Why the fit will always matter

When I think about why I started this brand, it always comes back to one thing: the feeling you have when you put on a piece that just fits. Not something that sort of works if you stand a certain way or pull at the seams. Something that feels right the moment you slip it on. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that fit is the foundation of confidence. It’s the difference between wearing something and owning it, between feeling dressed and feeling like yourself.

The Small Details That Make All the Difference

People often imagine that designing is all about inspiration boards and sketches, and while that’s certainly part of it, the truth is that so much of what I do is about small, painstaking adjustments. It’s pinning a sleeve half a centimetre higher so it sits perfectly on the shoulder. It’s reshaping a lapel so it frames the neckline just so. It’s reworking a lining because I know it will drape better when you move. These tiny details take time. But they’re also the reason why so many of you write to say a blazer makes you feel your most confident, or that a pair of trousers finally fits the way you always hoped they would.

Fit as an Act of Respect

I’ve always felt that getting the fit right is a way of showing respect.

Respect for the fabric. Respect for the design. But most importantly, respect for the woman who’s wearing it. When you invest in a piece, especially one you hope will stay in your wardrobe for years, you deserve to know that every detail has been considered. That the hem won’t drop after one season, that the sleeve won’t twist after a few wears, that you can slip it on without a second thought. That’s the feeling I come back to over and over again: ease. When something fits properly, it becomes effortless. It stops being something you think about and becomes something you simply live in.

Precision Takes Time – And It’s Worth It

I often get asked why I don’t speed up the sampling process or why I’ll remake a style several times before it goes into production. The answer is simple: I’ve never believed in doing things halfway. I’d rather take longer and know it’s exactly right than rush something out the door and wonder if it could have been better. That’s not always the most convenient approach, it means more fittings, more revisions, more late nights tweaking patterns. When you invest in a piece from Anna James, I want you to feel like every inch was considered with care.

A Fit That Feels Like You

Over the past decade, I’ve learned that style trends come and go, but the feeling of wearing something that truly fits, both in shape and in spirit, never loses its power.

It’s why so many of you tell me you reach for your blazers on the days you need a little extra confidence. It’s why some pieces become the ones you wear to job interviews, weddings, and all those moments that matter. That’s the beauty of a good fit: it adapts to your life, instead of asking you to adapt to it. And that’s why, no matter how the industry changes, I’ll never compromise on it.

With love,

Anna