Style Series: Alex Eagle

A defining figure in London’s creative landscape, Alex Eagle has built a world where fashion, art, design and hospitality come together. Known for her instinctive approach to style and her appreciation of timeless design, she shares the influences that have shaped her aesthetic, her enduring love of London and what she looks forward to discovering during Frieze week.

You are a Londoner through and through. How has the city shaped your eye, particularly when it comes to fashion and style?

London has completely shaped my eye. I think it’s the mix of things that I love most, the old and the new, the very grand next to the completely scruffy, Savile Row, Portobello, museums, markets, clubs, parks. There’s a freedom to how people dress here too. I’ve always loved menswear, tailoring, uniforms and things that feel quite British, but then mixing that with something softer or unexpected. London gives you permission not to be too perfect.

You have spent much of your career creating spaces that bring together fashion, art, design and hospitality. Where did that instinct come from?

I don’t think I ever really saw those things as separate. I’ve always been interested in how you live rather than just what you wear. Clothes, furniture, books, art, food, music, the flowers on a table, they all contribute to how a place feels. When I first opened Alex Eagle Studio, I wanted it to feel more like walking into someone’s home than walking into a shop. That instinct has really stayed with me, and it’s probably even stronger now at 180 The Thames and St Clement.

You have such a strong eye for objects and spaces. How does that translate to the way you dress?

Probably in exactly the same way. I’m drawn to things that are beautifully made, useful and that I want to live with for a long time. I don’t really follow trends. My wardrobe is quite repetitive in the best possible way: shirts, tailoring, cashmere, jeans, men’s jackets, great shoes, vintage pieces. Then every so often I’ll throw in something completely feminine or colourful. I like things to feel collected rather than styled within an inch of their life.

Is there a designer, period or fashion reference you find yourself constantly coming back to?

The 1990s always. Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Helmut Lang, early Prada, Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons. I love that period when clothes felt incredibly intelligent and modern but still wearable. I also constantly come back to men’s tailoring and Savile Row. There’s something about the discipline of a beautifully cut jacket or a perfect white shirt that I never tire of.

What are you most excited to see this year at London Frieze?

I always love the whole week as much as the fair itself. London feels incredibly alive during Frieze. I’ll definitely go to Frieze London and Frieze Masters, and I always love PAD too. I’m particularly looking forward to walking through Frieze Sculpture in Regent’s Park, because it’s such a lovely way of seeing work outside the traditional fair environment. This year it includes 11 international artists and is on throughout the autumn, which feels very London to me. 

I also like leaving a little room for discovery. Some years I want to see absolutely everything and some days less is more. The nicest thing about Frieze week is stumbling across something, or someone, you weren’t expecting.

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