We've launched a new charities page!

If you have a moment, please click on our new charities page, which you can do by either clicking on the image above or by choosing “Supported Charities” at the bottom of our home page under the heading; Our Community. Click through to this page and you will see the great effort we put into supporting a wide number of charities. As a company, Celtic Sheepskin strongly believes in helping others where we can and so we are keen to show support to both large and small charities alike. After all, we are a group of individuals, all of whom have some affiliation with a charity or school in some kind and it feels right that we help where we can.

Until now this information about who we donate to and how often has largely been kept under wraps. Not because we aren’t proud of the charities or of ourselves for helping them, but because we do not wish it to be seen as a method of marketing. We do not donate to raise the profile of our business, we donate because we want to help.

So I hear you ask; why tell us now? And that’s simple. With the ever-increasing popularity of social technology we have come to realise that this shouldn’t be kept secret. We want you, our customer, to know where your money goes when you make a purchase with us. This new page will hopefully go some way to show that we don’t just distribute our sales revenue to the skilled local workers that we mention so often in our literature, nor do we just accredit the cost solely to the superior natural fabrics that we are equally keen to promote and to continue to source. We have highly trained and very talented team members working for Celtic Sheepskin and just as every person plays an important role in the success of the company, Celtic Sheepskin also wants to support those other individuals who rely on charities. The work of a charity has an important impact on a local or national community, and we strongly believe that communities should care for one another.

So with the idea of “community” in mind, it seems unfair to now hold up your reading time and single out a couple of charities from the list to describe them in more detail so you can understand more of the reasons why we have helped those charities. You will hopefully notice for yourself that there is an eclectic range of people we have supported through our donations, and we’d love you to spend more time and click through to their individual websites to see for yourself the great work they accomplish.

So I’ll instead keep today’s blog post short and sign off now with a quote I have found that sums up our feelings why, as a company we believe in supporting charities as much as we do…

“Only a life lived for others is worth living”

Albert Einstein

And the couture shows begin...

So are any of you avidly following Paris Couture Show? I wonder how many actually are! I must admit it came as a lovely surprise when my Vogue.com daily email came into my inbox yesterday and reminded me that the “world’s most expensive dresses head to Paris today”. And if I take my business hat off a moment I’d admit that if there’s any excuse I can grab to look at pretty dresses, I’ll be there. Well, not literally of course. Rather than Paris I’m sitting at my desk in Cornwall. And rather than designer clothing, I’m sitting in my jeans and Celt boots. But the internet can make you feel like you’re in Paris and both vogue.com and telegraph.co.uk are permanently popping up on my screen to see what I’m missing –and of course what I will never, ever own!

As the story usually progresses on this blog, it’s the subject of couture that got my thinking for today’s blog post. You all have access to see the full range of Celtic Sheepskin items, but have you ever really looked at the expensive pieces? I wonder. So for those who haven’t, I’ve pulled the top four together for you. For you (like me) can sit back and admire what you may never own. Although, let’s be honest here, there’s a great deal better chance of you affording the most expensive item at Celtic Sheepskin than the cheapest on the couture catwalks this week. As many of our customers regularly do. So perhaps the following isn’t so out of reach…

First up is the top (priced) coat in our current Autumn Winter catalogue. The Hooded Toscana Coat, at £1,095 and honestly, if you can spend that on a coat it’s VERY much worth it. Toscana sheepskin is buttery soft, and very dense. It has a feeling of fur, but the conscience-free that comes with it as sheepskin is a by-product of the meat industry. We don’t have anything to do with fur at Celtic Sheepskin.

Next on my “top four” list is the wonderful Super Chunky Cashmere Jumper, which is featured on the cover of our second-released autumn winter catalogue this season, and is almost sold out. So be very quick! At a quarter of the price of the Hooded Toscana Coat, it seams like a great deal, but the deal is in the fabric not the price. Who doesn’t enjoy cashmere? I don’t think I need to describe it to you, you must all know the wonders it brings to any skin it touches; and in such a big, snugly jumper. All I can say it you’d better be quick to get one!

