I first encountered the jigsaw brand in the 1970’s on the Kings Road in Chelsea. I was a young woman juggling working as a temporary anything and trying to break into a modelling career, a Chelsea girl, always with a date always in
in need of a new look and like the men, shopping out of my price range, I was always in there. I remember the merchandising just a few co ordinated pieces on a rail and I remember thinking how exclusive it felt. When other retailers rails were packed with product. I bought in for sure. The pieces looked and felt expensive. Too expensive for me and yet I saved up. I bought one piece. I still have a belt I wear, a brown leather waist belt with a big square croc buckle I spent a fortune at the time on, probably £50. I actually remember standing in the shop purchasing it. I cannot think of another high st brand back then able to deliver that feeling of exclusivity and style, maybe Benetton a little bit or Stefanel I loved too. I used to make special trips to the Jigsaw store on Long Acre in Covent Garden at the weekend, I don’t even know what happened, when it closed exactly or what is there now, but I would go there just to browse and dream of one day being able to afford everything.
Today I am definitely more flush but whenever I pass the window I feel a bit like Jigsaw is a boyfriend I out grew. You know that feeling when you look back and can’t believe you were so gaga. You have no clue really what you ever saw in him, her, they.
Even the Christmas seasonal decorations give me a Marks and Spencer vibe just with much higher price tags.
A few seasons back I did notice a canvas boiler suit in a cream colour I quite liked and remember being absolutely staggered by the price for a lead simple item like this over £200.
It could have been even closer to £300. Whichever I tried it on but didn’t buy it. A couple of years later you can pick up the same item, I’ve seen it more than once online and then in a charity shop in Notting Hill Gate, on a secondhand website for around £10. There are literally loads of them knocking about.
Even Roksander a fabulous brand from Serbia you only used to be able to find in Selfridges and Harrods in the UK the eponymous label of designer Roksander Illinsic launched in 2005 at London Fashion week to critical acclaim has slit their own throat to gain expose like H&M did with so many brands to their detriment and eventual demise British designer Stella McCartney included with a Jigsaw collaboration. I went to the Carnegie Hall Flagship opening almost a decade ago now and by then my two Jigsaw hangouts had closed, I don’t recall exactly when but for me the brand was never the same after that. It went from being a small super stylish boutique feel for the masses but not really in feeling to a here we are bold and big and light and bright and I felt back then it was no longer for me.
I browsed the Jigsaw website before writing this to see if my less than positive opinion of the brand today was unjustified and I felt like I was browsing a mishmash of pieces not a cohesive collection. Much of which looked frumpy and flowery amongst a glut of Christmas Day sparkle or T length church dresses (Princess of Wales esq.) not the minimalistic high quality co ordinated accessories and staples Jigsaw built their brand on.
How many wide leg trousers in strange colours and pussy cat bow blouses does any wardrobe need?
I think like Calvin Klein, Jigsaw have lost sight of who they once were and become Marks and Spencer’s, Phase Eight and Mint Velvet all rolled into one, just with a higher Middle Age woman price tag.
It reminds me of the brand Harpenne launched a few years back by River Island targeted at 40 Plus modern women with means. It got loads of press, then disappeared into obscurity. Jigsaw has a much stronger brand name and more longevity in the market. They started out magnificently and I am sure still have some loyal customers but if they don’t wake up and go back to a more exclusive capsule approach (making less, higher quality and better value for the customer) unless they are expanding into homewares and underwear like Calvin Klein they will fizzle out completely.
In the end I think all women want to fall in love with clothes as part of a story they can immerse themselves in and become part of. That way they wear clothes and accessories for life not just for a season. I wore my belt a few weeks ago teamed with a Guy Laroche coat and Carel Paris shoes. My coat was older, 1960s my shoes newer 2020. My belt somewhere in the middle but all things that I love and tell my style story.