Unique fashion pieces worth £70,000 were robbed from a designer in Belgravia following a shoot last week.
Sixty two garments by British bespoke designer Claire Mischevani were stolen as they were being loaded into a Range Rover on Chester Row last Thursday evening.
Three men in black clothes and balaclavas smashed the window of the car before grabbing items from the bespoke collection, including coats, dresses and 15 garment bags, and then driving off in a Voltswagen Golf towards Eaton Terrace.
The designer herself and her assistant ran into the house, locked the door and called the police.
Mischevani said: “The whole incident was beyond terrifying for both myself and my assistant.
“To come face to face with armed masked men stealing my belongings is something I never thought would happen and something I would never wish on anyone.
“The events have had a profound and devastating impact on me, in a city I have always felt safe.”
She added that she was ‘overcome with fear’ and was finding it difficult to sleep while reliving the incident.
“These selfish individuals and their ruthless actions have caused a huge impact on my business, but we are working tirelessly to ensure that we come out of this terrible situation stronger than ever.”
Police have arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with the incident, who has been bailed until May.
All the stolen garments bear the words ‘Claire Mischevani Couture’, with both ‘Handmade in England’ and ‘Creating heirlooms of the future’ written on the back.
Detective Constable Charlotte Palul from the Met’s Central West Robbery Squad said: “The victim has been left not only traumatised following such a terrifying ordeal, but understandably completely devastated at the loss of a number of one-off creations which are the result of many months of work.”
Palul suggested that it was possible that the robbers mistook the garments for something else, and have therefore discarded them without realising their value
Images: Met Police.