First look at Summer 2012...

This week I am working with the crew on the Autumn photo-shoot, travelling around Cornwall so today’s blog post is short and sweet. If you’re in Cornwall at the moment, keep an eye out for us and you might even catch a glimpse of what’s coming up for Autumn!

While Autumn is still a good few months away, summer is not too far around the corner and that thought alone has put me in a really good mood – so good in fact that I thought I would treat you, our blog readers, to a very first glance at the brand new Summer catalogue! This is very exciting for us as it will be our first exclusive-for-summer catalogue and the products on offer are even more fabulous than ever!

I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. Here it is; your exclusive first look at the Summer 2012 catalogue front cover…

Doesn’t Amelie look stunning? This image makes me think of warm, balmy evenings, barbeques and sunbathing- lovely!

Just to whet your appetite further, here a few snaps taken on the summer photo-shoot…

As you might expect, none of these products are available to buy just yet but don’t worry, you won’t have to wait very long to view the collection online and believe me, it’s worth the wait! Sign up to receive our newsletter here to be first in the know as soon as the new collection is ready to view.

Let us know what you’re hoping to see in our Summer collection on Facebook or Twitter.

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Trying to top the exciting news about Catherine Middleton wearing more CS

After beginning this week in a flurry of excitement at seeing the Duchess of Cambridge in our Cabra Boots, I’m really not sure how I’ll be able to top such brilliant news in today’s blog post!

Tempting as it is to direct you all to the blog that announced the news (thank you “Duchess Kate”), I’m going to try to captivate your attention a few minutes more to offer you each the chance to discover extra credentials of Celtic Sheepskin, a brand that the Duchess plainly loves. I want you to judge for yourselves how good a purchase Catherine had made.

But rather than listening to more of my favourites or view points on the company I thought who better to give an insight into our brand than one of the faces of the company; Joanne Edwards, supervisor of our Factory Shop here in Newquay. It’s only a small factory shop and sadly it hasn’t been christened by the good Catherine Middleton in person, but it’s our favourite way to speak to our customers as we can have a really good natter with them rather than the swift, cold interface of internet shopping. I’m not knocking internet therapy; it’s my personal favourite way to shop, but when it comes to hearing what our customers want there is nothing better seeing the twinkle in your eyes as you enthuse about your favourite product and how we could make it even better! 

OK, let the professional interview questioning commence…

Jo, when did you start working at Celtic Sheepskin?

I actually joined the company as an Inbound Telephonist, taking sales and customer service calls from our many customers who enjoy hearing the intricate detail of our products. That was back in August 2012. At the time I often helped out in the factory shop with days off so when a Shop Assistant position became available I jumped at the chance! A year later the supervisor’s role came up, and with previous shop management experience under my belt I was fortunate enough to be offered the role.

So what does a Shop Supervisor at Celtic Sheepskin involve? 

The best bit is that we get to wear all Celtic Sheepskin products! That has really helped me to sell the clothes, boots and flip flops as they are all so comfy. There are so many tops to choose from at the moment, most of which can be worn in lots of different ways so I’m never bored of my wardrobe. Of course I have to do more than act as a mannequin for the company, and my day to day duties centre around serving customers, and this includes fetching stock from the warehouse, explaining the fit of the boots, processing resoles and repairs etc. As the supervisor it is also my responsibility to price up the samples and seconds that come over from the factory, and you can find some great bargains in the shop.

So what is it that you love most about doing the job you do?

I’d say the thing I love most about working in the shop is how I get to meet someone new every day. There’s always a mix of customers who are visiting during their Cornish holidays and also those who proudly live in this part of the country. I have different conversations with everyone and that is so uplifting and gives me a boost each time I hear a new story. And of course the fact that I get to wear all the lovely clothes we sell!

How long have you lived in Cornwall?

I’m a born and bred local girl so I have proudly lived on Cornish soil all my life, with little interludes travelling abroad and seeing the world whenever I can of course!

So what has kept you here your whole life then?  

It’s a cliché but it’s all about being around my friends and family; people who I couldn’t bear to leave and also the beautiful scenery that decorates this county. Oh and the sea, I couldn’t move away from the sea.  You don’t need to be an artist to enjoy the surroundings here, there’s plenty for everyone to fall in love with.

