SheerLuxe.com Online Shopping Awards

We are taking the opportunity to use today’s blog post as a platform for self-promotion. We do hope you don’t mind!

Fanfares please…

We are very pleased to announce that we have been short-listed as a finalist in the Knitwear category of the Online Fashion Awards organised by SheerLuxe.com.

If you aren’t familiar with the site already, SheerLuxe.com is an interactive guide to online shopping which aims to help consumers find fine, fashionable, stylish and luxurious brands, products and designer goods available to purchase online. SheerLuxe.com contains a directory of over 1500 retailers including Celtic Sheepskin so to be short-listed as finalists is a great achievement in itself! Furthermore, it is down to you, our customers, who took the time to vote for us in the initial stages of the process so we would like to say a very sincere “thank you” to you all for flying our flag for us.

In case you are wondering why we think we should win the Best Knitwear category I’ve pulled together a few reasons why we are proud of our knitwear collection;

• Ethically-sourced products - including a certified Organic range of Merino pieces

• Pieces knitted from 100% natural yarns, which are wonderfully soft, warm, comfortable and flattering to wear

• Quality – knitwear pieces created from the highest-quality yarns and rigorously checked for quality & sizing

• Innovation - we constantly strive to bring you, our customers, new shapes, styles and yarns so that our collection continues to evolve

• Adaptability – we create pieces which can be worn throughout the year – even your lifetime - to ensure the best value per wear for you

If you would like to take part in helping us win the Best Knitwear award (and we would very much appreciate it if you could!), the next stage of the process is to complete the voting form online which is simple and quick to do. All you need to do it click on this link  and register on the log in page (if you haven’t already) and then vote for as many categories as you wish by choosing your favourite from the corresponding drop down list and click on the vote button at the bottom of the screen. For ease of reference, the image below shows where you can find us on the page…

 
The votes will be counted on 30th October and we will of course keep you updated with the results.

Fingers crossed and thank you once again from everyone at Celtic Sheepskin!

Spring/Summer 2012 preview

As most of my blog posts from the last few weeks have been about styling and wearing our Autumn/Winter collection, I thought today I would change tact and instead focus attention on a time which seems almost too far away to imagine - Spring/Summer 2012 (SS12).

With the international fashion weeks currently taking place, you might already have seen some images from the catwalk shows of New York, London or Milan where the new SS12 trends have been gracing the runways to an exuberant chorus of ‘oooh’s and ‘aaah’s and today marks the start of Paris Fashion Week. With so many fabulous designs, it can get a little confusing to decipher the key trends and styles so when I came across a helpful overview of some of the London Fashion Week shows on InStyle.co.uk I thought it was worth sharing.

Of course, my blog post wouldn’t be complete without a Celtic Sheepskin mention (it’s why you’re reading our blog after all!) so I have punctuated the images with some Celtic pieces which, as well as giving a nod towards the forecasted trends, can also be worn now…

Colour looks likely to play a bit part in SS12 as it has over the past few seasons, with the addition of pastel hues. Rather than complex busy prints, there seemed to be lots of simple colour blocking in London, with combinations of clashing colours within a palette of sweet ice cream hues;

You can create this look now with our Easy Layering collection of easy-to-wear bamboo and cotton tops which can be layered up or down to create different seasonal looks.
The Organic Cotton Short Sleeve Tee is a useful staple item which comes in Slate or - for some extra detail - Berry Stripe.

You could easily team these with a brightly coloured cardi or tailored trousers.

The next trend which stood out to me was Parka jackets and trench coats, which were worn with the female silhouette in mind, using belts (often handcrafted) to draw attention to the waist. Many were accessorised with earth tone shades including mustard (I noticed A LOT of mustard!).

You can easily channel this trend now with our Drapey Trench coat, which is as practical as it is on trend and is currently half price at £125!

The third trend which I loved was the slouchy cricket-style jumpers worn with miniskirts or tailored “cigarette leg” trousers;

I could suggest a fair few pieces of ours which would fit this trend but perhaps the most appropriate is our gorgeous (and very popular) Short Stripey Slouch…

Made from 100% single-ply Geelong lambswool, this flattering jumper is light enough to wear all year round and it would look particularly on trend with the sleeves rolled up for a preppy look seen at many London shows.

To see more images from London Fashion Week click here.

Accessorising this Autumn with Organic Merino

If you believe the recent news reports, it looks like a cold winter will soon be heading our way (I have even seen predictions of snow for October in some reports. While it might be too early to tell for certain, according to our sales and support team, you, our customers, are already preparing for the cold snap by stocking up on winter woollies and sheepskin coats.

