CEO of Aligne Ginny Seymour on SS26 wish-lists, great tailoring and why wardrobe capsuling isn’t her thing …

Former fashion buyer Ginny Seymour spotted a gap in the market for affordable, mid-range fashion with a strong design DNA that is – whisper it – easy to wear. Fast-forward three years and the brand she helms gone viral, worn by everyone from Katie Holmes to Sienna Miller. With Aligne launching at Brown Thomas for SS26, Seymour shares what’s on her radar for the season ahead.

I always knew if I ever had the opportunity to create a brand that I would be very clear on exactly what it should be. I spent 20 years as a fashion buyer, both at Saks Fifth Avenue and Holt Renfrew in Canada [editor’s note: Seymour is from Toronto, but lives in London with her British husband], so when I took the reins at Aligne in 2023 and relaunched the brand in my vision, I was really clear on our customer. I think every buyer, whether they say it or not, wants to be a designer: we did two years without going into wholesale for us to really get to grips with the ‘handwriting’ of the brand.

Aligne started out doing denim, but the ‘aha’ moment was when we created the Daphne longline blazer. Before that, we had the Leo which is a longline sleeveless waistcoat that went viral, but our demographic is 30-to-50-year-olds and she’s a bit more conscious of her arms. Our aesthetic is tailoring mingled with denim. We’re not about a workwear suit where it’s top to bottom tailoring, it’s more of a mix.

Fashion loves a big shoulder – but proceed with caution. Our shoulder points are a bit neater than other London brands – they fit more, maybe, like a US brand – and that’s what balances the longer line of our blazers and waistcoats. I was finding with existing brands in the market that I was being swallowed by my clothes. And as a mom with two kids, I didn’t want my clothes to wear me.

Aligne is half-British, half-American in its aesthetic. Our clothes have that American neat fit, but they also have a relaxed London sensibility that gives them an edge. It’s this sweet spot that’s seen us have success in both markets quite quickly. Our New York and London customers love the same colour palette of navy and grey. We actually didn’t do black as a brand until we launched in New York. We threw a dinner there once and everyone showed up in black. In London, there’s more of an adventurous type of style. Our US customer buys very literally. We did a pop-up in New York to educate the customer that we’re not just a workwear brand, to show how our tailoring is mixed with other pieces like jeans.

Fashion has been all about separates, but we’re re-entering the era of the dress. We talk about our dresses as ‘chuck-on dresses’ because you just pull them on and feel great. I love that. You don’t have to think about bra straps or anything else. You can have a roast dinner and still feel good afterwards.

We’re not about wardrobe capsuling. It’s boring. Of course, you should shop as a considered purchaser. We weren’t ever trying to build an eight-piece capsule wardrobe and say that’s all of it. It’s not so copy and paste. People want versatility in what they’re wearing. 

We’re design-led; we try not to be trend-led. For inspiration we look at vintage clothes at the design libraries in London, rather than Instagram.

Black Daphne waisted blazer, Aligne, €225, at Brown Thomas.

People are pulling out our pieces to create the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy look. The one thing we’re all getting wrong about it … is that her whole ethos was that she didn’t care. She would hate all of this … everyone copying her look and faking it. She was rebelling against 1990s fashion at the time by not brushing her hair.

The next silhouette that’s going to be huge is the funnel neck. We’ve updated our Leo waistcoat and Daphne blazer to reflect this. We’ve also launched a top called Connie with a cap sleeve and Mandarin details, which is selling out like crazy.

Fashion has been in a cycle of chocolate brown, but soon it will all be about grey. I think we haven’t seen grey for a while. I love a charcoal grey, but I also love drenching head-to-toe in different tones of grey.

Navy Daphne cardigan, Aligne, €85, at Brown Thomas.

Ginny Seymour’s SS26 Picks

The item I just got to wear for spring is … a pair of balloon-shape cotton pink trousers from Aligne which I know I will wear all spring and summer. 

Currently in my basket is … a pair of Gucci boat shoes. I love boat shoes. 

The one thing I always repurchase is … The Uniform tinted SPF by Merit. It’s the best tinted moisturiser. 

The beauty buy that’s changed my life is … the CurrentBody LED red light mask.  I was slow to get on the trend, but I use it every single day and I do feel that it was worth the investment. I’m not into injectables, so I try to find every non-injectable option available. I want to try the Ziip Halo micro-current device. A lot of the influencers are Ziip-ing and I think I need to get on it. Maybe I’ll add that to my basket, too!

If money were no object, this season I’d buy … the Chanel maxi flapbag. It’s so gorgeous, but so expensive. I wouldn’t save it for anywhere special, I’d wear it every day. When I look at bags, it’s always about whether I can bring my laptop with me and it just feels like the chicest work bag. @aligne

Main image credits (clockwise from top left): Merit The Uniform tinted mineral SPF 50, €42; Aligne black Daphne waister blazer, €225 at Brown Thomas; Gucci tan leather boat shoes, €850; Aligne green Felix bandeau top, €145 at Brown Thomas; Chanel dark beige suede calfskin Maxi Flapbag, €7,600; Instagram @trendingwithtinsley.

We may earn a commission if you buy through affiliate links on our site. 

READ MORE: 7 Simple Spring Outfit Formulas That Always Look Elegant