Then sticking with cashmere, I’ve also picked our “couture dress”, the Deep V Cashmere Dress. Ok, so it’s not for spring as the current shows are showing, it’s much too cold to be talking about spring to you all; no matter how much we love all that the spring season brings. No, this dress is very much a winter dress –or perhaps a cooler season dress to be specific as it’s designed to be layered with pieces, that is of course unless you have the daringness of the many famous actresses who wouldn’t care a hoot if they showed that much cleavage!

As the company so famously started life making boots, it seems only fitting that I end this quartet with a pair of our top sheepskin boots. Sadly, we haven’t the equipment to make them by hand in Cornwall, but we still have them made by hand in England, so they’re very, very special. In fact, they’re made to your exact requirements, and beautifully lined in sheepskin. I am of course talking about our Bespoke Riding Boots, and I know many of you have also fallen in love with these. Equally, I know that many of you are not so keen on the price, and sadly I can offer no compensation for that. They are worth every penny - but we understand that for many every penny counts. So for those few, lucky people, please believe me when I say that these boots really are a gem.

Take Celtic Sheepskin to the beach this January

Today’s inspiration has come from the eyes of a very jealous woman. Me! My mother and father are planning a trip to the Caribbean in a couple of weeks and I’m sick with envy! I have the delight of listening to all the lovely summer clothes my mum is purchasing, knowing that I am facing at least another month of solid cold winter weather, and then no doubt we’ll get rain…

So I thought I’d prepare a short blog post for those who, like my parents are jetting off to somewhere hot any time soon. Lucky you! It must be very easy for those amongst us who are planning a cold maybe skiing trip; buying clothes for winter in winter must be relatively straight forward. But buying hot, summer clothes in January? No wonder the designers bring out cruise collections!

The advantage that Celtic Sheepskin has over high street shops is that we can sell all seasons, all year round. You can either search for a sheepskin hat or suede flip-flops and voila! Up they pop. As many retailers, we launch new lines at the start of each season, but there’s still plenty on our website for the sun goddesses out there. The benefit too is that much of it could be described as “transitional” –you can wear it between seasons. And as British weather feels like it’s between seasons for 75% of the year, you’ll be able to wear it when you come home from your hols too!

My first outfit combines our High Waisted Skirt (a style to be grabbed this season) our very delicate bamboo Winged Tie Back Tee, and a pair of our hand-made Nubuck and Suede Flip Flops to tie the outfit together. I own a pair of these flip flops, I have done so for about 4 years, so I can vouch for their superb comfort –and longevity!

The next has a more chic vibe about it, bringing together our monochrome Striped Batwing Dress and mixing it up with a pair of highly desirable, and again hand-made (in Cornwall) Celt Sandals plus a gorgeous little Fringed Hobo Bag. I love this bag! It’s got a short strap that doesn’t get in the way when you’re trying to pack it into your suitcase.

And the final of my trio is for an even more relaxed approach to sunbathing. I’ve pulled out our Shaggy Waistcoat, which is knitted in half alpaca and half silk on a cotton base and is simply gorgeous. I’m picturing just a bikini underneath, with this cargo-style Cord Parka Skirt thrown on for a little more modesty. Then I thought a pair of Sheepskin Slides could make a nice alternative to sandals, as they’re divinely soft and comfortable, so perfect for dodging hot sand in.

Oh dear, now it looks like I’m even more jealous of all the sun-goers now!

And the nominations for this year's Golden Globe winners are...

-Did you watch the awards? Were you perched on the edge of your seat to hear which film won Best Picture? Hmmm, I’m not convinced that you really were, but you no doubt couldn’t get away from hearing that Colin Firth received Best Performance or that Social Network received best picture under the drama category. Oh, how the other half live.

For me, hearing about the Golden Globes was more interesting when I logged onto telegraph.co.uk on Monday morning and looked at all the beautiful dresses that graced the red carpet. Finding out what was classed a “hit” or a “miss” –oh, it’s a cruel, cruel world sometimes!

