A Director's opinion - Kath Whitworth's thoughts on the new collection

Hopefully by now you have had a chance to explore our new collection. You might have ear-marked your must-have items or even bought everything you like ready for the new season.

This week, I had the opportunity to talk to one of our Directors, Kath Whitworth about the new collection. As Kath is very hands-on when it comes to finding and selecting the pieces for each season, she is familiar with the entire collection so I asked her which items she would choose for herself…

Kath revealed that she has already bought the Slouchy Sunday Roll Neck which appears on the front cover of our Autumn 2011 catalogue…

After the success of last year when this jumper practically flew off the shelves, it is available again with the addition of a new colour. Kath said she loves how versatile and snuggly this piece is and how despite being a chunky knit, it isn’t too heavy. She also said it is very flattering and suits all shapes and sizes.

Next, Kath highlighted the Supersoft Slouch Dress as one of her favourites and said “this does what it says on the tin. It’s great for a cosy day at home and ideal even if you’re not normally a “dressy” person as it can be teamed just as easily with leggings”…

When talking about the natural fibres used in the collection, Kath said she was particularly impressed with the new bamboo and organic cotton layering pieces. This is the first time Celtic Sheepskin has offered a specific layering range to customers and it has been very well received so far. Kath said that she loves the quality of the fibres, particularly the bamboo as it very easy and tactile to wear. This range is definitely here to stay as the pieces can be layered up or down all year round…

Moving on to boots, Kath’s favourites are the new Himalayan Boots which she hopes will be very popular with you, our customers, as well!

The character of the Himalayan wool caught Kath’s eye last year when we created the Himalayan Coat and Himalayan Gilet and she thought it would be a great topper for our sheepskin boots. Kath described the Himalayan Boots as “more everyday than the Toscana Boots and not as flamboyant as the Mongolian Boots” – sums it up quite well I think!

Finishing off, I asked Kath if she had any predictions of pieces that would be big sellers this Autumn. While she pointed out that it is hard to say so early on in the new season, Kath picked out the Trapeze Hem Hoodie and the Cocoon Cardi/Shrug, both of which are mid-weight items which you can wear now and as the temperature drops…

Kath added that she felt that generally speaking, customers are ready for Autumn after the lack-lustre summer weather and that they want the luxury and cosiness of natural woollen fibres without the feeling of being too warm.

Our sheepskin slippers are becoming popular...

It’s hard to believe that the August bank holiday weekend is almost upon us – how quickly time flies (dare I say it is *only* 4 months until Christmas?!). For me, it marks the end of the summer and a turning point from which I start to prepare myself mentally for cooler weather. Here at Celtic Sheepskin, we are getting busier and busier after the launch of our Autumn collection earlier in the month. I have already noticed this week that it is starting to get darker earlier and on gloomy days there is definitely an Autumnal feel in the air and it seems that many of you are feeling the same as the orders are coming in for cosy knits, sheepskin boots and warming layers.

I tend to accept that summer is over when I have to start wearing my slippers around the house again to warm up my feet! You might already know that we hand-make slippers on site at our factory in Newquay along with our sheepskin boots. In fact everyone in the factory is busy hand-crafting all sorts of slippers at the moment in anticipation of the high number of orders we receive at this time of year. You might be looking for a pair of sheepskin slippers to pamper your feet as the chill kicks so why not opt for a pair which has been handcrafted here in Cornwall. There are lots of different styles to suit all ages and tastes and they are all made from 100% sheepskin…
Firstly, our best-selling Bootee Slippers…

They come in 15 different colours and we even make Mini Bootees for children…

If you prefer a classic Mule style, these also come in 15 colours…

For a prettily-detailed twist, I think that our Ribbon Mules are adorable (and wonderfully comfy)…

All of the above slippers can be washed carefully in the machine; I recommend using our Celtic Wool Wash (the only product we have satisfactorily tested on our sheepskin footwear) on a cool wash, no warmer than 30 degrees.
I can’t talk about our cosy footwear without mentioning our gorgeous Dita Slippers!

If you have been watching Celebrity Big Brother, you might have spotted these being worn by Amy Childs (from The Only Way is Essex and This Morning) as she took her favourite slippers into the house as one of her ‘luxury items’.  The style of slipper is modelled on a flip-flop with fluffy sheepskin insoles and straps, plus a dainty pink ribbon for an extra girly touch!

You can view our entire slipper collection here.

Who else ready to curl up in front of the fire now with a steaming hot chocolate and a good book wearing their cosiest sheepskin slippers? Roll on Autumn!

