British lifestyle retailer The White Company, celebrated for its crisp bed linens, luxurious candles, and cozy cashmere loungewear, is set to redefine its fashion identity with a striking new womenswear collection for autumn/winter 2025. Under the creative direction of Sheila McKain, a designer with a pedigree from Donna Karan, Oscar de la Renta, Hush, and Jaeger, the brand is marking its 30th anniversary with a contemporary take on its clothing line, inviting customers to explore the revamped offering in-store.
A New Voice for Fashion
While fashion is the brand’s second-largest category after homeware, The White Company has often been synonymous with bedding and babywear. McKain’s vision is to give fashion its own distinct voice. “We wanted each piece to have a purpose,” McKain shared at the AW25 press day in London in June. “I focused on the essentials that people truly need and want to wear while reworking proportions and silhouettes to feel modern and relevant.” Drawing inspiration from founder Chrissie Rucker’s wardrobe and others, McKain honed in on timeless, foundational pieces with a contemporary edge, describing the collection as “quietly beautiful.”
Capsule Wardrobe with Elevated Classics
The AW25 collection is designed as a one-stop shop for building a versatile capsule wardrobe that appeals to The White Company’s loyal customers while attracting a younger demographic seeking timeless, quiet luxury. Key pieces include:
- Outerwear: Oversized, fluid silhouettes steal the show, from a soft wool poncho to a streamlined khaki parka and a statement-making butter yellow double-breasted trench coat crafted from a Lenzing Ecovero blend for a flowing drape. An oversized leather jacket and cozy wool and shearling short coats round out the offering.
- Tailoring and Denim: Relaxed silhouettes dominate, with wide-leg trousers in Italian wool blends and reinvented denim in slouchy carpenter, carrot, and straight styles using premium selvedge denim.
- Knitwear and Loungewear: Luxurious cable knits, knitted polo shirts, T-shirts, and slouchy hoodies elevate everyday dressing. The brand’s signature comfort shines through in cashmere track pants, jersey, and corduroy joggers.
- Accessories: A curated selection of slouchy suede and shearling bags, cashmere hoods, long leather gloves, and footwear complements the collection, adding a polished finish.
The color palette remains true to the brand’s aesthetic, featuring soothing neutrals, whites, ecrus, and greys paired with rich earth tones like khaki green and chocolate brown, designed to layer seamlessly for effortless styling.
Bridging High Street and Designer
McKain aims to position The White Company’s fashion line in the sweet spot between high street and designer brands. “There’s a gap in the market, and we can fill it with accessible yet elevated pieces,” she explained. While the collection maintains reasonable price points, McKain has introduced a few higher-end items to stretch the brand’s offering without alienating its core customer base.
Reimagining In-Store Experience
To spotlight its fashion line, The White Company is rethinking how it displays clothing in-store. “We tested a fashion concept in our Marylebone store, showcasing fewer pieces styled together, and it performed exceptionally well,” McKain noted. The collection is designed for mix-and-match versatility, ensuring nearly every piece pairs effortlessly with others. This approach simplifies discovery for customers, allowing the collection to “breathe” and shine on the shop floor.
A Milestone Moment
As The White Company celebrates three decades, its AW25 womenswear collection signals a confident step forward, blending its heritage of comfort and quality with a modern, directional vision. With McKain at the helm, the brand is poised to make its fashion line a destination for customers seeking elegant, versatile pieces that balance timelessness with contemporary flair.