So with all this weekend’s hullabaloo now subsided once more into the record books, and the actors and actresses alike all back working on their latest blockbuster, I started considering the past winners. The list on Wikipedia makes a very interesting read! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Golden_Globe_winners

With the list neatly tucked to the side of my computer screen I thought I’d have a little fun in today’s blog post. Pulling out bits from our current winter collection, I’ve played a little game; picturing what could have easily featured in the film from our humble Cornish shelves to sparkle amongst those beautiful actresses and handsome actors…

Let’s first take Evita.

It’s not that hard to imaging Madonna wearing a pair of our white cashmere gloves as she approached the ball is it? And what about ET. Wouldn’t Elliott have been much more comfortable riding through the skies if his bike had a sheepskin lined seat? OK, so that wouldn’t have been on top of his priorities when saving his friend, but it’s a funny thought!

And that got me thinking about Atonement, and that infamous emerald green dress, which I desperately wish I owned! Just imagine the extra in take of breath as Kiera Knightly walks on screen in her stunning dress and her matching… Tovaddon Bag? Hmm, perhaps we’d need to re-think the name a little more if that were the case!

The Aviator was in fact the first film that sprung to my mind when conjuring up today’s blog post theme. After all, we have plenty of Aviator Jackets befitting of the best flyers, and they needn’t be just for men…

Leaving me with my final ensemble, the finale as you may. Taken from my memory of the film Forest Gump, where Forest explains to a nurse on the park bench...

“My momma always said you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, where the go, where they've been”

In fact when searching for the correct words I came across a whole host of quotes from the film. I thoroughly recommend you pay a visit too if you liked the movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/quotes

Now a sheepskin shoe may not suit everyone, although they are very comfortable and we have recently introduced women’s sizes so there’s no reason why anyone should feel left out. Either way, I hope your shoes take you somewhere exciting today!

Choosing between blow out or bust

If you don’t already know, Celtic Sheepskin does not hold sales. There is not any time of the year when an item will be reduced and then put back up to full price. For the most part we are lucky enough to say that our careful designing leads to many items being sold out shortly after they hit the shelves, but for a few pieces a little more patience is required. Cue our “offers” section.

The offers page on our website is for our lovely pieces which sadly haven’t had the attention they deserve. So to regain their status as being just as enticing as their catalogue counterparts, we decide to reduce their price label. BARGAIN! I hear you all shouting, and yes that is indeed the case. But like anything on our website, you’ve got to be quick.

To help you on your way I’ve carried out a little research to show you what you can get on the designer websites compared with the alternative on our website that is not only a bargain at its full price, but is now discounted!

So let’s start with the newly added Ocean Batwing With Snood. Selling at a 53% discount at just £45, this half merino, half alpaca jumper is simply divine. Heaven knows why it’s not been snapped up yet, but perhaps this is the push it needs?

The alternative on Net A Porter could be Splendid’s batwing knit, but unlike the Celtic Sheepskin design the cowl neck doesn’t come off! I have to admit I love neutral shades, so this Splendid top hits the right notes there, but then it’s always nice to inject a little colours into your wardrobe, and this blue is beautifully subtle.

And what other beautiful bargains can be sought I hear you cry! Well, what about the Crop Tie Wrap? I wore this a few weeks ago when I modelled different outfit combinations, placing it over our navy Sheer Knit Cowl Jumper Dress (which has since sold out). It’s very adaptable, and with spring pleasantly not far around the corner, it makes the ideal layering item. With 50% off the price tag, £35 is a real bargain!

And the alternative at Net A Porter? Well, that was a little harder to find. They’ve got plenty of blue and white stripped long sleeve tops but none as a bolero. Bolero’s too are popular, but none have this flattering tie fastening. So the closest I came to it is the utterly gorgeous cropped cardigan by Alice By Temperley. It has the same nautical feeling, but perhaps a little too smart for my wardrobe, and at £120 more than Celtic Sheepskin’s option, I think I’d prefer to save my pennies.

