Emily Ratajkowski’s Kurt Geiger campaign is an ode to the modern woman

Kurt Geiger may be a classic British footwear brand from the ’60s, but its latest campaign, starring multi-hyphenate Emily Ratajkowski, is an ode to modernity. In fact, its new Chelsea collection isn’t even centred around shoes. Named after the West London borough (the epicentre of the capital’s fashion scene at the time of the brand’s creation), it’s actually the Chelsea handbags that lay at the centre of the campaign. It’s no surprise, really. Last year, the brand saw a pivotal 10 percent increase in sales thanks to an increase in demand for its ‘affordable luxury’ bags – now the brand’s star products.

As well as aligning with Kurt Geiger’s segue towards accessories, the Chelsea collection’s new edge also lies with its target audience: the modern woman. It is only right, then, that the brand elected Ratajkowski to head their evolutionary campaign. “Through her work as a NY Times best-selling author, model, actress and entrepreneur,” says Kurt Geiger’s Chief Creative Officer, Rebecca Farrar-Hockley, “Emily is a formidable advocate for female inclusivity and empowerment.” After all, the Californian’s book, My Body, speaks out about the fetishisation of women in the fashion industry, while her podcast, High Low, discusses everything from politics to feminism.

On top of that, Ratajkowski is known for her progressive take on fashion. Amid a flurry of show-stopping red carpet looks, earlier this year, the 33-year-old coined the term ‘divorce rings’ when she repurposed her engagement ring into two separate jewellery pieces following her separation from film producer Sebastian Bear-McClard.  “Emily has a strong sense of style and incredible personal confidence,” Farrar-Hockley says. “That’s why she is the face of our new Chelsea collection. Chelsea, with its feminine, curved lines is an ode to the modern woman.”

The collection itself features six handbag styles, as well as a selection of purses, and both flat and heeled shoes. The colour palette is suitably autumnal with variations including black, cherry red and umber brown off-set with antique brass and gold detailing. Tying the collection together, however, is the brand’s new emblem – the halo buckle. An evolution of Kurt Geiger’s signature eagle symbol, the hardware is more a reimagining of the brand’s classic iconography than a new entity. While the eagle’s head remains, its neat, circular envelopment makes for a classier look – an apt development for Kurt Geiger’s ode to Chelsea and its upmarket associations.

Despite the zhuzhing up, Kurt Geiger’s Chelsea products – thankfully – don’t have a Chelsea price point. Ranging from £70 to £299, the new family of accessories is more accessible than most brands that can be found dotted around King’s Road. Nevertheless, Farrar-Hockley points out that the bags “still deliver a sharp, refined aesthetic […] offering the Kurt Geiger woman versatility: day to night, casual to dressy”. With this in mind, the Chelsea collection promises to befit the cramped but colourful schedules of modern women like Ratajkowski herself.