“What should I buy?” That’s the question that floods my Whatsapps every time a new high street collection or collaboration is in the offing. Or at least something to that effect. Sienna Miller for M&S, Barbour x Alexa Chung, Jigsaw-Collagerie – they all generated the same excitement.
Of course, they can be hit and miss. I’m often seduced by the hype too, logging on to shop as soon as the collection lands, only to find that in reality, the product looks and feels more Shein than Chanel (foolish hope, but a girl can dream).
For the most part, I, or one of my colleagues on the fashion desk will have seen the collection up close in a showroom. The friends Whatsapping me know that the best buys will sell out within a matter of minutes, and a little guidance on what they might be helps reduce the chance of missing out on the hero pieces.
There is, however, no substitute for actually trying things on. After all, we’re not all 6ft tall, size 8 models, so we can’t expect pieces to look the same way on us. This message was hammered home to me when a bag full of samples from the new Uniqlo: C collection arrived on my desk at The Telegraph.
Uniqlo: C is designed by Clare Waight Keller, the former Givenchy creative director who designed the Duchess of Sussex’s wedding gown. Waight Keller has also worked at Chloé, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. So successful was her debut offering in 2023, she was appointed creative director of Uniqlo last year.
The Uniqlo: C collaboration remains her baby, and even though she now oversees all of the high street giant’s output, this line still retains a strong point of view: it’s more upscale and “fashion” than the rest of the brand’s offering without straying too far into trendy territory.
The spring 2025 collection, which drops into stores and online Thursday 20th February, is full of the same promise. There are tailored suits, pleated dresses and utilitarian details – familiar themes that shoppers know and love. There are also hit pieces from previous collections returning in new colourways, like the unisex joggers and bestselling bomber jacket.
But how does it all look and feel on a real, 5ft 4in 40-something? For reference, I’m a size 10 and wearing a size small in these pictures. This is my verdict on the hits and misses…
The hits
The bomber jacket
The bomber jacket is the clear winner of the collection – Rii Schroer
If you buy anything, buy this. It’s truly the hero of the collection, with a slightly oversized fit, and side zips if you want a slightly wider A-line shape (yes please). I particularly love the aubergine shade – more brown than purple. There’s also a pale green, a warm khaki and black.
Uniqlo, £69.90
The woven vest
Slightly hidden here, but the woven vest won the approval of my husband – Rii Schroer
I was surprised by how nice this cotton-blend mesh top looked, particularly just glimpsed underneath the suit. It won the seal of approval from my very un-fashion husband too. It’s a bit risque without a jacket over the top, but otherwise a versatile buy that will work as well as a beach cover-up as it would be layered under a blazer or shirt.
Uniqlo, £24.90
The trench
With a slightly oversized fit, this is a lovely, polished wardrobe staple – Rii Schroer
If you have a trench-shaped gap in your wardrobe, this comes highly recommended
A lovely stiff cotton twill fabric that holds when you slip the coat on, giving it a polished look. It has a belt, and again, a slightly oversized fit. There’s also a classic stone colourway, as well as black.
Uniqlo, £99.90
The gathered skirt
My worries about the gathered skirt went away once I tried it on – Rii Schroer
This orange-red shade won me over from the second I saw it in the Uniqlo showroom, but when I unpacked the skirt in real life, the elasticated waistband looked like it would do me no favours. I was wrong – in real life it looks great and feels ultra light and breezy to wear. It’s made from recycled polyester which I usually don’t like but it actually feels quite nice. I like the side splits, waist ties and the fact that it has pockets too. Buy now to wear in high summer.
Uniqlo, £39.90
The ‘AirSense’ suit jacket and trousers
With its quick-drying material, this suit will be a hot-weather hero – Rii Schroer
If you’re in the market for a summer suit but don’t want to spend too much, this is a great candidate. It comes in both pale and dark grey, and is made from a quick-drying stretch polyester, the kind of performance fabric found in activewear, that comes into its own in sweaty, muggy heat. It also feels light to wear and won’t crease. You can buy matching shorts (£24.90) as well as trousers, which I like, although several colleagues balked at the idea when I suggested it.
Uniqlo jacket, £69.90, trousers, £34.90
The misses
The side-snap trousers
Not bad, but I’d rather wear a pair of jeans – Rii Schroer
The fit is quite good, and I like the stiff cotton-nylon fabric, but I can’t see when I’d prefer to wear these over my favourite jeans. I’m also confused about the length. I’m 5ft 4in, and they’re slightly too short. I think they’re meant to hit the ankle, judging by the campaign images… My colleagues liked them, but for me they’re just shy of the mark.
Uniqlo, £39.90
The pleated dress
The style hangs nicely but I’m not impressed with it being 100 per cent polyester – Rii Schroer
There’s nothing actually wrong with this – it slips on easily and hangs nicely, layers well, plus the shoulder straps are adjustable. It’s just not my style, and the 100 per cent polyester fabric, however practical, feels a bit cheap in this context.
Uniqlo, £49.90
The pencil skirt
Elegant, but nothing thrilling about it – Rii Schroer
This cotton number looks so elegant on the model, and pencil skirts are enjoying a revival, but this one didn’t thrill me. Perhaps I’d be more tempted by the navy iteration if I had a more corporate job. It did remind me of just how effectively a belt can add polish to a look though. Note to self: buy more belts.
Uniqlo, £39.90
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