Autumn 2011 photo-shoot locations

If you have had a chance to read through our new Autumn catalogue you will have noticed that once again we were able to take advantage of our beautiful natural surroundings by carrying out our photo-shoot in various locations across Cornwall.

Shooting for an Autumn/Winter catalogue in March can sometimes prove troublesome with the weather being unpredictable to say the least, although this can also work in our favour to give the shots a really wintry feel! For this current catalogue, the team had to hunt around for sheltered locations as for most of the week of the photo-shoot, it was – as they say here in Cornwall- blowing a hooley. There was a definite chill in the air, a fair amount of rain and more than a little sea breeze!

Luckily the team found some shelter from the elements around the north Cornish coast. For those of you who know the area, you might recognise some of the backdrops as Harlyn, Constantine and Booby’s Bay which is named after the sea bird often seen diving in the water there if you were wondering! With the bank holiday weekend coming up, these are all beautiful beaches which are worth a visit. Both Constantine and Harlyn beach have well-established surf schools if you’re looking for a bit of adventure or you might just like to relax in the sunshine or walk along the coast path above the beaches – see this link for a suggested route by The National Trust.

Here is a selection of photos taken on and around the north Cornish coast (click on each photo to see details for the featured products)…
 

  


  


   As you can see, the landscape is stunning, with a mixture of golden sands, rolling cliffs and sand dunes which are just begging to be photographed!
The images below were shot in Port Quin, a hamlet which is nestled in a valley not far from Port Isaac. It is a beautiful place although there isn’t very much there, only a smattering of National Trust holiday cottages (perfect for a quiet getaway) and a little-used harbour. ..





View of Port Quin harbour from the coastpath





Port Quin was once a thriving fishing village until a great storm in 1698 destroyed the port’s entire fishing fleet and the village subsequently became deserted as the families of the fishermen relocated to Port Isaac.  If you’re feeling intrepid (and fit – it’s quite hilly!) it is a lovely place to walk around – here’s one suggested route.  It's worth knowing that there aren't any shops in Port Quin so you might like to take a picnic with you.

Over the knee socks – your legs will thank you!

I love socks! I especially love cosy, tactile socks which are as attractive to look at as they are comfortable to wear and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. Luckily there is plenty to get excited about this season, not least because our Autumn 2011 catalogue boasts 2 brand new sock styles bringing the total to 7 different designs.

As the cooler nights start to make an appearance, I love my over-the-knee socks. As well as being ideal for pairing with skirts and sheepskin boots, they can keep your legs really warm under trousers. Here is a brief round-up of our over-the-knee ranges;

Firstly, here are our two new sock designs for Autumn 2011 - Lacy Over the Knee Socks and Damask Over the Knee Socks…

The Lacy Over the Knee Socks (on the left in the image above) are made from luxurious 100% merino wool so as you might imagine they are delightfully soft. My favourite shade is the bitter chocolate because they look particularly flattering. These socks are cosy enough to keep your feet, legs and knees warm all winter –fabulous!

The Damask Socks (on the right) are made from 70% fine merino and 30% nylon and they feel really light and delicate. I think that the pretty pattern and cream or black colour choices would complement a simple outfit such as an understated shift dress.

To recap on one of our already-established designs, our original Over the Knee Socks are consistently fast sellers all year round and we have a number of repeat customers who keep coming back for more colours!

They are so snug to wear and the range of colours means you can find a pair to go with any outfit you choose. New for this year are the Duck Egg, Mole, Navy and Purple shades. These socks have sold out in the past as they are very popular so I would advise ordering them sooner rather than later!

While they aren’t technically over-the-knee length, I must mention our Stripey Cashmere Socks; they are beautifully bold with gorgeous contrasting stripes to make them really stand out. The knee length version would look great with one of our jumper dresses, such as the Supersoft Slouch Dress and being cashmere they are sumptuously soft.

The shade options include new Damson and Grey/Milk this season, both of which I love. The Stripey Cashmere Socks are also available in an ankle length for less chilly days.

You will be pleased to know that all of the socks I have mentioned are in stock and available to buy now. To view our complete sock range, please click here.

Cable knitwear is set to be huge this Autumn

It’s official – Autumn 2011 has arrived! Our new Autumn catalogue started to drop on to doormats across the country at the weekend. Did you get yours? If you would like to receive a copy but don’t think you are on our mailing list, please click here to request a copy now. If you can’t wait, click here to see it online.

