CELIA BIRTWELL has teamed up with Uniqlo to create a capsule collection, slated to launch in the UK on March 21. The British designer's signature colourful bold prints will appear on dresses, T-shirts, jeggings, shirts, shorts, vests and tote bags.

The Japanese chain has long favoured collaborations with UK-based labels, having previously worked with Lulu Guinness, Orla Kiely and Laura Ashley. Birtwell was chosen for her ability "to combine the traditional sensitivity toward prints with a contemporary, modern and unique twist".

"I've spent my life designing textiles so I have quite a big archive," Birtwell told us. "I was able to go through the library and reference certain moments. When I met the people from Uniqlo Japan, we went through the sketchbooks and reference files together and they hooked into the designs they liked. I then developed those selected specifically for Uniqlo."

Birtwell, whose prints made an indelible mark on Sixties and Seventies fashion, allowed Uniqlo to see inside her archives to choose what they wanted. This isn't the first time that the designer has teamed up with a high street brand, having launched an 11-piece range with Topshop for spring/summer 2006 and a line for John Lewis in March 2010.

"Most of the prints featured in the collaboration are from my archive collection," Birtwell added. "Some are from the Seventies, like Candy Flower and Pretty Woman, but I've also added Cherry Spot and Romanian, which are much more recent prints. I think Romanian is one of my favourites."

[VideoLibrary##11959]