What to shop at Harrods now: the late summer and AW26 arrivals
There is a short window every year when the summer crowds have thinned, the September rush has not yet arrived, and the first autumn collections are already on the rails. This is it. New AW26 pieces are landing across the floors at Harrods, which means first pick for anyone who walks Brompton Road before the schools go back. The Knightsbridge Partnership has published its late summer Harrods edit, and these are the names we would head for first.
Last weekend for Leo Lin
The Sydney designer's pop-up closes on Monday 31 August, so the bank holiday weekend is the final chance to see it. The Pre-Autumn and AW26 edit is built on handcrafted 3D floral appliqués, hand-sewn embellishment and laser-cut embroidery: romantic, detailed clothes that reward seeing in person rather than on a screen. If you have been meaning to go all summer, this is the moment.
Eveningwear and a Paris debut
On the First Floor, in Evening and Occasion, the Zuhair Murad AW26 collection is exclusive to Harrods in the UK. Expect sculptural silhouettes, sheer detailing and the dazzling embellishment the Beirut house is known for; the wider collections are on the Zuhair Murad website, but the Harrods rail is where to see the UK exclusive. With the autumn wedding and gala season ahead, it is worth an early look.
Quieter but just as notable, Ami Paris womenswear has arrived at Harrods for the first time, taking its place in the International Designer Room. The Paris label made its name with menswear, so this is an early chance to see the women's line in a Knightsbridge setting before the autumn crowds arrive.
For him, and for everyone
From the end of the month, the Copenhagen label Samsøe Samsøe opens a new pop-up in Second Floor Menswear. Think utilitarian ease, minimalist tailoring and a polished take on Scandinavian street style. The piece to look for is a leather jacket made exclusively for Harrods.
Downstairs in the fragrance halls, the new scent from Tom Ford is Tobacco Chocolat, a co-distillation of slow-roasted tobacco and dark chocolate. It is a very autumnal proposition, and a good excuse to try something on the skin before the weather turns. Pair it with a new season coat and the transition to autumn is more or less complete before September has properly begun.
Planning your visit
Harrods is a short walk from Knightsbridge station along Brompton Road. A bank holiday weekend visit will be busy, so go early in the day if Leo Lin is your priority, and leave the Samsøe Samsøe pop-up for a weekday visit once it has settled in during the first week of September. If you are making a day of it, Harvey Nichols and Sloane Street are both within a few minutes' walk, which makes it easy to compare the new season across three of London's best-known shopping addresses in a single afternoon.
Lead image: Loco Steve via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
