“Through every collection, we work with a growing network of makers, creatives, and local manufacturers,” said Bethany Williams of the inspiration for fall. “This is a thank you to all the hands that touch these garments.” The collection, titled “The Hands That Heal Us,” celebrated all the skilled contributors whose materials, designs, weaving, knitting, printing, and embroidery led to its genesis.
Williams again collaborated with the artist Melissa Kitty Jarram on the striking prints that featured throughout. Each illustration tells a story of the brand's partnership with a specific supplier. This season, importance was placed on functionality, yet each piece felt elevated, as there was a focus on tailoring that used a deeper palette. There was also the introduction of sustainable dark indigo raw denim. “We’ve taken a much earthier approach to the colors than usual—whilst still including bursts of bright contrasts—which has been an exciting development,” said Williams. She “worked closely with denim specialists at ROAD Consultancy to build out our foundations using recycled and organic-based raw denim. These pieces include detachable metal shanks, meaning that at the end of the garment's life, the metal ware can easily be removed and recycled.”
A brown houndstooth wool suit and coat were some of the sharpest moments. The material was woven on the Isle of Man at the Laxey Woollen Mill, a family-owned business. The collar on the coat included a newly developed woven textile, created in partnership with Mending for Good, a consulting agency that specializes in ethical solutions to wasted and excess stock for luxury brands. “I wanted to recreate a fur collar-like material using deadstock cotton and wool yarns,” said Williams.
Alongside the latest collection launch, Williams debuted an exhibition at the Design Museum entitled Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems, which showcases the stories behind her collections to date. “It highlights how hard we’ve worked towards creating change, with social and environmental issues at the heart of everything we do,” said the designer. “I’m so thrilled to promote our community through the history of the brand so far.”
