Autumn at Rixo is an altogether more grown up affair. The colours are darker and the brand has introduced plenty of new shapes; the overall feeling is we are getting a greater breadth from a label we’ve come to know and love for its trademark printed dresses (of which, never fear, there are still many). 

One such new piece is a 70s inspired jumpsuit that screams va-va-voom. “It’s called the Hollywood, it’s got this gold lamé on it and it’s backless with big wide legs,” says Orlagh McCloskey, co-founder of the label. Other finishes like velvet trims and glitter prints add to the ‘extra’ feel. 

It’s fair to say the brand – and its owners, college friends Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey – has grown up in front of our eyes since its inception six years ago. (The original Rixo HQ was in the duo’s London flat, where they would personally hand deliver pieces to local customers. Today, they have around 30 employees.) 

Since then, things have taken off exponentially for the co-founders, personally and professionally. Rix is currently on maternity leave with her first child and McCloskey, who is from Dungiven in Londonderry, is busy planning her upcoming nuptials. 

The Rixo customer is growing up, too. She’s more nuanced, now that the brand has spent time developing and getting to know a wider span of customers. “We’ve got more pockets of diversity now. I think we were a bit one dimensional when we first started, it was all silk prints and bright colours,” she says. “Liking prints is quite a broad statement, we want to cater for a lot of different taste levels within that.”

The Rixo autumn winter 2022 collection has its basis in celebration. “We looked at celebrations throughout history and what inspired us,” she says. “That whole 1920s and 1930s The Great Gatsby kind of feel … everyone wants to be at that type of party.”

Looking back on the past is a natural fit for the Rixo world, which riffs heavily on vintage pieces. Catch McCloskey and Rix combing antiques fairs for inspiration, which more than often comes from vintage fabrics or wallpapers that McCloskey reinterprets, as well as creating new hand painted prints. 

“I went to Portobello and found this really cool 1930s scarf. The print really represents what prints were like in that era,” she says. Equally, a wallpaper found at an antique fair two weeks ago will form the basis of a key piece for high summer.

It must be hard not to design self-consciously, I ask, given the success of some of their dresses. “We don’t see selling out of dresses as a bad thing, maybe if we had investors there would be more pressure to constantly restock but right now we don’t want to overproduce,” she says. Right now, a current favourite is the Selma dress – a long-sleeved, midi length dress with a V-neck and shell print that constantly sells through.

With every launch the brand’s loyal followers – known as Humans of Rixo – lap up each new product. That coupled with the fact that the brand has expanded into bridal, footwear, a sustainable swim collection and a size-inclusive collaboration with Target, means there’s always a new obsession to sink your teeth into. 

Each piece imbues a sense of fun – and democracy. It’s a world where no dress is too ‘good’ to wear to the supermarket and even the zenith of dresses, a bridal gown, is designed to be worn time and time again. 

It’s summed up perfectly by McCloskey’s tagline, “We like to think of it as future vintage.” Speaking of circularity, the idea of a pre-loved proposition is potentially lingering on the horizon. “We’re doing a lot of stuff behind the scenes … it’s just the logistics of how it happens,” she says. (Watch this space.) 

But, for now, it’s about a celebration. On that note, McCloskey’s perfect night out has become more of a grown up affair, too. “It would have to be cocktails with the girls,” she says with a grin. “But I can’t resist the lure of a good dancefloor, either.”

www.rixo.co.uk