In August, the contemporary designer brand Joseph reported a profit for the first time since 2015. This came three years after husband and wife duo Fred and Anna Dyhr took to the helm of the brand in 2020, intending to turn the once iconic fashion brand around after it had fallen on hard times.

In line with the upsurge of so-called “quiet luxury”, which proposes clean lines, tailored silhouettes and luxurious fabrications – all attributes a part of Joseph’s DNA – it seems the brand has once again seized fashion’s attention, just in time for its 40th-anniversary celebrations!

Their success was marked by a gleaming new store that borrows from the brand’s pared-back aesthetic on London’s Regent’s Street. As well as a limited-edition knitwear capsule, drawing inspiration from the memorable Tricot Knitwear campaign featuring Leslie Navajas and captured by renowned photographer Pamela Hanson in 1988.

This six-piece knitwear capsule is crafted by hand from a sumptuous blend of cashmere and wool, celebrating the brand’s storied heritage of craftsmanship and harking back to nostalgic heydays in the 1980s when the brand was established.


We caught up with co-creative directors Fred and Anna to find out more about the brand's enduring legacy and latest collection…

Can you share with us the journey of Joseph from its inception in 1983 to its 40th-anniversary milestone in 2023? What have been the key milestones and transformations along the way?
Fred: Joseph Ettedgui was a real visionary for his time. He launched the Joseph label in 1983, creating a collection that focused on craftsmanship, quality, and exceptional fit, striking the perfect balance between fashion and timeless luxury essentials. This concept is as relevant and important today as it was then. We became Co-Creative Directors of Joseph in September 2020 and continue to honour this legacy by creating collections that inspire our customers today, as they did so successfully in the past.

Joseph Ettedgui's vision was to provide women with a comprehensive modern wardrobe of luxury essentials. How have you, as the Co-Creative Directors, continued to uphold and evolve this vision in today's fashion landscape?
Fred: Joseph has an amazing heritage, and Joseph Ettedgui, created a brand that has stood the test of time, something we want our products to do. He was a curator of design and style, a master of image, so in looking at the archives, we are able to bring that in and continue that work.

Anna: Our approach is an evolution of the brand, not a total revolution. We want to embrace the brand, its codes and rich heritage, while adding a modern twist and new perspective.

Could you describe how the brand's core values, such as attention to detail, quality, fit, and quality fabrics, influence your design approach and philosophy as Creative Directors?
Fred: With all our collections we want to reinforce Joseph’s reputation for providing exceptional quality, fit and craftsmanship. The Joseph atelier has a skilled team, who work hard perfecting the fit and construction of every single garment, to ensure we create outstanding products for our customers and then offer it at amazing prices.

Anna: From a product perspective – when customers invest in a piece from Joseph, they know it will be a piece they love and will continue to enjoy wearing, season after season. It's important that we retain that trust with our loyal customers.


Can you elaborate on what contemporary luxury means to Joseph and how you manifest it in your collections?
Anna: For us, it is all about the longevity of the clothing. The privilege of working with Joseph’s Paris atelier enables us to create special pieces that can be worn now and into the future – that feels really contemporary to me.

How do you see Joseph's role in curating and promoting emerging designers in the “Designers at Joseph” store, and why is this important to the brand?
Fred: Joseph Ettedgui's impact on the fashion industry dates back to 1966, when he opened a multi-brand store showcasing design houses and emerging brands. Over the years Joseph became a platform for championing notable designers such as Azzedine Alaia and Kenzo. We feel that it is very important to continue Ettedgui’s legacy and support talent, craftmanship and design by curating a thoughtful collection of today’s most exciting and emerging designers in the Designers at Joseph store, on London's Fulham Road.

Anna: He understood that customers didn’t want to wear head-to-toe designer. Our role is to elevate the Joseph own label so that it complements the designer labels that we stock in our multi-brand stores.

As you commemorate Joseph's 40th anniversary, what can we expect in terms of future collections and initiatives that will continue to build on the brand's success and legacy?
Anna: We have spent months exploring our history and archive. This exploration has culminated in a special anniversary ad campaign featuring Amber Valletta which pays homage to the iconic Autumn Winter 2010 campaign shot by the legendary photographer Peter Lindbergh. We wanted to look back whilst also looking forward, so we shot the campaign with emerging photographer Darren Gwynn. We’ve also visited our archives and created a re-edition of one of the iconic Joseph Tricot jumpers from 1988.

Fred: Looking ahead, one of our key focuses for the future is sustainability. There is a purpose with every product we design, and we want our products to live longer than just one season which is reflected in our approach to quality. We have an obligation to be better and keep pushing for positive change.


The upcoming limited-edition knitwear capsule draws inspiration from the iconic Tricot Knitwear collection and the 1988 brand campaign. Could you share some insights into why you chose to reference this particular campaign?
Anna: Bringing back an iconic tricot piece from 1988 was so much fun. We wanted to celebrate our history by doing something unexpected – the leopard capsule is an exciting dalliance into the playful side of Joseph.

Fred: Knitwear is our heritage; the Joseph label originally launched as Joseph Tricot which was a knitwear label. We have always loved the campaign shot by Pamela Hanson in 1988 so decided to re-imagine it.

Could you tell us more about the craftsmanship involved in creating the new pieces and the significance of using cashmere and wool?
Anna: The 6-piece limited edition capsule includes 3 jumpers, trousers, a bag and a scarf and each features the iconic black and white stripes of the house, with the playful edition of a leopard draped on top. The capsule celebrates the house’s savoir-faire. The leopard motifs are made from hand-knitted intarsia wool which have been hand-embroidered onto the machine-knitted cashmere stripes.

Discover more joseph-fashion.com and shop the collection below ...