Dahlia create clothing for women based on a nostalgic spirit for traditional attire. Clearly influenced by a vintage aesthetic, Dahlia base their sartorial collections on that special area where classic British tailoring meet eccentric eclecticism, and the result is sweet, quirky, yet understated items that have a tailored edge, and will look good in a any wardrobe for years to come.
Sisters Tracey and Leigh created the Dahlia fashion line in 2000, who first showcased their collections at Portobello Road and Spitalfields markets. A few years later their boutique store open in London down a little alley off Carnaby Street, and since then their clothes have experienced continuing popularity, being regularly featured in the pages of Look and Grazia magazines.
Dahlia are known for the girlish, playful style of their clothing, which is conveyed in both the fabric and the cuts they choose. The light-hearted vibe of their spring/summer 2011 collection demonstrated this perfectly, with plenty of heart, flower and nautical prints, emblazed on short-skirted dresses and playsuits. Dahlia do summer clothes perfectly, with their dainty shapes, soft peaches and creams and light poly-cotton fabric blends. They also do utterly fantastic winter clothing however. Their palette dives suitably deeper, focusing typically on navy, red and mustard, with demure, structured dresses made from heavier fabrics.
In winter though, the brand really comes into its own with the design of their coats. Every year Dahlia release quite an extensive coat collection, with a number of different designs, each one focusing on a mash of general classic tailoring concepts and quirky modern twists. The cut of Dahlia’s winter coats are always interesting and unusual, unlike anything found on the high street, yet each item is completely wearable. In edition, they are often very practical coats, typically with hoods and plenty of concealed padding, to keep you warm and dry in winter whilst still looking fantastic.
To get the true Dahlia experience you best get yourself to their boutique at 8, Fouberts Place, London. W1F 7PD. Their staff are really friendly and helpful, and you can get 10% off if you are a student. For simplicities sake, however, you can find a large collection of their clothes in the boutique section of Topshop’s flagship store on Oxford Circus, and some of their clothes are also stocked by ASOS.com. They have yet to release their full autumn/winter range yet, but I myself am definitely saving up for a new coat from them this autumn.
