Everything you need to know about Samantha Cameron's fashion line

Although she will first and foremost be remembered for being a former Prime Minister’s wife, Samantha Cameron has a whole other talent.

She has transformed into the role of fashion designer, launching her very own brand this spring. The arrival of Cefinn – a name derived from the first and last letters of her surname and the initials of her and David’s four children: Elwen, Florence, Ivan and Nancy – was announced at the end of last year with a spread and interview in British Vogue.

Billed as an “urban uniform for busy women who love fashion”, the 40-piece SS17 collection will be sold on Net-a-Porter and Selfridges as well as the brand’s own site for between £100 and £300. Glimpses of the designs show signs of Sam Cam’s signature style including calf-length skirts and flashes of colour.

The first image of the clothes sees the political style icon dressed in a long black skirt and sleeveless shell top. Other pieces include subtle chequered dresses and a striking red suit that will undoubtedly be snapped up by Britain’s professional women.

But that’s not everything. Earlier this week, Cameron filed a trademark for lingerie under her brand name, adding another interesting avenue to her latest career move. She has also applied to trademark beauty products, perfume, swimwear, sunglasses and even candles.

This isn’t a surprising path for Sam Cam. In fact, starting her own brand has been a lifelong dream – especially after her previous forays into the industry. Until 2010, she was creative director of Smythson and was largely responsible for transforming the dusty stationery brand into a hugely successful accessories house.

Her personal style also became well-known globally. In 2015, she was named one of the world’s best dressed women by Vanity Fair. Public outings saw her constantly championing British designers including the likes of Jonathan Saunders and Emilia Wickstead. However, Samantha wasn’t averse to the high street throughout her time in politics. She could often be seen mixing designer pieces with items from Zara, M&S and Whistles – a factor that will surely play into where Cefinn will fall in the retail landscape.

The collection will reflect Samantha’s own wardrobe but she’s been careful to think about more than just that. “Obviously, you’re thinking about yourself but at the same time, it can’t be all about yourself because that would be pointless. I’ve spent a lot of time trying stuff on my friends,” she recently told Vogue.

One such friend testified to Cameron’s hard work. Cefinn currently has a team of five including a pattern cutter and machinist but Samantha is firmly at the helm: “She is learning an enormous amount at an enormous rate, and she is doing it all herself. Every bit of design is hers. She is not employing [designers] who then use their brand. This is Sam’s stuff, these are Sam’s clothes, these are the things Sam likes. It’s very much a personal decision.”

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