Jenny Packham’s elegant, high fashion evening wear has made the designer a favorite among the likes of Sandra Bullock, Angelina Jolie, Taylor Swift, Gigi Hadid, and Kate Winslet.
Packham has carved out another highly enviable position, particularly for a British brand: She is the go-to designer for
Kate Middleton.
(In 2021, for instance, the Princess of Wales was photographed wearing Packham’s dresses on at least 18 occasions.) This year, Packham has taken on new projects and found surprising sources of inspiration, as the brand continues to grow both its ready-to-wear and wedding collections globally.
It’s now possible to see Packham’s pieces not just in the high-end boutiques, such as Harrods, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, but at the new Peninsula hotel in Hyde Park. The clothing, however, isn’t for sale—Packham designed the uniforms for the Peninsula Hyde Park’s hundreds of employees.
“We were commissioned to design for all the various teams throughout the hotel, from the reception to the Chinese restaurant and housekeeping. Therefore, we were inspired by different sources,” including the interiors by designer Peter Marino, Packham tells Penta. The wardrobe for the maître de, servers, and bartenders at Canton Blue, the Peninsula’s British-Cantonese restaurant, was inspired by the films of Ang Lee, Packham’s favorite director. “For those uniforms we used vibrant colors and embellishment,” Packham says.
Meanwhile, the brand’s Resort 2024 collection was an homage to the Ocean Rising initiative, which raises awareness about the threats facing the world’s largest bodies of water through art, fashion, film, and literature. That partnership took the fashion house “into a more organic world of beading. Our bead work is less linear now,” she said. Recycled sequins were used in the collection that paid tribute to the ocean’s vast ecosystem.
Packham prides her company on “continually striving to reduce their environmental impact, incorporating ethically sourced materials where possible and promoting fair trade practices.” Now, though, Packham says, she is more committed than ever to find ways “to save our seas.”
She speaks with Penta about some of her favorite things.
My staple winter outfit is… Black trousers in heavy satin and a loose cashmere sweater—or if I need to be more formal, I may wear my vintage YSL jacket with a Comme des Garçon shirt, and Nike trainers.
My go-to travel outfit… Boyfriend jeans, a Dries Van Noten blazer and shirt, and my Ally Capellino rucksack.
My favorite hotel in London is… The new Peninsula is my new go to hotel in London. It’s airy, stylish, and the Chinese restaurant, Canton Blue, is the best in town.
My favorite travel destination is… I love to stay in Paris and know it well—it’s my home away from home. I visit my favorite places and discover new restaurants and shops. As far as new destinations, I love remoteness and simplicity. Last year I was on safari in the Maasai Mara and it was the most magical trip of my life.
My go-to clothing store in London is… Marni on Mount Street, a short walk from our flagship store, and I love Liberty for browsing.
I unwind by… Walking my dog Byron on the Heath is mostly relaxing until he finds an expensive croissant in the back of a pushchair and then it’s rather stressful, but amusing. Alternatively, I love watching Netflix in the bath.
I draw inspiration for my style from… So many places. I think others would think of my wardrobe as predominantly black and simple, but I actually love mixing color and textures and think of my wardrobe as quite eclectic, but I need time to style myself. So often, like most of us, I fall into a habit of wearing the same looks.
The accessory I can’t live without… My Carmex lip balm is a constant companion, I leave them all over the studio, and then I find a pile of them on my desk.
What I would wear to my next black-tie event… I had a fabulous black and silver beaded cocktail dress made for me for an event that was canceled recently. It has power shoulders and a deep V neckline—very Rachael from Blade Runner.
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