In September 2017 the British high-street chain River Island launched a capsule collection with Ashish, the London label of designer Ashish Gupta, famous for hand-sequinned clothes that treat glitter as everyday wear rather than party wear.
The collection
The collaboration was part of River Island's Design Forum, a series of limited capsules created with young London designers. Launched online and in stores in September 2017, around London Fashion Week, it was a small, gender-neutral range of around 15 pieces. It was described as playful and relaxed: oversized puffer jackets that looked like sleeping bags, sparkly slip dresses, sweatshirts with fridge-magnet style lettering and embroidered pyjamas. Prices were reported to run from about £30 to £180. The launch was celebrated with a festival appearance and a photoshoot featuring bloggers and influencers wearing the pieces.
The designer's own description of the mood stressed laziness and dreaminess: clothes relaxed enough to lounge in at home but stylish enough to wear out.
Why high-street collaborations matter
- Access: they put a designer's ideas within reach of people who would never buy from the main line.
- Discovery: a high-street audience meets a designer it may never have heard of.
- Gender-neutral design: capsules like this helped push unisex sizing and styling into mainstream stores.
- Scarcity: limited runs create queues, sell-outs and a resale market.
How to wear sequins as a man
Sequins are less scary than they sound. Start with one piece, such as a sequinned jumper or bomber, and keep everything else plain and dark. Black trousers and clean white trainers let the sparkle do the talking. A sequinned slip or shirt worn under an oversized coat turns a simple outfit into a party look.
Sparkle after dark
Few places suit a bit of shimmer like a casino at night. The neon of Las Vegas, the gilded rooms of Monte Carlo and the velvet of London's private gaming clubs all reward clothes that catch the light. A sequinned piece under a dark tailored jacket is a modern alternative to black tie, though the strictest venues still prefer a classic suit. See what each room asks for in casino dress codes decoded.
