I went to the Meadham Kirchhoff sample sale in December. The end of last year was a weird time for me, I had a major breakdown and was severely unwell mentally. I was prescribed anti-depressants which I am still taking now. It was a hard time.
I heard about the sample sale when I was in a much better place, my side effects from the meds were wearing off and counselling was going well. I saw Edward's post on Instagram about the sale and I was desperate to go. I was talking about it to my house mate when I realised that there was actually nothing stopping me from going if I really wanted to. I only live about two hours away and I had no commitments that meant I couldn't go, so I booked the tickets and googled the post code of the studio and the tube route I would have to take.
So I went! I bought something!
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Before I got there I was constantly looking through both Edward and Ben's Instagrams for pictures of what would be on sale. I knew if I was going to get anything at all it should be something from the Spring/Summer 2012 collection, because that was my favourite of theirs and it changed everything about how I relate to clothing. When I got to the studio there were so many beautiful pieces and it was such a lovely, overwhelming experience to see their work in the flesh, to touch the fabrics and inspect the tiny details that you can't see from a photograph. There were only letting ten people in at a time and because I'd got there quite early I came in with the second lot. I kept trying to find something from that collection, but I could only see pieces that I was less keen on. Then I saw this collar hanging slightly above a rack of clothing and I knew this was it. If I was going to buy anything at all it should be something I was totally in love with.
I know I'm prone to exaggeration, but this honestly was one of the best days of my life. They were playing Destiny's Child on the speakers and had tinsel curtains all the way around the entrance. It was so incredible to be in the place where my favourite things had been made, and now knowing that they don't have enough money to continue designing it feels even more special (but still so sad).
I also bought a pair of knee high socks from the same collection. Partly so I have something that doesn't have to be looked after quite so much as the collar and partly because the packaging was so beautiful.
Collar - Meadham Kirchhoff, jumper and skirt - Missguided, headscarf - gift.
I keep the collar wrapped in tissue when I'm not wearing it. Now that the duo are no longer making collections because of their lack of money, it feels like a museum piece. In fact this is what Ben said to me when I handed it to him to pay. I said I just wanted to frame it and he told me I should wear it because it needed to be worn, and I think he's right. His assistant said that I was buying a piece of the brand's DNA. It feels so true. For me this was the collection that started my love and obsession for the design team and is also the one that propelled them into the mainstream. It feels like their essence.