Coming back to Celtic Sheepskin then; If you could swap jobs with someone else in the company for the day who would it be and why?T

That’s difficult! Ummm….. I think I would like to swap jobs with Tracy, our Garment Technologist as I think her role is fascinating. For example she gets really involved with our various suppliers, scrutinising their objectives and keeping them in check with ours. Tracy also works really closely with the team designing new and current clothing ranges, making sure the fit of every item is perfect. Tracy recently took a trip out to Portugal to meet some key clients, and I would love to have the chance to network with even more people in Celtic Sheepskin’s supply chain.
 

With the Easter holidays coming up, why should visitors to Cornwall pop in to the factory shop?

That’s easy, as the biggest attraction to the shop are all the one off sample pieces and slight seconds we have, and have plenty in for the Easter holidays. These seconds and samples can’t be purchased anywhere else apart from the shop, so pop up and bag yourself a bargain. Plus of course you’ll get to meet our friendly and welcoming shop staff; Gemma, Corinne and me!

Which item from our Spring collection draws the most attention in the shop?

There are a number of items that stand out from the spring collection, depending on what the customers are looking for –beach tops, sofa clothes, outdoor bits. The top three at the moment is the Smocked Cheesecloth Top, Collard Slouch and the Super Soft Slouch Dress.

Finally, do you have one phrase that you like to live by?

You only live once!

Left to right: Smocked Cheesecloth Top
Super Soft Slouch Dress
Collared Slouch

Thanks Jo. And if you are still keen to learn about Kate Middleton’s style, here’s that link for you: -


http://hrhduchesskate.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/duchess-kate-takes-playful-lupo-walking.html

Beautiful Cornwall for beautiful photos…

I’m very excited about the clocks going forwards on Sunday morning! While admittedly the thought of losing an hour’s sleep isn’t as exciting, I can’t help but day-dream about the longer, lighter balmy evenings to come over the next few months.

As I have mentioned on this blog before, Cornwall (where we are based) is such a beautiful part of the world and I feel very privileged to be based here and I try to make the most of the gorgeous natural surroundings as much as possible. Last Sunday I went on a trip down memory lane by visiting Hannafore on the South Coast of Cornwall. I spent a lot of time there with my Grandparents when I was growing up so it is a place that I hold dear to my heart. I was really happy to discover that it hasn’t changed from how I remember it! There is still an abundance of tempting rockpools to discover and the view across to St George’s Island is simply beautiful…

As I mentioned on the blog on Tuesday, we are working on last minute preparations for the Autumn photoshoot next week. We will be taking full advantage of being based in such a beautiful part of the world by shooting in locations around Cornwall. With the Easter holidays fast approaching, I imagine that many of you might be looking for inspiration for a ramble in the countryside or along the coast. So using a few of our previous photo-shoots for inspiration, here are some of the places that we might end using for next week’s shoot and that you might like to visit while you’re here…

Close to home in Newquay, the Gannel estuary is the dividing point between Fistral beach on one side and Crantock beach on the other. At low tide you can walk across this footbridge to go between the two.

If you are feeling really energetic, you can walk further along the Newquay coastpath from Fistral towards the town where you will see views like this. You can walk all the way out to the end of the headland that you can see in the distance and on certain days it is the viewing point, when the swell and wind direction is working in its favour you will see world class surfers riding some huge (30ft) waves off the reef. If you’re lucky enough to see this, you will be in awe! Ideally for a photo-shoot, this area has lots of hidden coves and cliff-top vistas which are just perfect for snapping our models in all their glory.

Cornwall’s landscape is full of contrasts; the north and south coast vary dramatically as do the views inland. This photo was taken on Bodmin Moor and I think epitomises the rugged natural beauty of our surroundings. As we create our products from natural fibres using shapes and colours inspired by nature, we often use the moor for our shoots as it ties in well. Bodmin Moor is a vast area which is dotted with little villages and the occasional country pub to warm up in, including the Jamaica Inn which – as the book-readers among you might know - was made famous by Daphne Du Maurier who is a well-celebrated figure in Cornwall, she even has her own festival (this year from 9th-20th May)!

There are of course plenty of other great photo-shoot locations to mention and some yet to discover but we like to keep a little bit of mystery for you to look forward to in the Autumn catalogue. I will take some behind the scenes photos next week for you, our blog readers, and share them with you so you can see where we end up going!

