By now you know all about my love for Jessie Western and it’s eclectic mix of handmade cowboy boots, ponchos, suede skirts and fine jewellery. The super small but mighty store is found in the heart of Portobello Market and it’s ripe with the heady smell of leather as you enter – something I look forward to every time I visit.
Jessie Western is more than just a shop, sisters Vicky and Jessie actively support over 4000 artists on the Arizona reservations they’ve been visiting for over 28 years. With Jessie’s individual dress sense and keen eye for design, the brand has gained a legion of celebrity fans including Brad Pitt, Anna Dello Russo Kate Moss and Cameron Diaz.
It’s no surprise there’s such a cult following, it’s Western done right, no fakery, no mimics, it’s real Navajo clothing and accessories with a couture twist. There’s a definite Jessie Western aesthetic, one which when you see it, you know it’s quintessentially Jessie Western and it made total sense for the brand to make its debut at London Fashion Week for the Fall / Winter 2017 season.
With a backdrop of Western landscape and cactus plants in an open plan warehouse space, the co-ed show shone a spotlight on the brand and opened up western dressing to the masses. Vogue Paris took note, citing it as revolutionary, and the British Fashion Council have since guaranteed Jessie Western a main schedule show for SS18, a real coup following their first show season.
Blanket coats, leather laced trousers and waistcoats and the obligatory cowboy boots were the order of the day, adorned with real Navajo jewellery and topped with stetsons and fur trappers. The jewellery was a real talking point amongst showgoers with their signature turquoise and aquamarine pieces amongst the showstoppers.
Obviously I’m a big Jessie Western fan, not only of the aesthetic but also of the brand’s ethos; sisters Vicky and Jessie are very different but when it comes to their fashion and jewellery range, they’re united in their shared passion for giving their Native American artists a platform as well as sustainability. The urban showspace with it’s polished concrete floor was an awesome venue and lent itself well to the Jessie Western look, dreamcatchers hung from the ceiling and an awesome soundtrack played out.
After the show models mingled with guests in their runway outfits as drinks were served. Fashion Editors had the chance to hold impromptu post show interviews with Jessie and Vicky to discuss their inspiration for this curated collection and find out more about Jessie’s line of fine jewellery set with rare and unusual stones.
Jessie Western is a brand that has long been on Vogue’s radar, it’s a favourite of Porter magazine and only now is it coming to the forefront of fashion with it’s first mainline show at London Fashion Week. After huge success this season and a dictatorial stance on trends, Jessie Western will be one to watch, with an on schedule show pencilled in as part of the official LFW show schedule for SS18, you could be seeing huge things from Jessie Western come September. The Jessie Western look is a commitment, it’s top to toe and damn is it effective, you can of course take parts of it and incorporate it into your wardrobe but if you want to see it done right, visit the store in Notting Hill and just take a look at Jessie, she works this look like she invented it and damn is it good. So good in fact, it’ll make you want to rethink your whole wardrobe…
Pixie xo
Photo credit Marc Atken
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