The 2024 Fall/Winter collection for UNIQLO : C will officially be launched next week. In anticipation of its release, we had the opportunity for an interview with British designer Clare Waight Keller, the mind behind the collection, on her creative process and more.
To capture the pulsating spirit of a modern city in autumn and winter in a fashion line — and to do it sophisticatedly — is no easy feat, but not if you’re Clare Waight Keller. Known for her sophisticated and effortless wardrobes, the British designer is the mastermind behind the 2024 Fall/Winter collection for UNIQLO : C, set to be launched on 6th September 2024.
Defined by clean lines and fine details, the updated UNIQLO : C brings forth elevated LifeWear essentials, menswear items (for the first time!), as well as a women’s collection that includes a new HEATTECH item in a fine cashmere blend.
Among the menswear items are go-to essentials as the colder season approaches: fine broadcloth shirts, oversized silhouettes, lambswool blends, felted knitted tailored jackets. And for that ‘casual, relaxed city’ feel, these are contrasted with relaxed parachute pants, smart coordinating sweats and a generous utility parka — as well as a soft volume nylon tote and sleek monotone low-cut sneakers to accessorise and complete the look. Adding a dose of richness to a Fall/Winter wardrobe, the womenswear includes lightly-padded shrunken sleeveless jackets layered over long bias dresses in trad checks, pleated skirts and slim rib merino knits. Soft padded clogs, a hooded neck warmer and fluffy soft fringed stoles bring an all-around cosy vibe to the whole line.
“I am thrilled to be launching menswear alongside womenswear for the new collection,” says Clare Waight Keller. “I have always loved the interplay between the utility of men’s clothing with the feminine elements of womenswear. These collections see the two combined seamlessly in palette, fabrication and style, creating a wardrobe of truly interchangeable pieces.”
In the exclusive interview below, the British designer shares her insights into her creative process when she created the collection, her design inspiration, styling tips, as well as the new menswear collection.
What was the starting point for the collection? And the creative process to bring it to life?
The starting point for this collection was here at the Barbican Centre*. It’s a beautiful architectural gem of London that’s always been on my radar. And I think one of the things that’s so interesting about it is actually the fact that it’s quite brutalist and it’s quite stark and graphic in its nature, but when you actually walk around it and you see the community that lives here. It’s that intersection of culture and art that interests me. Here, everyone is on the move.
Do you have a personal connection to the Barbican?
One of the interesting facts about the Barbican is that, at one point, it was actually called the ugliest building in England. A lot of modernist architecture is poorly viewed at some point. But actually when you spend time here — one of my favorite memories is just of walking through this central space here where you see the beautiful miniature lake — there’s this sense of nature in the middle of Brutalism. I’ve lived in so many cities, and having this sort of center of community is so important to your everyday life.
How did the Barbican Center serve as a source of design inspiration? And how did you make the translation onto the collection itself?
So this particular space is hugely inspirational for me personally in terms of the architectural lines. Every vista that you look at, you’ve got incredible sharp lines and a real sense of perspective, grids and also colourways. There’s an amazing kind of neutral palette here, which is really unusual. This particular architectural space was so influential to the palette and the feel of the collection and the people here and how they live their lives. That sense of being always on the move, connecting to the rest of the city. I really wanted to center the campaign here.
Who do you envision wearing this collection? What are they doing, where are they going?
The Barbican is a microcosm of a giant city here. You’ve got students, a theater, an art center – you have residential blocks, you have people who’ve lived here thirty, forty years and people who’ve just moved in recently. It’s really a fantastic range in demographics. And I think that really represents what Uniqlo’s about. It’s for everyone. And I think this place really captures for me so much of that sense.
Any styling tips for this Fall/Winter season?
So I think my top tips for the fall winter season are all about layering: the shirtings, the lightweight cashmeres, the shirts under the beautiful kind of dry sweat hoodies. Even the coats, which are quite lightweight, can be layered. And for me, that gives the richness and the beauty of autumn winter dressing. It’s all about those cozy layers that give you that beautiful silhouette.
This season, you introduced menswear to UNIQLO : C. What are some of your favorite pieces in the capsule?
I love menswear checks, so we’ve created a really nice check coat. I also love the essential sweat setup this season. It’s a new development that’s made of very fine cotton for a sculpted look. It’s really clean and looks a bit dressed up, but still casual. It’s got a wide open leg and a much baggier thigh for a slight taper at the bottom. The men’s denim has a new tonality—it’s deep indigo on the outside, but tobacco on the inside, so you get a beautiful tan colour panning through the indigo on the surface.
The UNIQLO : C Fall/Winter collection will be officially launched on 6th September 2024. The full lineup at TRX, Fahrenheit 88, One Utama stores and the uniqlo.com online store. Learn more about the UNIQLO : C collection HERE.