If you have any suggestions for great Cornish photo-shoot locations or country walks, please feel free to share them on Facebook or Twitter.

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It’s the first day of Spring … and time to prepare for our Autumn photo-shoot!

I heard on the radio this morning that today is the Spring equinox, marking the official start of the new season. Sadly the Cornish weather isn’t very spring-like at the moment, so we are all hoping it improves in time for next week when our Autumn photo-shoot takes place (yes, we like to plan ahead!). In fact there is a hive of activity in the office this week as we make final preparations for the shoot. I have been lucky enough to see a preview of the range and, just like the catwalk shows which took place a few weeks ago, our collection for Autumn 2012 is set to be very exciting indeed! While I can’t say too much at the moment (as final tweaks still to the range need to be made), I will make sure that you – our blog readers – are first in the know when I can reveal more.

As well as preparing for the shoot itself by gathering the new samples and organising logistics for the week (it’s a shame we can’t pre-book the weather!), I’ve also been thinking ahead to my wardrobe. As anyone who has been on a photo-shoot will know, more often than not there is a lot of standing around while the beautiful models strut their stuff and here in Cornwall there is often a cooling sea breeze to contend with too. So it makes sense to dress for the occasion which usually means I wear as many layers as possible!

I am well aware how lucky I am to be able to choose from our current range to wear at work; testing it out for all you avid blog readers. So I am very excited to think about this season’s Jersey collection which is our biggest yet with plenty of options of layering pieces to keep the spring chill away, even when standing on the most exposed cliff top! In fact, our Jersey range is so adaptable that the pieces can be worn all year round. For those of you who might not yet have discovered the range, by way of introduction, here are the pieces that I have chosen for my photo- shoot wardrobe…

The Organic Cotton Short Sleeve Tee is one of the staple pieces in my wardrobe all year round as it just so wearable! We have introduced new shades for Spring of Steel and Grey/Navy Stripe so now I can wear it even more! In my opinion, the best feature of this tee is its lovely wide sleeves which give just the right amount of room to wear over other layers without feeling restricted. I particularly like wearing the tee over the Organic Cotton Henley…

This is such a versatile top. With the buttons fastened, it is a great long-sleeved tee which is wonderfully light and easy to wear.

As well as our Organic Cotton range, I also love our Bamboo pieces; they are so light and comfortable. Bamboo is a naturally breathable fibre with antibacterial properties so it’s ideal for long days out and about. My favourite piece from the range is the Bamboo Fluted Tee…

This is a great piece for wearing all year round as it is light enough to wear under a thick jumper yet generous enough to keep the chill away in its own right on spring days.

That should be plenty of layers to keep me warm and comfortable next week.  Now time to start working on that photo-shoot-friendly weather forecast!

What are you favourite Celtic layering pieces? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

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Sheepskin Slippers in time for Mother’s Day!

This time last week I wrote a blog post for those of you who were planning ahead for Mother’s Day to ensure that you had bought a gift in good time (gold stars for you!). Of course I appreciate that not everybody will have been quite so organised and that this might even be the first time that you have turned your thoughts to buying a present for the occasion on Sunday. If so, do not despair – we’re here to help!

While admittedly you have left it quite fine to choose a gift (living on the edge?!), luckily we can to help you out so that you don’t end up in the bad books on Sunday; If you place your order by 2pm tomorrow (Friday) you will be able to pay for delivery on Saturday, just in time for you to wrap up your gift to give to your Mum on Sunday. Phew!

Considering that we offer plenty of choice and as time is of the essence I thought I would help you –our loyal blog readers – by suggesting an idea for the perfect Mother’s Day gift; a gorgeous pair of slippers. Every mum needs a bit of pampering; after all they run around all day after the rest of the family and yet always seem to have love and energy to give (thanks Mum!). So I think a pair of our 100% sheepskin slippers make will help to show your appreciation for everything she does.

Of course, there are plenty of slipper styles to choose from and it can be a difficult decision so to make choosing the perfect gift even easier here is a round-up of our favourites;

I bought a pair of these Lounger Moccasins for my mum last year and she tells me that she wears them every day without fail! They are comfortable as well as practical and the lush sheepskin cuff will keep ankles warm on colder days too.

