John Lewis Launches Capsule Collection Of Autumn Investment Pieces In Aid Of Refuge

September usually inspires a ‘new season, new wardrobe’ overhaul, with trends flying left, right and centre that leave you wondering, for example, whether you’re really a knee-high kind of person. But with everything that’s happened this year, one brand is taking a different approach this September.

John Lewis & Partners - pondering the question, ‘what does fashion mean now?’ - decided that clothes should inspire joy, stand the test of time and give back to the community.

Its new initiative, ‘Style With Purpose’, launches today - and promises to cover off all three with a capsule collection across its most popular brands. Edited by stylist and author Erica Davies, 15% of every item sold will go towards Refuge. As the UK’s largest provider of specialist domestic abuse services, the charity’s work is vital in a world emerging from lockdown. Lisa King, Refuge’s director of communications, says: ‘Never before have Refuge’s services been needed more. During the pandemic, demand on our national helpline has soared. We’ve received over 40,000 calls and contacts to date - and that number continues to rise.’

True to its word, the capsule contains investment pieces and autumn heroes that you can wear now, next year and the one after that. There’s AllSaint’s cropped leather biker jacket, Hobbs’s belted trench coat, an own-brand black-and-white striped sweater and AND/OR’s tiered denim dress that can be worn over jeans or alone with cowboy boots.

Davies, who lent her expert eye to the capsule’s edit and styling, was looking for pieces with longevity and wearability. ‘We were all united in our mission to create a new season collection that was useful as well as stylish. We wanted clothes that mix easily with women's existing wardrobes - and help create outfits uniquely their own,’ she says.