Zandra Rhodes collaborates with Free People

British fashion and textile designer Zandra Rhodes, famous for her bright pink hair and prints, is launching a limited-edition capsule collection with Free People.

Contemporary label Free People said that the collaboration came to life after its chief creative director, Ana Hartl joined Rhodes in her London studio to delve into her extensive print archives from the past 50 years.

Here they found four prints inspired by Rhodes’ travels, which they transformed into an eight-piece capsule that fuse Free People’s signature silhouettes with Rhodes flair for print.

“Zandra’s designs embody an electrified version of beauty, eccentricity and spirit - her love of handcraft in her print artwork is perfectly aligned with our creative values and aesthetic,” said Hartl in a statement. “To be able to combine her prints with our shapes was a dream come true for the brand.”

The collaboration marks the first time that lifestyle brand Free People has launched a designer collaboration and features some of Rhodes’ most recognisable prints. These include the ‘stars’ print inspired by mid-sixties Carnaby Street and the ‘Frilly’ and ‘Shells’ prints inspired by nature and painterly interpretations of shell gardens she found on the British seaside in the 1970s.

The prints can be seen across signature Free People silhouettes such as flowy maxi dresses, wide-leg halter jumpsuit, a whimsical kimono, a flirty mini dress and a statement leather jacket embellished with Rhodes’ ‘Mexican Turnaround’ print, an ode to the designer’s travels to Mexico.

Commenting on the collaboration, Dame Zandra Rhodes, said: “It makes me excited to be able to reach more people through this collaboration with Free People. Being a luxury designer, it is often hard to be accessible to many.

“Collaborating with a brand that is affordable but still maintains high quality is a real goal for me! I also love the bohemian aesthetic that Free People have, it really aligns with and speaks to the Zandra Rhodes wearer.”

The Free People x Zandra Rhode collection launches mid-July and will be available on Free People’s website and at its Regent Street and Duke of York stores in London, and West Broadway in New York.