For the mum who likes her slippers to be pretty and stylish, our Ribbon Mules will go down very well! These are a great option as they are cosy and comfortable with the additional detail of a gorgeous ribbon which I think make these slippers even more special.

For the mum who has everything! Our House Boots are a hybridised version of our Celt Boots, with a special light-coloured sole which has a narrow tread so that she can pop outside in them and not bring dirt back in. Like all of our Sheepskin Boots, these are supremely cosy and soft, machine washable and they look fabulous! What more could a mum want? I predict big brownie points if you buy these!

As mentioned before, you will have to be quick to ensure delivery in time for Mother’s Day but it’s easy to do. Simply place your order by 2pm tomorrow and specify that you would like to pay for Saturday delivery.

How are you celebrating Mother’s Day? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

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Pretty pastels for Spring

As we approach the middle of March, with the days gradually drawing out and the temperature creeping up, like many of you I imagine, I am embracing the spring season and even starting to think ahead to summer. As always, it’s a different story in the fashion world as the last few weeks have seen catwalk shows launching Autumn/Winter 2012 collections. Having kept one finger on the pulse, it looks like there are some exciting trends on the way to look forward to in the latter (colder!) part of 2012, more of which to come in future blog posts. If you would like an early peek at the AW12 trends, I found this handy guide  on Vogue’s website which you might like.

According to Vogue’s A-Z guide, colour is going to be big for autumn 2012, but let’s not wish the days away yet as spring 2012 greatly contrasts the cold, bold colours of Lanvin’s AW12 collection. In fact I feel quite excited about one trend in particular this year; pastels. Taking Vogue as my bible for the trends, they describe this season’s movement as being “pale and interesting”–clever! And for me, to see a glut of pretty, feminine colours is quite a welcome treat. I love the colours of a pastel palette; from soft blues to ice-cream hues, this trend makes me think of carefree, warm, sunny days.

Here at Celtic we like to keep abreast of the trends and this Spring is no exception. As you might expect, we’re not going down the route of peppermint green and bright yellow just yet (maybe one day!) but we certainly know how to do pastels which can be worn effortlessly every day. As with every trend, I think it’s fair to say that less is more and our pastel creations are great examples of how to wear a trend without going too wild!

Appropriately for the new season, when new colours are popping up all over the place, here is a selection of some of the gorgeous pastel shades which you will find in our Spring collection...

Clockwise from top left; Waterfall Cardi £90, Stripey Scarf (Natural Stripe) £38, Rib Panel Knit £75, Lace Knit Slouch (Dusty Pink) £77, Organic Cotton Henley (Steel) £36, Cotton Fisherman’s Jumper £75.

As you can see, apart from the occasional hint of pink, our pastel offerings hint towards the blue end of the colour spectrum and – in our opinion - rightly so; with blue being such a wearable colour all year round, our pastel pieces will last well beyond the lifespan of the latest trend and to top it off they are knitted in the highest quality natural yarns so they feel fantastic too.

How are you wearing Celtic to channel the pastel trend this season? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

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Get in early and be in the good books this Mother's Day...

This year, rather than leaving it until the last minute like I usually do, I am planning ahead and have bought a gift for my lovely mother with plenty of time to spare before Mother’s Day on 18th March. So I am writing today’s with a slight air of smugness in the knowledge that I won’t be rushing around next week!

If I’m honest, I found it hard to decide what to pick as there is just so much choice around. I wanted to choose something special for my mum from our Spring collection which she would cosset and adore. There are plenty of pieces in our new range which I think tick this box but, being based in the press office and so close to the samples room (it’s a tough job but someone has to do it!), I have pretty much fallen in love with our entire collection so I needed to enlist some help to point me in the right direction. So I asked the advice of Kath Whitworth, one of Celtic’s Directors and a mother of two grown-up children herself (hints to follow for Mike and Clare if you’re reading!).

If you’re also planning ahead (bravo!) you might be looking for a little inspiration. So to help you out, I thought I would share a few of Kath’s suggestions with you…

Kath told me that she loves this Stripey Scarf in Royal Blue Stripe because it adds a bright, feminine touch to any outfit – it’s likely to become one of those accessories that will be worn again and again. It’s generously long so it can be wrapped around a few times or worn loosely as in the picture above, almost as a shawl.

