Hello! Welcome back to TWR. We have had a great summer recharging our batteries, we hope yours was good too. Anything interesting happen while we were away? Well yes, as it happens. Arket launched, a rather good new brand from the same Skandi-chic stable as COS and &Other Stories, and – hold onto your hats – it’s good for grown up women.
This week we went round the first store, on Regent Street – conveniently close to COS, and tried on the clothes for fit, mused over the fabric quality and turned clothes inside out to check the sewing standards. it’s very good indeed. Think of it as like a better quality Uniqlo, a more stylish Muji, a slightly easier to wear COS and as Jane commented, what GAP should be doing if it hadn’t lost its way back in the day.
The aesthetic is relaxed, minimal and classic. There’s lots of navy, camel and white with splashes of pink, gold and burgundy for colour.
The oversized tailored shirts are wonderful, with nice details such as starched double cuffs, generous length and my favs are made from good thick poplin fabric. I also love that there are camisole-style tops made in the same fabrics.
Prices aren’t H&M cheap, but then money has clearly been spent on better fabrics and good finish. Shirts are around £35 to £55, with trousers starting at £55, but aren’t we all fed up of clothes that disintegrate after a couple of washes? The fit is good, although clearly not modeled on a curvy figure, it’s been fitted to a young millennial body, but there were size 18s in good supply on the rails, hurrah for that. Perhaps go up a size if you are unsure.
I liked the camel colourway offer, in particular the wool jersey wrap jacket with the neat detail of the belt being attached at the back so it wont go AWOL.
I fell for the indigo range, which has a quality tailored finish to each piece. think less ‘distressed jeans’ and more ‘gentlewomen denim’. There is a fabulous skirt and a very useful pair of trousers.
T shirts are made from that lovely pointelle knit fabric which reminds me of vests. Knits are good too, an oversize soft cowl neck looked super useful and there’s a wonderful strawberry pink merino crew neck.
I was very smitten with the all white rail (have they been reading TWR for inspiration?) and the padded liner jacket in white looked a great layering piece for brightening up cold days under winter jackets.
After you’ve shopped for yourself. you can pick up a good jacket or excellent basic T shirt for Middleagedad too. And adorable kids clothes (think a more skandi version of Mini Boden) and even (classy) scrubbing brushes and kitchen crockery.
And the socks are excellent. Watch out Uniqlo.
If you can’t visit the store, check out the website, which is quirky and practical and if you sign up for the newsletter you get 20% off your first order. You’re welcome. The site also tracks which factory your garment was made in, in a step towards supply-chain transparency, which must be a good thing.
I’m looking forward to buying from here when I resume purchasing in 2018, fingers crossed it stays as good.
Thank you for the best (most useful, well illustrated and informative)n review of Arket I’ve read anywhere. Now I want to go and have a look …
Aw thanks Esme! it is worth the trip IMHO, not in a wow-y fab way, but in a quiet, this could be useful way. Let me know what you think too. Ax
Yes, the best review I’ve seen too – makes me want to go and buy my autumn trousers…
Great review Amanda, and I love the relevant fabric and supplier’s info included on the website. Know where I’ll be shopping at the weekend!
Thanks for the review. Unfortunately, they aren’t selling over the Pond. Hopefully, I will get back over next year and have a look myself.
The one thing I have found true with COS–and even other brands here in the US: they are skimping on material and making the sleeves too tight, particularly the bicep area. Not sure this is the best way to save money. It is frustrating to have the rest of the garment fit just fine, but not the sleeves. A saleswoman in COS told me people had mentioned it to her, too. I have also read the same complaint in comments of other online clothing websites. And it isn’t just dresses and tops, but winter coats and jackets, too. Not too helpful if one can only wear a thin t-shirt under a winter coat.
Gap had a moment when Rebekka Bay was there, I bought some things that were really nice was really disappointed when they parted company. I don’t think they gave her long enough to turn it around and now it can’t shake it’s frumpy/cheap image.