DROI OF MAGIC

Charlotte Simone's fun, vintage-inspired coats and accessories are designed to put a spring in your step - we catch up with her as she prepares for her tenth-anniversary hot drop

- BECKY DONALDSON

When the newly graduated Charlotte Simone Beecham launched a range of fluffy faux-fur Popsicle scarves in 2011, they were an instant success.

American socialite Olivia Palermo, singer Rita Ora and model Alexa Chung were early fans.

As exposure and demand grew, these colourful creations evolved into a full outerwear label in 2015, best known for its vintage-inspired jackets and coats.

The converted pieces have since been spotted on an impressive roster of celebrities, including Madonna, Gigi Hadid, Lila Moss, Dua Lipa, Emily Ratajkowski and Taylor Swift.

Taylor was spotted in Charlotte Simone signature styles twice last winter, creating a huge buzz. Sales in the US increased by 220%, the number of subscribers rose by more than 140%, and a significant waiting list was generated.

“When Taylor Swift wore a coat we knew in about the first minute, because my phone exploded,” the British designer tells HELLO! when we meet at her central London studio.

The sustainable business model is small-scale and considered, and operates with three drops of about 14 pieces each a year. “The last one, we sold close to 70% of the stock in the first hour. We had at peak time about 25,000 people on the website,” she says.

DRESSING FOR HERSELF

Part of her success is that she is her ideal customer. “I’m a very basic dresser - I love jeans and a tee,” she says. Today, she’s wearing black balloon trousers, a grey knit and a pair of leopard-print Adidas Adizero Adios OG trainers. “I like the idea that if you wear one of the coats, it can instantly elevate your look - that’s really the idea.”