The luxury of less

Nielson and Singer highlight their collection’s sustainability credentials, emphasizing that pieces are designed to “survive for decades in the homes and wardrobes of collectors.” The collection is launching with three wool coats, a scarf, leather sandals, and a set of porcelain cups, cast from originals by the late artist J. B. Blunk, Nielson’s father. Alongside online sales, Nielson and Singer will soon offer their wares at a select number of stores in five global cities.

Taking the idea of simplifying a collection to an even greater extreme is London label Per/se, which launches a single coat design every two months. Created by twins Hardeep and Mandeep Kaur, the label launched in July with its Nebula coat, whose cocooning shape was rendered in a textured fabric by Danish company Kvadrat. In September, the Anthem coat followed, fashioned in light gray neoprene with a cork lining. Hardeep Kaur says that the label’s clients have embraced the new concept. “They value the purity of the product,” she notes. In particular, adds Kaur, the duo’s customers appreciate the concept of launching one piece at a time. “It’s about adding value to singular products, moments, and ideas—imbuing them with meaning,” she says.

Claire Miles, head of The Shop at Bluebird, a concept store on London’s King’s Road, agrees that her customers are less drawn to shopping in a strictly seasonal cycle. “They shop when they like and when it fits with their lifestyle, which is becoming [a] more important [concept],” she says, noting that brands such as M.i.h Jeans, Studio Nicholson, and Rick Owens exemplify this season-less approach.

Buying to last may be more important, but as to whether her customers are buying less, Miles says “not really.” “There is an appreciation for the pieces we sell, and the quality means you can keep them forever, but the desire [for these pieces] means our customers do buy a lot,” she adds.

Design has never been driven by quite the same cyclical dictates as fashion, but still, “less but better” is making its mark. One representative label is London-based Another Country, which cites “good design, longevity, sustainability, and quality at fair prices” as guiding values. Another Country launched its latest collection, Series Four, at the London Design Festival earlier this month, with pieces including the sturdy Dining Table Four, which combines elements of English and Dutch construction styles; the sleek, minimal Day Bed Four; and Stool Four, a wooden stacking stool.

As the label adds Series (which it does at a slow pace—its Series Three launched in 2013), existing products remain in its catalog, so none of the past designs are positioned as obsolete.