When Alexa Chung and Madewell initially linked up for their first collaboration in fourteen years, she tells me the goals were straightforward, if evasive, in the fashion world. "I was filling the blanks of my wardrobe with classic pieces that were really worked on and thought about," she says, "and can pull quadruple-duty for other women who have struggled to find the perfect denim or a winter coat that works and looks cool with everything."
The process that resulted in a second, 15-piece capsule, available online at Madewell now, had some other welcome effects. Selecting fabrics and fine-tuning fits, Chung was first able to reconnect with her passion for design—which she'd lost after shutting down her namesake brand in 2022. "I didn't realize what a joy it is in my life and that I had been missing it," she says. "Even though owning my own business was hell on earth, the actual action of making and creating clothes wasn't. It was always a joy."
Second, Chung realized the happiness she felt behind-the-scenes would reach shoppers at a time when, frankly, many could use it. She spoke with me from her London home the morning after the 2024 U.S. election—which ended in a way neither of us had hoped for. In the shadow of a major news moment that rendered waking up, getting dressed, and feeling good more of a challenge than usual, clothes like a smartly-proportioned suit and a well-cut jean serve a special purpose. "I just really hope everyone likes it and it makes them feel cooler, and it makes them feel like they're wearing armor in this dogsh–t moment," she says.
In the first capsule, released in early September, "armor" looked like updates to Madewell's denim-trend-proof jeans, along with '60s-inspired maxi skirts and one luxurious suede trench. This time, there are four pieces cut from a lush, black corduroy and several silky button-down shirts. The rich textures would look right at home in the wardrobe department of the Bob Dylan biopic A Great Unknown; they're also just as aligned with the lately resurgent, indie-chic styling of the mid-2010s. That is, the era when Chung's own vintage-fueled style cultivated a massive following online.
Her inimitable taste has always struck a fine balance between vintage and modern. "It's interesting because even when I first collaborated with [Madewell]—which was, like, 14 years ago—even then I was nostalgic for a different era, like the sixties," she says. "Now it seems we're kind of nostalgic for the era that I made things with Madewell the first time around."
Several pieces, including a longline corduroy coat and a pair of workwear jeans, are updates to items Chung sourced through a vintage dealer she met on Instagram. Another pair of denim comes from jeans that she's worn for so long, she can't even remember where she found them originally.
There are also two takes on a satin Western shirt, which Chung describes as "the glamorous, annoying sister" of a denim button-down from the first drop. "She's a bit much, but at night time, she's perfect."
Preparing to dress hundreds of Madewell customers has helped Chung get back in touch with dressing herself, with her sense of conviction in her style.
"I think one of the things that does make me very annoying is I'm always incredibly sure of what I think is right and wrong. But the other day I was like, Oh, my God, What if I don't know? I had a self doubt wave," she says.
"But luckily, there are people at Madewell that have really wonderful taste. It was helpful to have a sounding board to be like, 'Wait, are these a bad idea?' And they were like, 'No, this is perfect.'" Shoppers who have already left five-star reviews on the lineup before it even went wide with its launch would probably agree.
Even though this project was a way to design for herself, it's obvious that it'll connect more broadly. A classic-fitting jean and a strong-shouldered corduroy blazer are exactly the sort of pieces that make sense for times like fall 2024: When getting dressed feels like an extra effort, clothes that effortlessly convey power and poise are key.
On the eve of the collaboration's second launch, I flew to Paris for a work trip. I'd wrapped myself up for the journey in the corduroy coat and the work jeans, with one of my old sweaters as the layer in between. There were hard deadlines to meet at 37,000 feet and what felt like an endless stream of negativity emanating from my news apps, but dressing the right way set me up to face it all—maybe not quite with the designer's confidence, but definitely with more verve than if I'd worn sweatpants. Alexa Chung's Madewell designs did feel like armor in their way; they also felt like a warm hug.
Alexa Chung x Madewell is available in its entirety at Madewell.com