This week I revitalised my winter wardrobe and dusted off my sheepskin boots although, if truth be told, they were never very far back in my wardrobe after the summer we have had! While in Cornwall I am not quite at the stage of wearing a coat yet, I am about to start wearing a few knitted accessories to add a top layer on cooler days. I think that a knitted beanie provides just enough protection to keep the rain away (and it’s easier to store than an umbrella!) and arm-warmers are a brilliant alternative to gloves if you like to keep your fingers free. Teamed up with a brilliant pair of boot-warmers and maybe a snood to keep the chill off your neck, knitted accessories add a stylish finishing touch to an autumnal outfit.

As those of you who have seen our catalogue will know, we have plenty of knitted accessories to choose from. Our Organic Merino Accessories are pictured in our Autumn 2011 catalogue but the full range can currently only be found on our website so for those of you who have seen them yet, I thought you might like to see the designs in more detail;

The Organic Merino Accessories range is available in two stitch designs, Cable and Pointelle…

Both designs are available in three colours, Bitter Chocolate, Light Grey and Silver as a Slouchy Beanie, Armwarmers and Bootwarmers and the Pointelle Range also includes a Snood. As well as creating a top-to-toe accessories ‘look’ using all pieces in the same colour, I like the idea of mixing and matching pieces in different colours to coordinate with a variety of outfits. As the Organic Merino Accessories are available as separates rather than as a set it’s up to you how many of each style you pick. These designs also make ideal gifts.

I can reveal that the Organic Merino Accessories will be featured in our Winter 2011 catalogue which will be sent out around the end of October. With our knitted accessories always proving to be very popular, I would advise going online now to ensure that there are still plenty left in stock for you to choose your favourites.

Fashioning the Folk look

With Autumn 11 now in full swing, I have been reading plenty about the latest trends to be gracing the high street. Having already written about how Celtic Sheepskin is channelling a couple of the most popular styles this season (namely Cable knits and Textures) I thought I would touch on the Folk trend which can be seen gracing the British high street this season.

Moving on from the Bohemian style of the summer, the new folk look is edgier and evokes an air of glamour. Kate Moss and Coleen Rooney are already embracing the Folk trend according to company.co.uk so it is likely that it will be around for a while…

If you are thinking about embracing this trend, one of the most glamorous ways to wear it in Celtic Sheepskin style is with a sheepskin gilet… 

The Tie Front Gilet is deceptively light for a sheepskin garment making it ideal for wearing all year round. The vanilla wool can be teamed with any colour and really offsets the chocolate shade of the sheepskin.

Meanwhile, the Long Himalayan Gilet is thicker and features wonderfully shaggy sheepskin which just says ‘folk’ to me.

The Toscana Bodywarmer features the same beautiful Toscana sheepskin which we use in some of our best-selling jackets. It is unbelievably soft and luxurious to wear and makes a statement when added to even a basic outfit.

These are all beautiful investment pieces which will see you through many more years to come. The wonderful benefit of a sheepskin gilet is that being sleeveless it can keep you warm without covering up the rest of your outfit. It is also ideal for the transitional time when it isn’t quite cold enough to wrap up in a sheepskin coat.
For those of you who prefer to shy away from the trend spotlight but will consider just a little wink towards the folk trend rather than an enthusiastic nod…

… I think the Hugo Bag above will fit the bill perfectly.

Getting to know....Jaki Law, Sales & Support Supervisor

As our Autumn collection is already flying off the shelves, I thought it was time to introduce you to someone who you might come in to contact with if you call us to place an order; Jaki Law, our Sales and Support Supervisor. Following on from the theme of the other “Getting to know…” posts I asked Jaki a few probing questions…

How long have you worked for Celtic Sheepskin and what brought you here?

I started working for Celtic Sheepskin on 18th July 2011… doesn’t time fly! I was looking for a job where the company cared about its people, customers and the environment as much as I did so Celtic Sheepskin ticked all the boxes for me.

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

The Sales and Support team is the first port of call for customer enquiries; as part of the team I take orders and provide product information to assist customers with their choices, as well as handling returns enquiries and resolving any issues. As Sales and Support Supervisor I also liaise with our delivery companies, ensure we are appropriately staffed, manage my team on a day-to-day basis and oversee the Customer Services department.

What do you most enjoy about your role?

I love everything about it really as it is so varied! In particular it’s lovely to be able to talk to customers directly. I also love working with my team - they are a great bunch, all very friendly and knowledgeable about our products.

How would you sum up the new collection in one sentence?

I would sum it up as a collection of classic pieces with a stylish twist and complementary colour palettes which suit most people and make it easy to match with coordinating items.

If you had to pick your favourite item from the current Autumn catalogue, what would it be and why?

