Three ex-Warehouse Group executives have joined forces to launch an all-new, sustainable fashion brand called Albaray.
The new womenswear label has already established a partnership with British retailer John Lewis, which announced in February that Albaray would be one of 50 new fashion and beauty brands to be sold in their stores in 2021.
Albaray’s inaugural collection is said to feature a mix of dresses, separates, and loungewear pieces. However, given that sustainability is a critical part of the brand, the majority of items have been made using 100% eco-viscose and 100% organic cotton. Further, Albaray has stated that they will be using recycled materials for product labels and recycled and recyclable paper for its swing tags.
The spring/summer 2021 collection will consist of 85 items, ranging from jersey t-shirts to jumpsuits to a yellow polka dot dress. Knitwear will not be part of this collection, and instead will launch as part of the autumn 2021 release.
The new label was founded by three executives who formerly worked for the UK fashion group Warehouse: Paula Stewart, former chief product officer of Oasis and Warehouse Group who now serves as the chief executive officer of Albaray, Karen Peacock, former design director at Warehouse turned chief creative officer at Albaray, and finally, Kirstie Di Stazio, former commercial director of Warehouse who is now the chief commercial officer of Albaray.
Stewart, Peacock, and Di Stazio decided to team up and found Albaray in order to address what they perceived was a gap in the market relating to affordable sustainable clothing. Their new womenswear brand targets women between the ages of 25 and 50, who are after high-quality, sustainable clothing that won’t break the bank.
Albaray’s direct-to-consumer website launches March 31 (consumers are free to sign up for notifications regarding the release). Meanwhile, the brand’s inaugural collection will roll out on John Lewis and Next’s respective websites in April and will be sold in five John Lewis stores in the UK when they reopen on April 12.
All images in this article are courtesy of Albaray.
