting buildings to trade from and every store is designed in a unique way, to reflect and enhance the specific features of each location.  For example, their store at Spitalfields is situated at one of the main entrances to the famous Spitalfields market. With beautiful stripped wooden floors and stunning chandeliers this cosy store has kept all the charm of the listed building in which it is located.  Their store at St. Christopher's Place just off London's hectic Oxford Street is a pleasant haven.  Designed by Nigel Coates, the original concept pictured a natural lake spanned by a traditional, arched wooden bridge - the hanging rails represent water lilies around the lake with a boat designed as a cash desk! Recently the shop has had new timber floors added.  The long established store at The Strand, directly opposite Charing Cross Station, is distinctive thanks to it's oringinal external architecture providing large, rounded shop front windows.  And its flagship store on King's Road is no exception.

The large flagship store on King's Road  was originally the Chapel building for the Duke of York's Barracks.  The designers liaised very closely with the area's conservation officer, when planning the refit of the building's interior, to ensure that some of the feel of the original Chapel could be retained. The interior consisted of curved stone staircases, bespoke cast balustrades and fixtures, hand made lights, reclaimed flooring and custom made furniture and joinery - a fitting backdrop for unveiling Jigsaw's AW2010 collection which is described as “Faded Grandeur”, with the feel of a vintage English home at it’s heart, according to its design director Tess Richards. This is her second season with inspiration taken from the art of libretti, Opera. With the reinvention of vintage fabrics, the creation of contemporary prints and the design of rich, sumptuous cloths, the collection embodies the spirit of four different and dramatic musical works.   

The four themes are:-
La Boheme – quirky, rich eccentricity…think Gosford Park glamour with an un-done rural air.
A Life for the Tsars – beautiful, clean and elegant – the perfect combination for any leading lady.
Amadeus – casual opulence blending chunky knits with glittery fabrics for effortless day to night dressing.
Madame Butterfly – just a pop of colour to enhance the drama of the collections above.

The press event was adorned with reels of orchestral score and vintage instruments. A stunning grand piano sat proudly at the foot of the store’s sweeping staircase amidst tumbling sheets of music, as the Kings Road was turned into a theatrical wonderland showcasing the harmony of all the new pieces.
Jigsaw currently operates over 40 stores in the UK. In addition to Jigsaw, the group includes the well-known brand Kew, which also operates stores across the UK; The Shop at Bluebird, offering a cool and unique collection of women’s and men’s designer brands on London’s King's Road; and finally, the quintessentially English Cabbages & Roses.  In 1996 Jigsaw Junior was established to extend the product range from purely women’s fashion. The brand has also seen international expansion in the USA, where it currently trades from 7 stores on the West Coast.