Bella Freud’s new collab was inspired by 70s Cali women

Bella Freud has been designing since the 90s and is mostly famed for her slogan-emblazoned sweaters.

Following in the footsteps of Simone Rocha and Christopher Kane, the London-based designer has teamed up with denim giant J Brand to create a capsule collection that is an ode to the label’s LA hometown. “That feeling of those beautiful California girls, the feeling of freedom that those women from the 70s embodied that a lot of feminists came out of,” Freud told Vogue on the inspiration for the collection. Full of wardrobe staples, the collaboration brings together Freud’s sweaters with J Brand’s signature denim to create vintage-looking ensembles. 

Fronting the lookbook is Ella Richards – daughter of Yves Saint Laurent muse Lucie de la Falaise and granddaughter to music legend Keith Richards. The young model has already walked for brands like Chanel, Alexander McQueen and Burberry – she was the face of the latter’s campaign too – and has naturally followed in her mother’s footsteps. “I have always loved clothes from a very young age, I really appreciate textures and cuts. I have a lot of hand-me-Down's from my family, vintage silk shirts or little scarfs and jackets are my favourites. ” Richards told Dazed. 

The 17-piece collection features denim jackets, skirts and jeans and of course Freud’s sweaters in gold lurex. Richards’ favourites include a low-rise style of jeans that she thinks “looks like you’ve borrowed your little brother’s pair. They are really low rise and slightly cropped and have a little flair at the ankle,” and of course the 70s-style denim jumpsuit (it’s such a great cut and it's so comfortable to wear," she says). The collection launched earlier this week and is available online now and the jumpsuit is exclusive on jbrandjeans.com and bellafreud.com.