I have always admired Margaret Howell for her unwavering aesthetic, which marries a feeling of post war modernism with a vision of understated British dressing which is never corporate or status driven. On buying a piece of Margaret Howell you feel sufficiently outside the world of trend-led fashion to not be part of the consumerist machine, but rather having made a real investment that is both timeless and retains its own character. The quality of the materials and making of her clothes adds testament to this. In the Autumn/Winter 2011 collection I’m particularly keen on the MHL ‘Staff Jacket’ in heavy cord with patch pockets in warm stone.