While I don’t have any intention of wishing away the summer, I can’t help but feel excited about the array of wonderful knits which we are offering this year and can’t wait to be able to wear them all! It isn’t just us talking about the new season either; browsing magazines over the past couple of weeks I have seen quite a few trend reports and ‘must-have’ lists for Autumn/Winter.

One of the key trends which is set to be huge this Autumn/Winter is traditional cable stitching. In Company magazine this trend has been mixed with paint box colours including bright green and hot pink!

While we might not have chosen such bright colours in our cable pieces, they are still just as eye-catching with their on-trend styles including oversized slouchy knits and chunky waistcoats. Here is a small selection of our cable woollies…
As well as boasting intricate cable stitching, the pieces in the above image all have something else in common; they are all knitted in the UK from home grown Bluefaced Leicester wool. With British Wool Week coming up in a few weeks’ time (5th-11th September – read more about the Campaign for Wool here), what better way to mark the occasion than with a cosy cable-knitted jumper or waistcoat made from one of the finest British yarns!

There are three chunky cable designs in our Autumn 2011 catalogue which are knitted using Bluefaced Leicester wool. Here is the first - the Longline Cable Tunic…

Our HR Manager and Press Officer, Charlotte Cole received plenty of compliments when she wore this during Fashion Press Week back in May (read more about that here). The combination of the wide neck and sculpted hem line make this a really flattering shape and I think it works well on its own or over a jersey top as Amelie wears it in the catalogue (page 60 if you would like a look).

For a contemporary twist on the traditional Fisherman design, I love the Stylised Fisherman’s Jumper…The name of this jumper should hopefully give you an idea of what to expect! This jumper has been modernised with a slightly longer back and shorter sleeves to reflect current trends while being comfortable and warm too. Again, the Stylised Fisherman’s Cable Jumper can be used as a layering piece or simply worn on its own depending on the temperature.

Bluefaced Leicester wool knits closely which makes it ideal for detailed cable stitching as it shows off the contrast between flat cables and raised twists. You can see this in more detail in the third piece from our new catalogue; the Chunky Cable waistcoat…


I love the style of this waistcoat and can imagine a myriad of occasions for wearing it. As an extra layer, it makes a change for the usual cardi or jumper option too!

As well as the Bluefaced Leicester pieces, we have plenty of other variations on the cable trend. Just type “cable” into the search box on our website and you can see what comes up for yourself!

Our new collection in numbers

We are only moments away from posting out our brand new Autumn 2011 catalogue which will be the first of three seasonal catalogues in the lead up to Christmas. We hope you’re as excited as we are!

So for those of you who like to think in numbers, by way of an introduction we’ve pulled out some facts about the new catalogue…





...the number of pages (including the front and back cover) in the catalogue which will be weighing down your Postman over the next few days! This is 4 pages more than last year’s Autumn/Winter catalogue and there are still two more winter catalogues to come.

...how many boot styles we now offer (these are all handmade by us right here in Cornwall). This time last year we offered 22 different styles so you could say that we have honed our production in to focus on making more of your favourites!...the percentage of products in the new catalogue which are manufactured in Great Britain. The remaining 20% are manufactured as close to home as possible with the majority being made within the EU to reduce our carbon footprint as much as we can.




This is how many shearling and hide coats are available in the new catalogue – that’s one less than last year but there will be more to come in the next catalogue which will be issued as the winter sets in…















...new clothing sections in our catalogue; Easywear and Jersey Layering.





















...brand new knitwear designs in this catalogue made from the softest natural yarns including Cashmere, Angora, Merino and Geelong lambswool.



...different colours to choose from in our Pointelle and Cable stitch accessories ranges; Bitter chocolate, silver and light grey.


...the number of colours, lengths and designs of socks you can choose from including our best-selling over-the-knee socks and some gorgeous new designs like our Damask socks. Some of these are only available online so don’t miss out!




..the number of knowledgeable sales and support staff who are on hand to answer your questions and take your orders over the phone – call 01637 871605.

Autumn 2011 - Sales and Support team favourites

With the launch of our Autumn 2011 collection last weekend and the catalogue winging its way to you all very shortly, yesterday marked a special occasion in the calendar which all of our Sales and Support team love – the chance to view the new collection for themselves. Between you and I, part of the reason they liked it so much could be because they enjoyed a selection of Danish pastries as they heard all about the range (I am joking…although I am sure they were appreciated!).

Once the team had immersed themselves in the new collection (this took some time as it is of course our biggest range yet!) I took the opportunity to find out about a few of their favourite items. Each staff member chose something quite different proving that the styles and cuts created this season suit a range of tastes.

