How Rita Ora Approached Designing a 169-Piece Collection That Starts at $5
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On the day Rita Ora reveals her Primark collection to the world, she's wearing the gray acid-wash denim set, consisting of a boxy moto jacket and matching miniskirt with an asymmetrical zipper down the front. She styles the co-ords with leather thigh-high boots, several chunky rings, and a fluffy shopper, one of the signature accessories in the 169-piece collection. It's clear she's familiar with them all as she singles out members of her design team at the NYC launch party who are also decked head to toe in Rita Ora x Primark, beckoning them to pose for the crowd. One such look is a tan three-piece pantsuit, my favorite that I've seen so far. But the rest of the lineup is easily accessible to me, displayed on racks for guests to sift through and even try on.
The 32-year-old musician has spent two years dreaming up the versatile, season-less, affordable range that emits '90s grunge and her own brand of sex appeal. "It was a combination of the friendship that I created with the CEOs and spontaneously being at the same restaurant," Ora tells me after the intimate preview, when I ask how the collab came to be in the first place. As it turns out, her genuine love for the brand began with early shopping trips to her local Primark in Hammersmith, West London, when she considered herself an everyday fashion fan who didn't want to break the bank. "It was such a great opportunity to reconnect to my roots, respect the journey that I've been on, and understand the customers, because I was one of them," she says.
Codesigned by Primark and Ora, alongside emerging London-based designer Jawara Alleyne — and styled by Rita's personal stylist, Pippa Atkinson — the wardrobe staples allow the singer's fans to re-create her famous aesthetic on any budget. It's no surprise that as soon as the first drop was manufactured, Ora began weaving items into her outfits, slowly building suspense and teasing her followers about what was to come. All the while, the accompanying campaign was being shot in Trellick Tower and around Golborne Road in West London, where Ora grew up. "Keeping it really real was all I cared about. That's the reason I joined with Primark in the first place, so it only made sense to go back to where it all began," she explains.
Available on Sept. 19 in all 430-plus of Primark's stores, the international collaboration — starting at $5 for clothing and accessories, $28 for outerwear, and $20 for footwear — will be available to browse on primark.com, with the option to use a stock checker before heading out to shop. It also prioritizes circularity and sustainability, with two-thirds of the pieces crafted from recycled materials. Ahead, Ora joins POPSUGAR for an exclusive interview about launching the fashion line.
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On Wearing the Collection in Real Life
POPSUGAR: Have you worn the Primark collection without anyone knowing about its existence, maybe as a sort of tease to your fans?
Rita Ora: Yeah! There are a lot of accessories I've worn at my stage shows, from sunglasses to jewelry and even my undergarments. Street style, definitely. There were bits of hints there. There were months of building and tastemaking, so people could slowly connect the dots. It's nice to sort of subconsciously wear something that fans will later say, "Oh my god, I remember that!"
PS: Are you planning on wearing any of the pieces for special occasions coming up?
RO: There are conversations about wearing things for specific situations, yes. But I don't want to give it away. I think we need to wait for the right situation. We're just trying to show fans that anything is possible, even seeing Primark on a red carpet you wouldn't necessarily expect it to be on. That's what we're trying to do — create magic and realistic scenarios. I want people to feel like they can do it, too.
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On Accessorizing Around the Clothes
PS: Our readers love your engagement ring and how you accessorize around your outfits. How does that come into play for you here, since the collection includes both clothing and accessories?
RO: I always think, "Can this all be worn together?" If a piece is worn in this collection, can it be worn with another collection? My whole thing is prioritizing circulation, through day and night, or any scenario. We want these clothes to be able to be worn over and over. It definitely felt like we had to get the clothes down first, but then I'd say, "OK, well if they want to be more flamboyant with it, they could add this accessory or bag." These options were a necessity.
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On Rocking the Naked Trend
PS: When you work with your stylist on your red carpet and street style, what do you aim to achieve, and how did you bring that into the partnership with Primark?
"I'm not just looking at it as, 'Would I wear it?' I'm thinking about the average woman and becoming her in my mind."
RO: I wanted it to feel like anyone could wear it. Some people are more comfortable than others with their body parts, so I wanted all the cuts, slits, and elements of sheerness to feel like options. I was in a product meeting just now . . . and we're working on a lovely spring print that's sheer, but I didn't want it to feel like too much for people who don't want to wear that. So I added removable parts inside that you can take off and on. All of these are logistics that I never would have thought about if I wasn't part of the design process. I'm not just looking at it as, "Would I wear it?" I'm thinking about the average woman and becoming her in my mind. It's almost like an art project.
PS: But you're a queen of rocking the naked trend! I actually tried it for the first time at my birthday and was super nervous. So for someone in my shoes, wanting to experiment for the first time, what sort of advice would you give me?
RO: Well, it all starts from within. You have to feel comfortable and safe and understand yourself. At the end of the day, that's what is most important. It took your birthday for you to come out of your comfort zone, so it might be just an environment thing, you know?
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On Her Fans' Favorite Pieces
PS: Out of the pieces that already debuted in the collection, which looks do you think will resonate with your fans the most?
RO: For the fans that have been with me since day one, I think it will be the more wild pieces. I feel like that's part of my personality — I'm a kid at heart. So for me, it was really important to have the matching fluffy hat with the fluffy cardigan. I think those pieces will make them say, "Oh, there she is." But I also wanted to show a sense of growth and maturity, because for where I'm at in my life, it certainly does mirror that. So it's a mixture of keeping it really fun and funky but also showing that elevation.
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On Shooting the Campaign in Her Hometown
PS: You shot the campaign in your hometown, which was very important to you. What was it like being on set in the clothes that you designed in such a special place?
RO: It was crazy. I mean, it was nice to see all the people I've grown up with — like the people who own the local shops or grocery stores. They'd be like, "What's up, Rita? You still owe us one pound for the milk." It just makes it so homey, and I felt like that was the perfect energy for this shoot. Again, it allows people to feel so closely connected to me. That's what the collection is — it's accessible. Keeping it really real was all I cared about. That's the reason I joined with Primark in the first place, so it only made sense to go back to where it all began.