And with all this talk of spring, who amongst you are planning a trip abroad soon? Have any of you chosen somewhere hot, or perhaps a spa hotel? If so then I think you may love my next offering from our “offers” page. Plaited Leather Sandals, reduced by 33% to just £30, and for leather sandals that’s pretty good going.

Net A Porter has lots of stunning sandals; the most similar pair is Proenza Schouler’s design. They’re not quite as subtle as Celtic Sheepskins apparently understated sandals, but at £400 more perhaps the tassles and buckles were added by way of justification? Or allurement? Who knows! What I do know is that the saved £400 would go towards an upgrade on a room…

And then there are children to think about, because we do have some last remaining items of children’s clothing in our offers section. All light weight but with long sleeves, so great for our British weather which more often than not sits on the fence from being really hot and really cold. Yes, I know we’ve just had snow, but it (fortunately) didn’t last that long, and most of the time we have cloud –winter or summer.

Our Kids Organic Hoodie is designed for both girls and boys to wear, and at the discounted price of just £14.50 I see no reason why a lot of boys and girls aren’t wearing it! Now, Net A Porter don’t do children’s clothes, so I had to go a little further a field to find a suitable designer alternative, landing me at childsplayclothing.co.uk - and boy could you spend a lot of money on your children on that site! I soon came across Timberland’s stripy, hooded top, which is lovely but I can’t see why adding a zip would make it £43 more expensive? Let’s put it down to personal preference? Of course I know where I stand on that, but do make up your judgments…

So there we have it. Four items from Celtic Sheepskin, which can be purchased for £643.49 less than their designer equivalents and that is roughly the same amount I spent on my skiing holiday last year. And boy doesn’t it feel great when you snap up a bargain and blow the savings on something else! Or maybe just save for a rainy day…

Sheepskin is still very popular!

I’m writing this blog post after returning from a trip to Hungary. Out there in their dense white snow and freezing conditions the only material able to stand up to the cool temperatures was - yes you guessed it - sheepskin. OK so I work for Celtic Sheepskin and I’m bound to wear and promote it, but honestly it was the only way I could stay outside for longer than 10 minutes. Each day I wore my trusty Celt Boots, my sheepskin gloves, my sheepskin scarf and my sheepskin hat, which left my boyfriends cold feet very envious. Perhaps next winter he’ll take my advice to wear sheepskin boots.

So it was to my great delight when I returned to my desk yesterday to see so many magazines and newspapers promoting sheepskin. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise of course, as we’re now in January which is a month that’s notoriously cold, but it’s also a frugal time. Every penny counts and much of the media are busily writing up about the best bargains to be sought, planning a leapfrog into the new spring collections as soon as they can. But not this year it seems. We’re all being very practical, wearing what we should to keep warm and fashion comes almost as an after thought. Hooray!

Hilary Alexander at the Daily Telegraph wrote a great section yesterday on how Aviator Jackets are set to remain for spring. In her write up she featured our Classic Flying Jacket, styled with a pretty skirt and top. Hilary talked about how the flying jacket is “too much of a classic to be written off” –here, here Hilary!

And if you are considering the alternatives to Hilary’s choice, then may I recommend…

But the media didn’t stop there. Also waiting for me was this week’s copy of Woman’s Weekly, where fashion editor Anne Hartnett pulled out some of our Toscana accessories to go with her “All Wrapped Up” feature. Working with a pretty blonde model, who looks remarkably like our own model Amelie, Ann put together a great collection of knitwear and sheepskin which had an air of our own catalogue about it. Amongst her line up were our Toscana Boots and Toscana Earmuffs. As if that wasn’t enough, my entire body collapsed to the floor when I noticed that Red magazine has included our Moccasin slippers in their February’s edition! Unlike the other two, Laura Fantacci focused on staying warm inside. Laura has picked a sumptuous mix of fabrics including lace, cashmere and our own sheepskin slippers to make anyone want to curl up by the fire and watch the cool rain drops battling against your protector windows.

