When we heard that Jessy Linton – cofounder of the very cool salon Keash Braids – was launching a fashion label, we knew summer was finally heating up. One half of the duo responsible for packing your Insta feed with braided locks, the London-based womenswear and denim designer has now unveiled her new brand, Errortique.
"'Error' meaning wrong, and 'tique' coming from boutique – so, 'the wrong boutique'. It obviously sounds like 'erotic', and I wanted to create pieces for women to feel effortlessly sexy in," Jessy tells Refinery29.
The aim is to create 'semi-luxury' for women with less conventional tastes, and the pieces riff on fun '90s references, with nods to the best of '00s style. Think candy-tone colours, handkerchief hems, and a lot of ruching. Our favourite piece? The velvet halterneck, which comes in pistachio green or powder pink: one part J.Lo, one part Julie Cooper from The O.C, 100% summer in the city.
We asked Jessy how she's styling these park-to-party staples, where her mates (like director Leonn Ward, the women of creative agency Babyface, and hairstylist Taiba Akhuetie) hang out in summer, and the trashy TV references she returns to again and again. Click through to get all the info.
Who is Errortique for?
"Myself, my friends, my mum. I like to design separates so there is something in there for everyone. I'd like women of all ages to feel like there is a piece they could slot into their wardrobe. I think women – especially London girls – have such a spirited approach to personal style, that's two fingers up at conventional ideas of 'sex appeal' or 'femininity'. I wanted to make fun clothes for having fun in."
Photo: Michele Cote
Where will you and your mates wear the collection?
"At the office and then straight to a hot and sweaty club. I want to see girls wearing Errortique at carnival, at their mates' BBQs, a wedding or at the White Horse in Peckham. I'm very inspired by British girls' total disregard for wearing 'sensible' things. I'm hoping the beauty of them is that you could wear one of the plain slip skirts to work, and come 6pm, whip your hoodie off and wear one of the backless tops underneath to go out-out in. I want women to feel special all the time – they're clothes to wear in a university lecture and also to a black tie event."
Michele Cote
The clothes are park-to-party styles – where would you wear them in London?
"Spot on. Frank's in Peckham is a no-brainer, you'll have seen Insta selfies in the pink corridors, I'm sure. I tend to be either hanging out at my flat, at Shadwell Basin or in a busy pub garden. I spend a lot of time in Brockwell Park and Gillett Square in Dalston. That for me is the ultimate summer afternoon – grabbing a bottle of prosecco and sitting on a hot patch of grass/pavement somewhere!"
Photo: Michele Cote
What was inspiring you when you designed the collection?
"The pieces are inspired by those internet black holes we find ourselves disappearing into when you're searching things like 'silk neckerchief top 2001' on eBay. I wanted to tap into that. They're nostalgic pieces that have been stripped back and made over in more luxurious fabrics. The silhouettes are based on lots of the clothing I grew up on – watching MTV Base and The Simple Life. They're inspired by brands like Juicy Couture, Versace, Escada and early '00s Prada. The print for this collection draws on some iconic fashion moments, like my favourite Louis Vuitton collab – Stephen Sprouse's graffiti bags."
Photo: Michele Cote
How do you style the halternecks?
"I would wear them with tracksuit bottoms and trainers during the day, and then with heels and trackies or a denim mini in the evening. I think they'd look amazing with some high-waisted flares and big diamanté hoops too, or over something unusual like suit trousers with mules – come to think of it, they'd also look very J.Lo on the beach..."
Photo: Michele CoteLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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