Karen Millen unveils Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner as the new face of the brand

Premium high-street label Karen Millen is undergoing a brand transformation with a new campaign star and made-to-measure tailoring service, writes Emma Akbareian

Sophie Turner wears jeans £99, floral coat £299, t-shirt £65, bag £399; karenmillen.co.uk

Karen Millen hasn’t always benefitted from the most fashion-forward of reputations. In the heyday of bodycon dresses and glitz it became known predominately as a purveyor of partywear, frequently in questionable taste. Fast forward 10 years and in a high street of daily deliveries and overnight trend turnarounds happen, it fell ever so slightly out of fashion.

Maybe that was the catalyst for Karen Millen’s revamp: as this year, change is afoot. First, a new creative team and a fresh look courtesy of photographers including the legendary David Bailey, who shot last season’s advertising. Second, an impressive 8,000 sq ft flagship store opened this summer at Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, west London. And today, after a week of teaser footage, the brand unveils the star of its new campaign:Sophie Turner, otherwise known as Game of Throne’s Sansa Stark. The aim? Appealing to a newer, cooler demographic.

A lesser known fact about Karen Millen is that its roots are firmly based in London. Unlike many other outsourcing brands, Karen Millen prides itself that every piece is designed, cut and finished in its Shoreditch studio. To celebrate this, and to coincide with London Fashion Week, a ‘Tailored in London’ service will launch next week at the Brompton store. A specially curated range of clothing will be available for complete customisation, giving each shopper something personally “tailored” to them.

“The very limited production quantities have allowed us to include some very special and beautiful fabrics” says Gemma Metheringham, the brand’s chief creative officer. “Our commitment through this project is not to compromise on quality.”

karenmillen.co.uk