First to willingly volunteer to model for me was Lucy who was very quick to pick out the Hooded Toscana Jacket (a girl after my own heart!)…
Lucy really liked the shade of grey that the Hooded Toscana Jacket comes in and felt that it would complement her wardrobe. At £895 it was a key investment piece for Lucy which she would enjoy for many years to come. She imagined wearing it during a wintry blizzard and still feeling cosy and warm and pointed out that the length meant she could wear it every day or on a smarter occasion.

My next model in the making was Maria, who noted the Wide Rib Cowl as her favourite…
I love this piece. Maria has a very petite frame but unlike many poncho garments, I think this style flatters rather than swamps her. Maria said she loved how the Wide Rib Cowl could be thrown over anything to add a warm, snuggly layer. She picked out the flattering neck style and softness created by the hints of angora in the yarn.

Just as keen to show me her favourite piece from our new collection was Naomi who selected one of the new shapes from the range, the Cable Square Neck…
Straight away, Naomi expressed her love for the striking square neck and on-trend cable stitching of this gorgeous knit. Naomi chose not to wear the Cable Square Neck for the purpose of the photo as she was feeling a little bit shy but you can still make out the modern, flattering shape– Naomi thought it was a beautifully fitted garment and I must say I agree.

Last but not least, I asked Jaki, our new Customer Service Supervisor for her thoughts on her favourite piece. Jaki only started with us last month so has been getting to grips with all our products over the past few weeks. Out of all of the products she has seen, Jaki has picked out the new Bamboo Cowl Back Nightie…
By the time we were able to get outside, the good old Cornish wind was truly blowing so it looked like this wonderfully light nightie might blow away! Jaki pointed out that the lightness of the Bamboo Cowl Back Nightie was one of the reasons she liked it so much, along with the longer back which she felt was very flattering and easy to wear, adding how soft the bamboo felt.

I didn’t manage to photograph the whole Sales and Support team as, besides the phones ringing, some were making the most of their annual leave before the winter rush but thank you very much to the ladies who have featured in today’s post . Now you might know who you’re speaking to next time you ring in with an order!

The new Loungewear collections for Autumn 2011

Did you take the opportunity to browse our website over the weekend? If so, you couldn’t have failed to notice a freshly revamped home page launching our Autumn 2011 collection! The first of our Autumn/Winter catalogues will be dropping on doormats from 12th August but if you really can’t wait, you can preview the new catalogue online by clicking here.

Let’s not forget that it is still only August (is it just me who thinks this year is flying by?!) so chunky cable knits and cosy jumper dresses might not be featured on your clothing shopping list just yet! You might be interested to know however that there are many pieces which you can treat yourselves to and wear even before it gets cold and wintry with the launch of our new Jersey Layering and Celtic Easywear collections. These pieces are ideal for lounging around or layering up over summer vests and tees.

Jersey Layering

The Jersey Layering range is made up of soft, light fibres – namely Organic Cotton and Bamboo – which lend themselves to being worn all year round. For example…
The Bamboo Box Tee makes the most of the current trend for asymmetry with a longer back and a single patch pocket on the front. Being bamboo, it is UV-protective and anti-bacterial so it will keep you comfortably cool during the last of the summer days. The Bamboo Box Tee comes in three colour designs so you can take your pick or choose them all!
As you can see, this lovely little Organic Cotton Short Sleeve Tee is great for layering up in the colder months but right now it will stand confidently on its own with your favourite jeans or skirt. I love the fold-back cuffs and the slightly longer back; the shape is very flattering. I predict this one will sell out very quickly!

Celtic Easywear

The Celtic Easywear pieces are created from slightly lighter yarns than our other knits, including Geelong lambswool and Cashmere. These pieces are designed for relaxation and lounging around. For example…
This Muscle Back Pointelle Vest is available in 3 colours to complement your wardrobe. The pretty pointelle stitch and sporty back add a unique touch to the design to make this more than just any old vest! It is made from cotton and modal so it is super-soft and would work as a practical base layer on a chilly day.
I have picked out the Henley Slouch as one of my favourite pieces from the new collection so far! I can picture wearing it as an extra layer at a late summer barbeque (over the Pointelle Vest perhaps?) and then as a snuggly downtime top for a weekend at home. The tiny shell buttons give a pretty and delicate touch to the Henley style and the Geelong lambswool is soft and easy to wear.

As you can probably tell, I am very excited about these new additions to our clothing range and I hope you are too. You can order these items online now for delivery in only a few weeks’ time so plenty of time to prepare for Autumn.