Michelle Mannion visits Bicester Village outlet centre for some expert tips on dressing for business trips.
It’s early Tuesday morning and I’m at a buzzing London Marylebone station – but rather than rushing headlong into the crowded capital, I’m pushing against the rush and boarding a train to serene Oxfordshire.
An hour’s journey from here is Bicester Village, a retail outlet that’s home to about 130 high-end brands. You’ll find top designers such as Alexander McQueen, Gucci and YSL, as well as high-street favourites including French Connection and Reiss. I’m here to meet Bicester’s stylist Fiona Huntingford, who gives customers one-to-one sessions on dressing to impress. I’m keen to hear her thoughts on how to put together a business traveller’s wardrobe.
When I say village, I really mean village, albeit a man-made one – when you reach Bicester North station, a cute little “taxibus” whisks you on the short journey to the outlet centre, which is laid out in an orderly, compact fashion, complete with red phone boxes, old-style street lamps and potted trees. It’s a beautifully bright day, and certainly a nicer experience than heading to a cavernous enclosed shopping centre.
As an outlet, all stock at Bicester is from previous seasons – mostly it’s exactly a year behind, with some ranges only six months. Goods have to be a minimum 30 per cent off the original retail price, with some items marked down by as much as 90 per cent – “You can get absolute bargains,” Huntingford says. To grab the best gear, she recommends visiting as early in the season as you can. And as it’s mostly a year behind, whatever time you visit in the year you can pick up clothes that are right for the current weather.
But presumably it must be hard to pick up the very latest trends? Huntingford doesn’t think so. “Often the high street follows the leaders, so if you’ve got the leaders here, it’s not an issue,” she says. “You can always find that absolute up-to-date look here – you just have to look and be a bit cleverer. The likes of Alexander McQueen are not about trend anyway, but more an exquisite creation.”
Plus, being bang up to date may not be such an important consideration if you’re buying clothes for work. “For coats and workwear you want classic items that you can wear again and again and update with other pieces – who wants to spend a fortune on their work wardrobe?” Huntingford says. That’s why Bicester is a good option for men, she says, as corporate wear such as suits doesn’t date so quickly.
“Men are often more brand loyal and know what they want,” she adds, so they can go in and choose what they want more easily.
Bicester bills itself as an alternative to London’s West End. “They’re wanting to give you that Bond Street experience – it’s very relaxed and welcoming, and staff are really helpful,” Huntingford says. But why would business people based in London make the trip out here if they already have Bond Street on their doorstep?
“Price is a very big draw – for the price of a £25 rail ticket you could get a Alexander McQueen piece worth £800 reduced to £400,” she says. This is a particular plus in the current economic climate.
“People are still spending but they want to get more for their money – and here you money goes further. It’s also much more relaxed and laidback, and the layout is accessible. It’s a nice day out.” With stores such as Penhaligon’s, Molton Brown and White Company here, Bicester is also a place to buy gifts.
Huntingford’s personal sessions with Bicester customers last three hours. It’s a free service, offered “to assist you and help you enjoy the Village”, she says, and there is no obligation to buy – visit bicestervillage.com to book. To start, she talks through the person’s needs before hitting the shops with them and making recommendations. Her clientele is mainly female, she admits: “I get very few men – I don’t know if they’re terrified or not!”
So what stores does Huntingford recommend for travel-friendly workwear? For women, she suggests Max Mara, Joseph and Theory for corporate clothes, or for a slightly softer look she’s a fan of Diane von Furstenberg, a pioneer of the wrap dress. “She does amazing stretch fabric that’s very comfy and allows you to throw a bit of colour or pattern in without being too crazy. For travelling, a wrap dress is great – you can hang it in the hotel bathroom while you’re having a shower [to get rid of any creases] and away you go.”
For shirts, Huntingford suggests Anne Fontaine for “white and black shirts with a twist. The fit is incredible and the way they wear is amazing,” she enthuses. She also recommends wearing silks or chiffons inside a suit – “Silk is easy to get the creases out of and is good for layering” – or a top in a striking colour to add a bit of interest. “A scarf is also an easy way to add personality,” she says.
For a smart-casual look, Huntingford suggests a shirt dress. “It’s good to keep it simple when you’re travelling, and use jewellery and accessories to give your outfit character,” she says. Even better, keep your luggage light with an item that will work for both day and evening – for example, a dress that can be worn with a tailored blazer for meetings or a cardigan for dinner in the evening. For classic leather handbags big enough to hold a laptop or documents, she recommends Anya Hindmarch.
But the ultimate item for the female traveller, Huntingford says, is DKNY’s Cozy – a cardigan that can be worn in a mind-boggling amount of ways and even as a blanket or scarf, so is ideal for the plane. “It’s like a blanket with sleeves,” she says. It comes in linen and cotton for summer or cashmere and silk for winter in a variety of colours – visit dkny.com for 12 ways to wear it.
For men’s suits, Huntingford speaks highly of Zegna. “The service is great there – I visited with a client and they pinned the suit to him and recommended a tailor,” she says. Hugo Boss and Gieves and Hawkes also have branches at Bicester, and there are no shortage of options for buying shirts. “We’ve got shirting coming out of our ears for the boys,” Huntingford says, namechecking Thomas Pink and Charles Tyrwhitt.
We hit the shops and I’m struck by the range of goods and the big discounts on offer, although you will still need deep pockets to buy a lot of the stock. And while many items are sold in a range of sizes, it’s wise not to set your heart on an item as sometimes there will only be one or two of it. Still, it’s an altogether more pleasurable experience than hitting Oxford Street, with plenty of smart clothing ideal for taking on the road. And to hold your new capsule wardrobe, there are even Tumi and Samsonite shops for luggage.
A selection of travel-friendly goods on offer when I visited:
- Anya Hindmarch – Bellina leather and mock croc handbag in black brown or green, £372.50 (was £745)
- Vivienne Westwood – black drape jersey dress from Anglomania range, £138 (was £230)
- Anne Fontaine – women’s Maribelle white short-sleeved shirt with front frill, £131 (was £195)
- Tumi – Ravello International Carry-on, £315.25 (was £485). Classic garment bag also £315.25, from £485
- Gieves and Hawkes – men’s pinstripe navy wool suit – jacket £200 (was £385), trouser £95 (was £190)
- YSL – women’s pale grey wool and silk suit from Cruise range. Single-breasted jacket £470 (was £1,164.65), wide-legged trouser £310 (was £763.38). Belted black pencil skirt in mohair and wool, £255 (was £636.15)
- Paul Smith – men’s slim fit two-button cotton suit in beige, £289 (was £430)
- Zegna – men’s single-breasted half-lined wool suit from Gritti range, £349 (was £589)
- Reiss – Fifi silk blouse with ruffle sleeves in cream and mint green, £63 (was £95)
- DKNY – Cozy cardigan in range of colours, £49.50 (was £155)
- Alexander McQueen – women’s black puff-sleeve silk shirt dress, £300 (was £730).
Visit bicestervillage.com and chicoutletshopping.com for more information.
Competition: Throughout April Bicester Village is giving readers the chance to win a luxury shopping trip for two. Click here to enter.
