FASHION'S permanent quest for the new and innovative means that some long established names can easily be overlooked. That could have been the fate of Windsmoor, except that the company has successfully avoided any suggestion of trussed up tailoring associated with similar labels. Instead, the current Windsmoor look is distinctly relaxed, with a soft and feminine appeal.
As one retailer in this country comments, "Windsmoor has developed a contemporary and stylish feel to the collection with designs emphasising a modern and transient lifestyle." Windsmoor has literally taken the stuffing out of tailoring; the look right now is lean and pared down. Slender jackets slip over matching shift dresses, flattering long wrap over pencil skirts or fluid trousers which are very much the look at the moment. Detail focuses more on the neckline than the kind of flashy buttons prevalent in the 1980s.
There are curving revers collars or a neat high button Nehru style. The fabrics - wools from Britain and Germany and newly developed fibres from Japan - are also softer and more gentle to the touch than used to be the case, with a greater sense of easy movement. There are textured silk jacquards for a navy shift and collarless jacket, fine crepe and waffle weaves, as well as viscose blends with a silky feel, for printed separates. An impression of lightness and modernity pervades the entire line.
In the present spring collection, a khaki theme is apparent with long fit and flare button through dresses complete with epaulettes and elegant pencil skirts to match safari jackets picking up the fashion of the moment for 1940s fashions. The look is continued with khaki and oregano batikstyle prints. Windsmoor has always had a strong reputation for its prints and there are peacock blue and maize abstract florals for loose casual overshirts to slip over rib textured trousers and long swirling skirts that bring vibrancy to these designs.
The entire collection has been designed to encourage a mix and match approach to wardrobe building; versatility has always been a part of Windsmoor's appeal, although highly competitive pricing also tips the scales in the label's favour. Unstructured jackets start at £95, with a more tailored version kicking off at £145. A smart silk jacquard shift dress and a graphic black and white colour blocked version - both of which look terrific on a wide range of age groups - are £105, while soft trousers begin at £73 and printed skirts at £105.
"The collection has become very popular in Ireland and is often chosen for business and special occasions such as the Derby, graduations or weddings," says one of Windsmoor's retail managers. "The range has a distinctive look that stands apart from other brands and harbours very little competition." Although renowned as a classic in Ireland, the collection's fabrics, styling and colour palette seem to appeal to a wider age group than is the case in Britain.
This could possibly be due to the tremendous success of the Windsmoor Collect Card, which has been operating for the past four years; earning 60 points on full price items entitles a card holder to a £60 voucher for further purchases. There are also a number of special incentive promotions which replace advertising campaigns. Working closely in this way with customers, Windsmoor has learnt tastes and preferences which can then be included in future collections.
Windsmoor has been synonymous with clothes of quality since 1933 when two brothers started the company manufacturing coats and suits. In 1959, they pioneered one of the first shop within a shop concepts - a forerunner of the vast network of leading store concessions throughout Britain and Ireland. After five decades as a family business, Windsmoor was floated on the London stock exchange in 1986. Two years later, the company was acquired by William Baird PLC, a large fashion and textile group with many interests.
Out of the central Windsmoor label, two other familiar fashion names have emerged: Precis, designed for petite sizes and Planet, which is aimed at the 30 something career woman. Throughout, there is a reassuring feel about the Windsmoor collection. Customers familiar with the company know if they are looking for something special, it can always be found here. Windsmoor is for the fashion conscious individual, a confident woman who knows what suits her and wants to look her best whatever the circumstances.