Oh that’s a hard one, there is so much I like… I think the Toscana Jacket is top of my list, it’s just so luxurious and classy. For something completely different, I also love the Cashmere Fairisle Beret and Fingerless Gloves too. That’s more than one item I know but there are just too many lovely pieces to choose one favourite!

What do you think are the most popular choices from the new collection (based on customers’ feedback so far)?

Our bamboo layering pieces are proving to be very popular with our customers, in particular the Bamboo Fluted Tee. Even though it is still only September, we are also getting a lot of interest in the Celtic Duffle Coat and the Three-Quarter Cabra Coat too – it isn’t hard to see why! And of course, our Celt boots – even after all these years they are still so popular.

If you could swap jobs with anyone in the company for a day, whose would it be and why?

I would probably swap with one of the girls in the factory shop for the day because, as I have said already, I just love talking to customers and it would be wonderful to do that face to face.

How long have you lived in Cornwall? What brought you here/kept you here?

I have been here for almost 4 years. I first came on holiday in 1975 and then every year after that. After a while I started coming twice a year and then more frequently and in the end I decided I should just live here. I’m so glad I did - I love Cornwall and everything it has to offer. If you haven’t been before you should visit (and it would be lovely to welcome you to our factory shop while you’re here!).

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not at work?

I walk my two Springer Spaniels who both adore the beach. I read a lot and paint a bit, listen to and play music and I must say that I also quite enjoy a quiet glass of wine at my local bar as I lose myself staring out to sea.

Finally, what is your favourite quote which you like to live by?

What goes around comes around – simple and very true.

-Thank you Jaki.

Celebrating National Wool Week

Last week (5th-11th September) was National Wool Week and it was great to see that there was an abundance of coverage online and in the national media, and there is even a Wool Modern exhibition being held until 29th September to showcase wool-loving designers including Mark Fast and Vivienne Westwood.

One of my favourite stories from last week was this one about a small herd of sheep who wanted to make their presence felt in Glastonbury.

National Wool Week is part of the Campaign for Wool initiative which was set up by HRH Prince Charles as part of his drive for universal sustainability. The initiative which promotes wool as an eco-friendly, versatile, fashionable and durable material is centered around “Wool Week” which last year involved the participation of over 70 fashion brands, half a dozen national department stores and almost 1000 carpet independents. You can read more about the Campaign for Wool here.

For a company whose main focus is on providing customers with a wide range of garments made from natural, sustainable fibres, it is probably not a surprise that here at Celtic Sheepskin we are ardent supporters of the Campaign for Wool initiative! Rather than only celebrating Wool Week, it could be said that we celebrate wool all year round as we have 29 new knitwear pieces in our current catalogue alone (this is the most we have ever offered in one catalogue). These garments are knitted using various yarns including Blue-faced Leicester (grown and knitted in the UK), Cashmere, Geelong and Merino.

Perhaps you currently only think of us for our sheepskin footwear and outerwear, if so I urge you to take a look at our Knitwear pieces too.

In recognition of National Wool Week last week, I would like to sign off today with some reasons to love wonderful wool over synthetic fibres (click to enlarge)…

Celtic Sheepskin is growing so we drafted in some extra help!

As a result of the company’s continuing growth, Clare Whitworth has been drafted in for two months to assist in various areas of the company using the knowledge she has gained during the first year of her university degree in Business Management. As the daughter of the company Directors (and always willing to offer a helping hand), Clare has worked in different areas of the company over the years including sales, accounts and the warehouse. With a clear understanding of the ethos and workings of Celtic Sheepskin, she has been able to focus on areas which are likely to improve your experience as a customer.

Clare has divided her time between three main tasks;

Website Update

In time for the launch of the new season, Clare has refreshed the website with new content including our Autumn 2011 collection. This involved liaising with different departments to ensure the accuracy of the product images, descriptions and prices and of course choosing the images which show off the pieces at their best!

Clare explains “After a lot of organising, we now have a user-friendly library of images here filed by design number, day of the shoot the pictures were taken and product name and code so they are easier to locate and add to the website.”

Planning Spring and Summer 2012 catalogues

You might be just starting to think about Autumn but along with other retailers, we are already a few seasons ahead and preparation is underway for our Spring and Summer 2012 catalogues, in fact the first photo-shoot has already taken place! This year for the first time we will be creating two catalogues for the Spring/Summer seasons as due to our continuing growth we have even more to offer you, our customers.

Clare has been acting as an extra pair of hands with the multitude of tasks involved in designing the catalogue layouts and working out which products out of the many samples created are going into production. Clare told me “Working closely with Tracy, our Garment Technologist, we have decided exactly which products we are running and when we plan to offer them to you, our customers and this affects how we want the photos to look, whether it’s for cosying up in the depths of winter or layering up to keep out the spring chill.” You might be pleased to know that after a very positive reaction this season, our loungewear collection will be expanded to offer you more layering pieces and light seasonal garments.

