ARKET announces design collaboration with Penny Martin
This autumn, ARKET presents The Penny Martin Edit, a capsule women’s collection designed in collaboration with the celebrated writer and editor of The Gentlewoman magazine. A definitive wardrobe of garments and accessories fashioned for town and country, the Edit cherishes the habits, rituals, and balance important to the modern woman.
Renowned for a thoughtful point of view on personal style that speaks to readers worldwide, Penny Martin splits her time between coastal Fife, in Scotland – where she lives – and London, home to The Gentlewoman’s offices and portal to the fashion industry she has been a part of for decades.
The Edit is inspired by the duality of Penny’s life, offering a focused selection that serves both the professional and the personal. Whereas a double-face cashmere skirt-suit and perfect black blazer provide day-long precision and confidence in town, the chunky rollneck and high-waisted, wide-leg chinos promise comfort and ease at home. Weaving these twin strands together are commuter essentials: threequarter-length cashmere coats; a strong, stacked Derby shoe that brings elevation and a silk square and travel blanket, whose contrasting lines reflect the delight in detail at the heart of the collection. In a reference to a 1990s piece from Penny’s own wardrobe, the sleek wool crêpe dress embodies her take on formal dressing.
‘The relationship between ARKET and Penny Martin goes back to even before the launch of the brand, when she shared her vast knowledge of products and writing with our team. This collection is a natural next step, and the result of many hours of discussions around the needs of a professional woman who thrives through a busy schedule with the comfort of a pragmatic wardrobe. Each piece has been considered in detail, and our dialogues about travel, lifestyle, and staying true to oneself will continue to inspire us even after The Penny Martin Edit is launched,’ says Ella Soccorsi, Head of Design and Creative at ARKET.
In addition to the items co-designed by ARKET and Penny Martin, the wider collection includes some of her long-time favourite ARKET pieces – an oversized cotton poplin shirt, wide-leg corduroy trousers, heavyweight T-shirts and a new standout khaki trench coat – hand-picked from the AW24 collection’s rich offering of wool, cashmere, leather, and silk.
“Working with the brilliant designers at ARKET has been a transformative experience for me,” Penny Martin said. “My job is to anticipate how women do and don’t want to look and feel. This Edit has been a unique opportunity to put everything I have learned through creating a fashion magazine into the clothes themselves. They are my solutions to the demands of modern living.”
The Penny Martin Edit is an exclusive collaboration for ARKET AW24 and will be available in selected stores and online from 5 September.
For more info, please contact press@arket.com.