Sumarie London Fashion Week Success 2014

After a very busy couple of months of build up, suddenly the most talked about fashion event in the capital was upon us, London Fashion Week 2014.

 Here at Sumarie we had a hectic but fun Summer with Pop Up stores and launch events, and not to mention the ultimate beach inspired party, Marie's gorgeous Ibiza wedding at the end of August.

With the usual preparations for the annual collection of established and new generation designers, we found ourselves preparing to be the first Swimwear and Lifestyle brand showing at LFW for the second year running. Marie single-handedly showcased as the only Swim & Beachwear designer last year and found herself pioneering the way for fellow likeminded designers in 2014; which she describes as an honour and a privilege. 

Friday started as a quintessentially London morning, grey skies and crowded commutes. However lunchtime brought out a scorching sunshine that only heightened the relaxed and beachy atmosphere in our Designer Showroom. The vibe was buzzing in the courtyard, the consistently impressive wardrobes and media interest emanating through the balcony and the tall windows into the New-Gen Designer Halls in Somerset house. Sumarie was presenting in a perfectly cool and calming room, shared by the incredible duo Anna and Ella; the creative masterminds and silk Pyjama pioneers behind  the printed silk brand, Yolke. 

We were visited by many people over the course of the week, but Fridays crowd seemed to be fuelled by the sunshine and the obligatory Coconut Water. The late Summer vibe was infectious and we got some great shots of our gorgeous in-house model Hannah who wore the Melanie swimsuit in the sunshine on Tom's terrace behind Somerset house. All that was missing were the cocktails and the pool!

On Saturday we had a great day with the constant flow of the press and the SS15 was received extremely well. Visitors were drawn particularly to Marie's award winning 3D Cubed Lycra waistbands on the 'St. Germain' Swimsuits and the show-stopping 'St. Honore' Swimsuit from the 'Glamour Marin' collection. We received amazing feedback from the press and got some more great shots of Hannah using the incredible Somerset House location as an inspiring metropolitan backdrop.

Sunday was an exciting day where we managed to explore the halls and discover some truly incredible up and coming brands. As the new year approaches we are keeping our eyes out for designers and brands to collaborate with to continue nurturing the Sumarie Spirit . Some designers who were seriously inspiring for me were Noritamy - a Jewellery brand who use polymers to recreate Volcanic geological necklaces and bracelets, the supplest Swedish inspired Leather goods bran Gvyn and bundle of embroidered-playfulness Mochi - who like Sumarie, is on a constant journey that reflects perfectly in her designs. 

Sunday evening brought a lovely close to a hectic weekend - Cocktails on Tom's terrace as the sun set behind the London eye and the river. We soaked up the creativity of the surrounding designers and enjoyed the talk of exciting collaborations in the future.   

Monday started with busy traffic of international press and visits from respected buyers and investors alike. It was a hectic day of business card swapping and talks of the future, as our week at Somerset House drew near the end. 

'Beautiful collection, such innovative and forward thinking design.' - Harrods

'Very edgy. This collection would be great for cover shoots. Extremely press-worthy pieces.' - Love Magazine Editor

'Stunning collection & pieces. Great concept for ready to wear. Love it.' - Vogue India

Monday was an exciting day as we received a visit from the team from One & Only resorts and decided to celebrate our London Fashion Week success with some bubbles.

We ended the day in the Esthetica main room where the champagne reception called for swapping success stories with the other designers and continuing possible collaboration leads. It has been a truly honourable privilege representing the Swimwear category with Sumarie's stunning SS15 La Vie Parisienne collection and we can't wait to catch up with everyone we met at London Fashion Week 2014.