Streamlining Factory Systems

Focusing on the production side of Celtic Sheepskin, Clare has helped to set up the content of our factory management system which has been installed to increase efficiency and production within the factory.

Clare explains “We are just starting to test the system from cutting, sewing, and gluing to checking and introducing the new scanners to the workforce. While we expect some inevitable teething problems, once it’s up and running this system should further improve our customer service. The system allows us to keep a closer eye on stock levels therefore avoiding a backlog of orders due to out of stock items so your order should be with you more quickly even during our busiest times! As data is being computerised, each member of staff is accountable for the elements they produce and computerised labelling also reduces the margin for error.”

Clare finished by saying “I feel I have gained valuable experience during my time at Celtic Sheepskin and hope that the elements I have tweaked will make for even more happy customers as the company continues to evolve”.

Your men can enjoy sheepskin footwear too!

You might be aware that the Rugby World Cup starts on Friday for a month and will be played over 6 weeks with the final on 23^rd October (so my other half tells me!).  While I will readily admit that I don’t know very much about rugby I do appreciate the game so I will be watching the England matches to keep in the loop.  Fingers crossed we go through to the final!

Well, I couldn’t talk about rugby without a gratuitous picture of Jonny Wilkinson could I?!

While we are just edging into Autumn here in England, over in New Zealand where the Rugby World Cup is being held, the winter is just about to come to an end and it is still quite chilly. With rugby players on the brain and for any of the men in your lives, I thought today might be an opportune moment to showcase some of our men’s sheepskin footwear. It isn’t only us ladies who can benefit from a pair of warm, comfy sheepskin boots as the mercury drops…

Pictured above (left to right) are The Original Celt Boots and Classic Shortie Boots. As with all our boots, these are made from 100% sheepskin in our factory in Newquay and they are available up to a size 13-14. These styles are both machine-washable and even if they get muddy they will clean up nicely.

For after the match or a hard day’s work, I think every man should own a pair of our sheepskin slippers…

From left to right, Loafer Moccasins, Bootee Slippers and Sheepskin Slides.  Apart from the Sheepskin Slides which are made for us in New Zealand, the rest of our slippers are made for us here in the UK, many of them in our Newquay factory.

Still on the subject of rugby, we are delighted to be sponsoring the new strip for our local under-15 rugby squad, the Newquay Hornets U15s for the second year in a row. This is a mock-up what the new strip will look like…

 The Hornets as the club is more commonly known are based at Newquay Sports Centre (just up the road from us). I imagine that there will be many an occasion to stand on the sidelines on a muddy field over the next few months to watch a heated match or two.

Good luck to the Hornets for this upcoming season and of course good luck to England in the World Cup!

Feeling the autumnal chill...

In last Thursday’s blog post, I mentioned that for me the bank holiday weekend marks the seasonal transition into Autumn and, as predicted, there has been a distinct nip in the air. More than once this week I have realised that I have been under-dressed for the temperature, optimistically hoping to bare my slightly sun-kissed skin for just a little while longer!

So as of tonight I’m giving in! I have decided that it’s time to embrace the warmth and cosiness of a light jumper to keep the evening chill away. If I’m honest I’m looking forward to it; I love the luxurious feel of wool against my skin – it’s like a comforting hug!

If like me you feel ready to face the autumn, here are my suggestions for some seasonal Celtic fail-safes…

The Cable Pocket Cardi is a new design for us this season. The boyfriend length makes it effortlessly stylish and easy to wear and I think that the nod to the cable trend is simple but effective. This is a really useful extra layer and as the sleeves are only elbow-length, it is perfect for a changeable Autumn.

For something chunkier, I love our Box Cardi which you might recognise as we have sold it for the last couple of years. As it has been so popular, we are offering it again this year…

The glowing reputation of the Box Cardi seems to stem from its practical wear-with-anything design and according to feedback from customers on our website it is lovely and warm to wear too.

If you would prefer a jumper rather than a cardi (and let’s face it, it’s good to have the choice), you could wrap up against the chill in one of our best-sellers, the V Neck Slouch…

Another well-loved design, we have produced the V Neck Slouch in new shades for the past few years to give you -our customers- choice. In fact, more and more we are trying to offer more colours so you can find the perfect item for you. The colour in the current catalogue is Argent (French for silver) which like many of the colours we choose for our knitwear goes with anything. I love the V Neck Slouch because the flattering shape suits every figure and it is so soft and cosy – perfect for a chilly evening.

To view our complete range of lightweight knits, click here.