Jenny Schwarz has collaborated with Yorkshire textile mill Hainsworth to launch her new AW15 collection.
Schwarz, whose fans include TV presenter Graham Norton, actor Rupert Evans and musicians Labrinth and Gary Numan, was inspired by the mill’s contemporary fabrics.
Her new collection features beautifully tailored coats, jackets, sweatshirts and barrel bags all created using a selection of Hainsworth fabrics.
Fabrics given a modern twist include the mill’s iconic Khaki Melton cloth, which it invented for the British Military.
Jenny says: “Our Khaki Jacket takes the uniform and the origins of khaki but brings a modern sophistication in its cut and design.”
She has also pioneered new uses for Hainsworth’s Navy Melton. Traditionally used for tailored garments, military uniforms, blanketing and furnishing, she has turned it into a contemporary sweatshirt.
Like Hainsworth, Jenny has an interesting history and heritage. In the 1930s, her great grandfather, Johann Schneider, ran a very successful bespoke menswear atelier from which he dressed the smartest of Bavarian gentlemen. In his spare time he was an adventurer.
Today, the spirit of his legacy and his ethos of rugged adventure lives on through the Jenny Schwarz label. This duality of cloth being used for luxury and practicality also strongly connects Jenny’s values with Hainsworth’s values.
Jenny says: “Hainsworth’s long heritage of tailored uniform used in both extreme conditions and on ceremonial occasions is a real point of connection for me. Founded in 1783 in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, the mill became a factor in Britain’s position as a leader in textiles manufacture. One of their first important engagements was to provide the cloth for the scarlet uniform in which the soldiers fought at The Battle of Waterloo. In more recent times, Hainsworth was commissioned to supply the cloth for Prince William’s ceremonial uniform when he married Catherine Middleton. So we can proudly proclaim that we use the same cloth as that worn by the future King of England.”
Hainsworth MD Tom Hainsworth said: “Jenny Schwarz is known for her impeccable combination of classic vintage tailoring paired with a fresh modern style.
“Our companies share the same ethos and beliefs and, like Jenny, we have a huge commitment to quality and timeless design. We were delighted to collaborate with her and plan to do so again in future collections.”
“We are working with an increasing number of exciting British fashion designers who love the fabrics we produce. At the London Collections: Men, organised by the British Fashion Council, our fabrics had a presence in shows on most days.
“It is a really exciting time for British fashion and fascinating for us to see our fabrics transformed into high fashion by different designers.”
Last year, to capitalise on its growing interest among fashion designers in Britain and overseas Hainsworth, one of Britain’s oldest textile mills, launched a marketing campaign positioning itself as the “fabric of a nation”.
The campaign included a photo shoot setting Hainsworth fabrics against some of London’s most iconic landmarks, reinforcing the Mill’s connections with Britain’s capital of fashion.