Everything Going Down for Highsnobiety’s Not In London
This article is part of Not In London, a multi-media celebration of the English cultural capital. With parties, a pop-up store, brand collaborations, and more, check it out here.
London, are you ready for round two? Highsnobiety’s “Not In” city series, a pop-up experience celebrating local cultures in creative capitals, is returning to the capital city on February 21.
From limited-edition products to exclusive events, here is a roundup of all the festivities during this multi-faceted takeover of London.
On February 20, our Selfridges pop-up store opens, stocking select items from the Not In London collection, and the following day, the full collection arrives online on the Highsnobiety Shop (including exclusive collaborations, but more on that later).
Meanwhile, the Not In London events program begins.
Open until February 24, we're hosting a pop-up at the British Fashion Council's NEWGEN space during London Fashion Week featuring an immersive installation with coffee by La Marzocco, pastries by Cedric Grolet, and a shuttle service in partnership with MINI. Plus, at Chiltern Firehouse’s Sidewalk Cafe, we've organized a luxurious homage to the classic British meal deal, this time featuring a trio of oysters and champagne.
Elsewhere on the events schedule, London-based designer Nicholas Daley and streetwear pioneers Patta curate a party at Colour Factory and the Barbican hosts a panel talk featuring local collective Talk Nice Studios and Central Saint Martins students.
Keep scrolling to see everything that we're releasing as part of Not In London. And for 24-hour early access to the goods, be sure to download the Highsnobiety iOS app.
Nicholas Daley
London-based designer Nicholas Daley honors the King of Calypso, Trinidadian singer Lord Kitchener. This collection is titled London Is The Place For Me after a song written by Lord Kitchener on the journey to London upon HMT Empire Windrush.
"It's a tune which embodies what I think London is about and the complexities of it," Nicholas Daley tells Highsnobiety. "When people left the Caribbean to come to London, there was an air of optimism with the Windrush generation. They were met with a lot of hostility, prejudice, racism, and brutality.”
Barbican
The Barbican is a marvel of brutalist architecture.
Inside the Grade II listed building, are a school, a church, a library, an artificial lake, a vast conservatory, and a full-blown arts center (complete with a cinema, theatre, and exhibition spaces). And that's before we get onto its sought-after apartments.
Barbour
Originally founded in 1894 as an importer of decorated enamel cloths, Barbour is a quintessentially British outdoor brand. Outfitting everyone from James Bond to the current King of England, its heritage can't be understated.
Our collaboration with the brand centers around two upcycled jackets — one diamond quilted and another crafted from waxed cotton — deconstructed and remade with a double layer of fabric covering the front and a shortened, more boxy fit.
Cedric Grolet
Cédric Grolet, the celebrated French pastry chef who runs a pâtisserie in the esteemed London hotel The Berkeley, enters the fold for a pastry-themed collection.
And this isn't only a collaboration with one of the world’s leading pastry chefs, it also includes a work jacket created with the Scandinavian label NN.07, featuring the ingredient list to create one of his pain au chocolats.
Chiltern Firehouse
A celebrated hotel and restaurant located in one of the city's original firehouses, Chiltern Firehouse is a storied London venue. Its classic red-brick facade, in the center of Marylebone, houses a restaurant by chef Luke Hunns and an invite-only cocktail lounge.
Chiltern, the sister location of LA's Chateau Marmont, has become renowned as a celebrity hotspot in its relatively short 11-year history. And if you want proof, just glance at the hoard of paparazzi that hang out the back.
Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
Guided by a series of lectures by Ellis Gilbert, founder of London-based label Talk Nice Studios, fashion students from the prestigious Central Saint Martins created graphics expressing their view of Britishness.
The designs by Avaro Azkue, Macy Grimshaw, and Luca Fabry have now been produced and are available as a limited-edition Not In London drop.
Highsnobiety Not In London
Crafted by Highsnobiety's in-house design team, the Not In London collection celebrates all things Brit-ish.
There are odes to staple British cuisine (T-shirts honoring Sunday Roasts and Pie & Mash), a button-down shirt repeating the word sorry, and graphics showing how London is spelled in various languages.
