Follow us

Menu
PARTNER WITH USFREE NEWSLETTER
VISIT TheIndustry.beauty

Daniel w. Fletcher and Richard Quinn talk new Pret collaboration collection

Tom Shearsmith
21 June 2022

International sandwich store Pret a Manger recently unveiled a new fashion collaboration with popular designers Richard Quinn, Ashish and Daniel w. Fletcher.

The limited edition collection features silk scarves that celebrate the launch of Pret's new spring salads. The scarves each have their own signature, featuring elements from the new salads - Miso Chicken & Greens Salad Bowl; Tamari & Ginger Aubergine Salad Bowl and Pesto Pasta Salad Box.

A piece from these high-fashion designers would usually retail between £500-£2,000 however, each scarf is priced at an accessible £30 with all proceeds going to The Pret Foundation.

TheIndustry.fashion speaks to Daniel w. Fletcher and Richard Quinn about the new collection.

Pret's fashion debut

How are you both feeling now that the public has seen the collection?

Daniel: You know I’ve never thought of designing something inspired by food before and wasn’t quite sure how it would turn out but I actually love it and the response has been great! Who would have thought a salad could be so chic?

Richard: We loved collaborating with Pret on this new scarf - it’s a fun collaboration and the pops of colour show the different ingredients in the fresh new salads. It's great the public can now enjoy food and fashion together, and also raise money for a great cause– and this was a fun project to be involved with.

How did the project come about and what appealed to you most about it?

Daniel: When Pret reached out and talked to me about the work they were doing to battle homelessness and how this new salad inspired scarf project could support that work I immediately wanted to be involved. Also that I genuinely do love a Pret salad so it was a match made in lunch time heaven!

Richard: We loved the idea that we could take inspiration from the ingredients in a new food innovation, and that we could use fashion to engage with a wider range of consumers who are interested in the food, fashion or both. Our design, inspired by the Tamari & Ginger Aubergine Salad Bowl, spotlights the fresh and colourful ingredients that Pret is so well known for.

We personally can’t wait to eat this ‘well dressed’ salad this summer. As part of this we are also delighted to be partnering with The Pret Foundation - it is such a great cause, helping those most in need.

Pret scarves

Tell me your work process and how you came up for the design?

Daniel: I wanted to reflect the vibrancy of the salad so included drawings of all the fresh ingredients that it includes and played around with reflecting them and laying them out like a traditional head scarf.

Richard: We used the new Pret salad ingredients to inspire the design, with all of the creative being produced from our London studio. The scarves are 100% silk and were produced here in the UK too.

How do you think that fashion can co-exist and collaborate with other industries, such as food with the new Pret collection?

Daniel: I think it’s important to have a sense of humour with it, my design is a bit tongue in cheek and tries not to take itself too seriously, fashion and food should be fun!

Richard: It is great when different industries can co-exist & the digital world we live in, really gives a platform for this. It's always fun to take inspiration from other industries too - and we had a lot of fun creating the visuals for this scarf - you’ll spot aubergine, edamame and even sesame seeds as part of the print we created.

Priced at £30, 100% of the profits from the collection go to The Pret Foundation, normally an item like this would retail for at least £500. Was it important to you that your product could not only reach most consumers but also contributed something good to the world?

Daniel: I have always been very vocal about political matters and personally supported charities so it was amazing to hear that the profits were going to The Pret Foundation and very humbling to see such a big organisation using their power to take action.

Richard: It is great that fashion can be used to engage with a wider range of consumers who are interested in fashion or food, or both - and it's exciting to bring my product to new audiences. The scarf also supports The Pret Foundation, which is such a great and important cause - it helps to alleviate homelessness, poverty and hunger - and I’m very pleased that the sales of these scarves can help this.

Daniel, what inspires you in the fashion industry, and what can we look forward to from you in 2022?

Creativity inspires me, seeing people take risks, be authentically themselves and not worrying about what anyone else thinks of them. At DWF we are taking it at our own pace, working to a calendar that works for the brand and also the planet. I’m excited to release the first capsule of my AW22 collection in July then return to the runway for SS23 later in the year.

Richard, you’ve collaborated a few times across various industries in the past few years, such as Royal Salute and now Pret. How do you navigate translating your style into different mediums?

When we collaborate with different brands we work collaboratively with the brand and look at the specific project objectives before we start working on a print or a design. We can then bring both brands perspectives so the collaboration works for everyone and is really meaningful for both. This is a great example of an exciting innovative product launch - the Pret salad - which we could then use as inspiration for this super limited edition scarf.

Read our recent feature on the collaboration between the fashion and food industries.

Free NewsletterVISIT TheIndustry.beauty
cross