Models wear Pink fluffy hat and bib

The Lowdown

Behind The Scenes: Rita Ora X Primark

From global superstar to our global brand partner, read on for the behind the scenes exclusive of our new collaboration with Rita Ora.

Sydney Lasek
by Sydney Lasek

Excited about our Rita Ora x Primark collection and want to know more? Allow us to take you behind the scenes to show you how her unique vision and style for the collection was brought to life.

The seeds for the partnership were first sown almost two years ago when Primark and Rita first met in early 2022. As the cost-of-living crisis began to rise, Rita was excited by the prospect of developing her own affordable fashion collection that offered quality and value.  Primark has always been about making fashion affordable for everyone and Rita felt passionately about creating an on-trend collection that was both wallet-friendly and accessible.

Rita Ora
Rita Ora

Throughout the creative process Rita was very hands on and passionate in the design meetings about what she wanted to include in her collection, even bringing in key pieces from her wardrobe to act as an inspiration. Together, Primark and Rita worked together from start to finish to explore, develop and finalise the key themes and moods. This process allowed Rita to mix several moods together to design and create something original, based on her own unique style and vision. Three key pillars are:

  1.     Fade To Grey

This mood pulls together sultry sheers and distressed denims all softened by delicate laces. The variety of fabrics and textures create a strong mix and match collection that can easily transition from day to night, depending on the styling.   

2.     Urban Wilderness

A cosy casual look, taking inspiration from Americana Cabincore features vintage washed denims, brushed checks, cosy outerwear and chunky knits all come together to create a carefree layered look.   

3.     Soft Pavements

This look gives an elevated weekend vibe anchored in warm neutrals, mixing textures but in a softer palette of the ecrus, rich chocolates and accents of dusty pinks. Statement outerwear and relaxed tailoring are the key pieces.   

The narrative woven through the collection is day-to-night dressing with key pieces that can be mixed and matched together to easily transition your day look to a statement-making evening outfit. Spanning across knitwear, denim outfits and outerwear, Rita’s vision for the collection was versatility for everyone, by creating items that can be easily mixed to reflect the personality of the wearer. From having brunch with your besties to hitting the dancefloor at night, her aim was to create one-and-done outfits and accessories that can be worn in different social environments.

For those off-duty days, Rita’s collection includes laid-back leisurewear items including casual hoodies and t-shirts for your capsule wardrobe. Notice the symbols? These items feature Rita’s very own hand drawn graphics that super-fans of the singer-songwriter may recognise from the artwork of her most recent released album, You and I.

Rita Ora
Rita Ora

Key to the collection is footwear and accessories. Tailoring to different styling aesthetics, the statement jewellery in her collection includes pieces that glitz and glamour while hammered metals and chunky chains offer variety for grunge styling. Bags are also key to the collection, from slouchy go-anywhere shoulder bags to glossy party pieces, Rita has the staples that are set to make a serious style statement wherever you go.

The location for the campaign shoot was West London, the area Rita grew up in, with the essence of her collection captured and modelled in a variety of street locations including the brutalist building Trellick Tower in Kensington.

"Throughout my life, I have always wanted to look stylish, and when I was younger, I couldn’t have done that without Primark. I could always stretch my budget with so many great pieces from Primark. Honestly, that is really when I learned how to get creative and play with fashion. Creating this collection with Primark has been very nostalgic for me, and I can’t wait for the world to see it!”

Rita wears maxi denim skirt and oversized white top
Rita wears maxi denim skirt and oversized white top