Finding out about Louise Jimenez, our Warehouse Supervisor at Celtic Sheepskin

So far on this blog we’ve introduced the Directors Nick and Kath Whitworth; the General Manager, Karl Headleand; the Factory Supervisor Tanya Hamilton and our newest member of the team, our Garment Technologist Tracy Hoggarth. We’ve covered nearly every department in the company, except one; the Warehouse. And the supervisor responsible for this busy hub of the company is Louise Jimenez…

When did you start working at Celtic Sheepskin?

10th July 2006 as a telephonist. I then worked my through to the warehouse doing various jobs including quality control & shop assistant.

What do your day-to-day duties mainly consist of?

My day-to-day duties mainly consist of processing returns, incoming deliveries, stock control and printing the customer’s orders ready for dispatch. I am also responsible for helping customer services with their queries on all our products.

What do you love most about your role?

I love the diversity. I am always busy doing something and I love being involved with all areas of the company.

How long have you lived in Cornwall?

All my life!

What’s kept you in Cornwall all this time?

My family and the beautiful scenery, but there’s also the draw of the laid back way of life down here and how genuinely friendly everyone is. It really feels good to live in this part of the country.

How was the run up to Christmas for you?

Extremely busy! We have been constantly taking deliveries and processing them through as quickly as possible so that the majority of our customers could get their beautiful Celtic goods in time for Christmas. Sadly this wasn’t possible for everyone, so we had to keep on top of waiting times for goods, so that everyone knew when they could expect their items at the time of ordering.

We worked to a very tight schedule in 2010, but we all worked really well together and had a good laugh whilst doing it. We have a great atmosphere in the warehouse, which made all the overtime in the run up to Christmas really enjoyable.

If you could have anyone’s job in the company whose would it be?

It would either be Tracy, our garment technologist or Kath, our Director. I would really like to be involved with overseeing all the new garments and to have an input on new designs and colours. That gives me something to aim for!

If you had just one favourite item in the current winter collection, what would it be? It doesn’t have to be for you!

It would definitely be the Hooded Toscana Coat in slate. It is truly a beautiful coat! Well, a girl can dream can’t she!

If you have one phrase that you lived by, what would it be?

I have two!

Cherish all your happy moments; they make a fine cushion for old age.

AND

There is only one type of happiness in life, to love and be loved.


Thank you Louise! What great sentiments to start the New Year on.

What will 2011 bring at Celtic Sheepskin...

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you’ve all celebrated as much as you hoped and enjoyed every moment of the holiday period. 2011 has come around fast for me, and with my summary last week on what 2010 meant for Celtic Sheepskin, I thought it only pertinent to now look forward and see what plans there are for 2011. The biggest is of course the next Spring Summer catalogue.

Now I wouldn’t expect you to want to buy cool tops and short sleeve cardigans at the moment. It’s far too cold for that! I just thought you may be interested to see what you can expect from the new Spring Summer 2011 collection when it’s launched next month. So by way of a sneak preview, how does the following take your fancy…

Aren’t they gorgeous! I must emphasise that you CANT buy them now, but now that the New Year has begun, there won’t be too much longer to wait.

Also in 2011 they’ll be some fine celebrations to be had -our 21st birthday!

Owning the company for 21 years is certainly worth celebrating. Party plans are yet to be decided, so watch this space. Any ideas welcome!

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s the excitement of what will become of Celtic Sheepskin this year. Last year we expanded our premises into two buildings; one large warehouse and one large factory. As a result of this, 2011 will see more staff coming on board to make sure that we can make as many boots as you can order. This Christmas saw a great number of our trademark sheepskin footwear sold on back order rather than from stock sitting on the shelf, and we have no intention of being caught out again next winter. We really appreciate you all waiting for your footwear, but once is enough. Celtic Sheepskin is growing fast, and I really think 2011 is going to be the year to watch…