Today, in its own words, Toast ‘aspires to a more thoughtful way of life, creating and curating simple, functional, beautiful clothing, homeware and editorial.’ Doesn’t that pretty much sum up what we all aspire to in this hyper-connected era?
Well, luckily for us, these websites are nailing a similar vibe.
Veryan
veryan.studio
When Veryan Raiker founded her eponymous London studio in 2015, the aim was to produce clothes for women that would be ethical and made by skilled craftsfolk. She was determined to offer ‘simplicity with a focus on high-quality fabrics and details’. And she was adamant that her brand should be sustainable. ‘Sustainability for me,’ she says, ‘embodies a thoughtful approach to life, taking time to make the best decisions.’ What you find on this site, therefore, is a beautifully curated, pared back edit of separate, dresses, jumpsuits and accessories. Oh, and there is a made-to measure service available too. We would happily wear the Twill Workwear Chore Jacket In Organic Red Denim (£185) from autumn through to the end of spring.
Plumo
www.plumo.com
Working with artisans, textile mills, knitwear companies and makers across the UK and Europe, Plumo chooses its products for their distinctive quality of design and craftsmanship. Esther Roth founded the company, which is based in north London, in 1998. Esther, the business brain behind the brand, was joined by her sister, Verena, the creative one, seven years later. They say: ‘Plumo is an organic and slow-grown family business. In a way, it starts with us being sisters from a small town and the urge to travel and see the world. We both have wanderlust and plenty of curiosity.’ We are rather taken with the swishy Alodia Skirt (£279) which we would wear with ankle boots and chunky knits and be happy as Larry all winter long.
Sideline
sideline-clothing.com
At contemporary British womenswear label, Sideline, subtlety and thoughtfulness is the name of the game. Steering the ship on the England’s south coast is the founder, Ellen Brookes. She says: ‘I design for the women around me – like-minded women who care about fashion and how they dress, who are effortlessly stylish and softly confident. They’re not interested in faddy, throwaway clothing, instead coveting unique pieces that show integrity and thoughtfulness in their design.’ Sideline is committed to sustainability – and the packaging incorporates no single-use plastic. In other words, Sideline is bang-on-point, and the site is fresh and ethereal. The clothes are cool and impossible to tire of. We like the Whistle Dress in blue (£220) very much indeed.
Maud & Mabel
www.maudandmabel.com
This gallery-cum-shop-cum-website is a dream. It sells a carefully chosen selection of beautiful everyday objects that are made from clay, cloth and wood. The Maud & Mabel mission statement reads thus: ‘We believe in uniting contemporary craft with elegant design, and in marrying the old with the new. We celebrate imperfection alongside perfection, and we covet the simple and the meaningful. Everything we stock is designed to be used and treasured, adding a touch of magic to the everyday.’ We are hankering after the EvamEva Trousers In Sumi (£355).
Finery
www.finerylondon.com
‘Chic, shockingly affordable and very well designed,’ is how Vogue magazine describes Finery. The clothes from this British womenswear label are louder and more trend-led than the other brands on this list. It deserves its place, however, for its carefully considered, well-priced pieces that transcend seasonal dressing. Co-founder Caren Downie says: ‘We want everything to feel special. Throwaway fashion just doesn’t feel relevant any more. I would like to think that it’s because people have more respect.’ Quite so. We are drooling over the Iris Red Midi Floral Dress (£69).
OFFON
offonclothing.com
Another proponent of slow living, OFFON is a family-run business that produces hand-made clothes for women and little girls. There are no seasonal collections here, just individual orders for brilliantly conceived pieces. For mamas, we love the Loose Fit 6 Wale Light Blue Cord Jumpsuit Lenny (€130) and for little girls, our pick has to be the Linen Culottes (€54).
Phaedra Clothing
www.phaedraclothing.co.uk
You can just hear the passion oozing from the founder, Deva O’Neill, who – from her studio in an old shoe-making factory in Norwich – designs, cuts and sews all of Phaedra’s products herself. Made out of Lithuanian linen, the Persephone Dress (£125) is lovely (bear in mind that all clothes have a lead time of four weeks).
Ralph Lauren
www.ralphlauren.co.uk
You might not immediately associate Ralph Lauren fashion with that of Toast, but the brands sell a similar aspirational lifesyle, even if the former is more Hamptons,while the latter is more Climping. Fresh faced models with their preppy fashion beckon you from superbly styled interiors or from manicured countryside, it's easy to get drawn in. As you would expect, price tags are high to middle but the clothes look great and you can go the whole hog, furnishing your house the Ralph Lauren way too. This Denim Shirt (£139) is classic and sharp all at once.
By Becky Ladenburg
Updated September 2023
