Style for all seasons with Simkhai

Fabric of Society: You’ve mentioned travel inspires a lot of your collections. Where never fails to stir your imagination and why?

Jonathan Simkhai: I love Italy, the scenery and the architecture are always so beautiful and inspiring, and the food and culture are incredible. I also recently spent time in Thailand as part of a work trip and loved it so much that I went back with my whole family.

FoS: How would you sum up the pre aw25 collection and the key looks that define it? Where did you draw inspiration from for this particular collection?

Jonathan Simkhai: For this collection I was inspired by a chance encounter with a painted canvas at a fabric fair in Paris. Many of the colors for the collection came from that including orchid, sunglow, cocoa, and crimson, together with black and white.

I always love playing with contrasts - light versus dark, hard lines in soft fabrics, solid and sheer within the same garment, hard edged tailoring with alluring drapes - and this season there is an emphasis on bringing these features back in new ways. 

Lastly, as with every Simkhai collection I want to ensure there is an ease of wear to everything, and that the customer will look and feel good in our pieces, and feel empowered to take on her day.

FoS: If you had to choose a favourite or few favourites from the collection, what would they be and why?

Jonathan Simkhai: The Briella embellished gown is a showstopper that fits well and is great for a special occasion

FoS: If a customer were new to the brand, what piece would you say they should try first to get the purest understanding of the Simkhai aesthetic and brand ethos?

Jonathan Simkhai: It depends on the person and their style, as well as the life they are leading, but I will say our Kenlie Dress has become a Simkhai icon. The combination of the knit body and the taffeta skirt feels both timeless and modern, and it makes you both look and feel so special when you wear it. It’s been worn in various colors by everyone from Taylor Swift to Sarah Paulson, Olivia Palermo, Olivia Culpo and Kaley Cuoco.

FoS: Simkhai continues to be one of our standout brands at Fabric of Society. What do you think it is about your brands and designs that resonate so well with the Fabric of Society customer, who is predominantly based in the Middle East?

Jonathan Simkhai: I love that Simkhai designs are worn and enjoyed by so many women around the world. I think our color palette, our commitment to craftsmanship and luxury designs, and our offering including many options for coverage such as below the knee lengths and sleeves probably all play a part in making the brand so popular in the Middle East.

I love designing for celebratory moments and creating pieces that make women stand out in the right way. When creating collections, I always like to think about different customers around the world and making sure we have pieces that will excite them. I love seeing the vibrant, elegant and embellished designs that the Middle Eastern customer tends to gravitate towards – she has great taste.

FoS: There’s no denying that the last few years have been a challenging landscape for luxury fashion houses, yet Simkhai seems to be bucking the trend and going from strength to strength. Have you adapted your designs or approached collections differently and what do you think has supported your success?

Jonathan Simkhai: At Simkhai we have always adapted to change rather than resisting it, whatever form that comes in. I have an incredible team and this year we worked hard on widening our network of production partners, tightening up on our collections and the customer that we design for, and continuing to double down on what we stand for: designing pieces rooted in craftsmanship and innovation that help women both look and feel their best.

FoS:You recently showed your new collection at NYFW, how did it go and what can we expect from the new SS26 season?

Jonathan Simkhai: The show was incredible, the runway was in a beautiful raw concrete space with double height ceilings. The collection was inspired by coastal living and I looked at surf and skate culture and the movie Lords of Dogtown. It was also a look back at an early collection I created with a similar inspiration, and a chance to re design it for now with more resources and more history to the brand. It was a love letter to myself as a young designer to show how far we have come. When the collection launches early next year expect ripped denim, leather and suede jackets and set, and beautiful leather gowns and paillette encrusted mini dresses.