There are some people whose wardrobes you admire from afar, and then there are those whose essence you want to embody. Alexa Chung, whose self-assured style strikes the delicate balance of aspiration and approachability, has always been the latter. Her own wardrobe (and well-documented love of vintage) is an enduring source of inspiration—and overarchingly what informs her third collection for Madewell, out on November 10.
Vogue s Top Alexa Chung x Madewell Holiday Collection Picks
The 31-piece capsule, additionally, borrows from some of New York’s most storied characters: There’s a nod to Fran Leibowitz’s masculine tailoring with jeans, a hat tip to Patti Smith’s borrowed-from-the-boys attitude, a hint of Debbie Harry’s ’80s glam. “So many of my style icons have quite tomboyish style,” Chung shares, “but as I’ve got older, my taste has evolved to appreciate women who had a slightly more sensual way of dressing.” Film references—notably the hustle and bustle of Midnight Cowboy—complete her mental mood board and give the designs as a whole a cinematic quality that Chung says embodies the spirit of her adopted home.
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Denim remains integral to the collection, though this time around, the emphasis is on the wash rather than the silhouette. “I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to design the perfect jeans,” she says. There’s a straight-leg in a mid-blue and a rinse wash; a tapered boyfriend jean in the same rinse wash, which Chung says has a super clean, vintage-inspired look, and a crisp white one that sits a little lower on the waist and looks great with a heel. Her own preference: A dirty mid-blue for summer, and winter whites for right now.
Designing a holiday capsule (“a Scorpio collection,” she jokes, after I mention that we share a birthday on November 5) meant solving two style conundrums: How do you do festive that doesn’t feel on the nose, and what do you actually wear to feel glamorous when it’s freezing out?
The answer for her starts with a great coat. “I love making outerwear,” Chung intimates of the design process, “It’s one of my favorite things to work on because it has the lion’s share of your attention for so many months. Investing in a fantastic coat is something that pays dividends.” She focused on classic silhouettes: a navy blue peacoat with strong shoulders and a rakish slouch (one of Chung’s personal favorites) and a structured herringbone coat, with oversized lapels and a longer length. For balmy fall days, there’s a fringe leather jacket, and a tuxedo jumpsuit that calls for little more than a spiky patent leather heel, a Vesper, and a throwback party playlist. A leather wrap skirt, lace slip maxi, and a striped pajama set complete the party assortment.
Longtime fans of Chung’s will appreciate the Easter eggs scattered throughout: “New York is my lover” refers to an old video she made with Madewell; the “We’re Witches, Bitches” tee, a cheeky wink to an inside joke with a close friend.
Chung’s charming wit shines through the personality-driven styling, with magpie-like finishing touches rounding out the collection. “[Accessories] are so important in my everyday style. They’re how you express yourself; how you put something together is what sets you apart from just wearing a plain outfit.” Flowery brooches add whimsy to the tailored pieces, while a gold chain belt—inspired by one in Chung’s own archive—dresses up both the outerwear and a black chiffon dress with a high neck and blouson sleeves. “I wanted to make sure that we were giving everyone the tools to adapt and style the pieces in various ways.”
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The navy peacoat might be the most quintessential Chung piece in the collection, but she holds the ivory crochet cardigan with its matching scarf (another vintage-inspired design) equally dear. “Its cozy hand-feel is safe and comforting.”
Shop an edit of the full collection, below.