Who doesn’t love a handbag?! Kath picked out our cute Mini Pouch Bag, saying that she would like to receive this because it is a mini tardis with hidden pockets and enough space for the bare essentials that a mum needs on a daily basis. The easily-wearable navy colour means it is likely to become a trusty friend for years to come.

The Collared Slouch has already proved to be popular with you, our customers, and Kath said it is one of her favourites too. The Harbour Blue colour (which you can see on the website) is a gorgeous summery shade which we predict will be popular with everyone, including mums!

I’m not going to tell you what I decided to buy for my mum in case she is reading this but needless to say I think she will be pleased! For more ideas, make sure to browse our website where you will find some hidden treasures that weren’t included in the Spring catalogue (there simply wasn’t enough room for them all!), such as our best-selling Boat Neck Dress which now comes in a gorgeous Dark Natural shade;

What are you hoping to receive this Mother’s Day? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

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Taking Celtic far and wide…

I imagine that some of you might have been away over the past couple of months in search of some warmth and sunshine (you lucky things!). If so, hopefully you have taken full advantage of our fabulous spring collection and taken some of our key warmer weather pieces for the season. There is more choice than ever before and - judging by the images I have seen so far of our forthcoming summer catalogue – plenty more to come as the temperature soars closer to home.

Lauren, our Graphic Designer has recently returned – complete with gorgeous suntan - from her holiday in Borneo where the temperatures soared to over 30oC. Being a tropical part of the world, the heat and humidity meant that it was difficult to know what clothes to pack. Fortunately she decided to take a couple of our key season pieces with her which was very sensible as natural fibres are the best choice when faced with a tropical climate because they are lightweight, breathable and some like bamboo are even naturally anti-bacterial! Lauren kindly brought in a couple of her holiday snaps for us to see and share with you today (or perhaps to make us green with envy – it looks amazing!) so here’s how she got on…

Purl Stitch Linen/Silk Jumper

“I was really pleased that I took this jumper with me. It was one of the pieces that I had my eye on when the Spring collection first launched at the end of January and I knew it would come in handy on my holiday. I chose to wear this for travelling (the picture above was taken at the airport) and I’m so glad that I did – the journey took 15 hours in total and I needed to be warm and comfortable on the plane. The combination of linen and silk mean that this isn’t bulky like many jumpers and it was really comfy to wear. Being so lightweight, it worked really well as a beach throw-over when the sun went down too.”

Gypsy Blouse

“This became a firm friend during the holiday and I wore it quite a few times. I could really tell that it was 100% cotton because even on the hottest and most humid days I didn’t feel uncomfortably sticky which shows how naturally breathable cotton is. I loved the pretty details of this top; the tie front neck and shirred waist made it look and feel feminine as well as being practical. Of course, I also really liked how well the pure white cheesecloth showed off my developing tan!”

Wow - what a gorgeous backdrop! Thanks for sharing, Lauren.

Now that she’s back home in Cornwall, Lauren says that she’s even more of a convert to natural fibres than she was before and that she will be stocking up her summer wardrobe in anticipation for warm days and balmy evenings (I love her positive thinking!).

If you have any photos of yourself wearing Celtic Sheepskin on holiday, please share them on Facebook or Twitter – we would love to see them. I wonder where the furthest away snap has been taken!

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Lots of Celtic celebrations coming up this month…

Seeing an abundance of sunny yellow daffodils on the way to work this morning couldn’t have been more apt considering that it is St David’s Day today and the daffodil is the national flower of Wales. St David’s Day marks the first of many national days of Celtic nations this month and being 1/4 Welsh (tenuous link, I know!), the day is dear to my heart.

One of the most well-known of the national saint's days is St Patrick’s Day which, despite being the national day for Ireland, is often an excuse for celebrations all over the UK and I imagine that sales of Guinness probably spike significantly on 17th March! This year, 17th March will also mark a celebration of another kind as the RBS Six Nations championship comes to an end (and will hopefully be won by one of the Celtic nations!). This year, rugby and particularly local rugby is on our minds as we have sponsored the new kit for the Newquay Hornets under 12s squad. Here they are in their new strip proudly brandishing the Celtic Sheepskin logo (and that’s Charlotte, our HR Manager on the end). Here’s wishing you good luck for the coming season!

Back to my original subject of national days, did you know that here in Cornwall, many local people will celebrate St Piran’s Day on 5th March? St Piran is the national Saint of Cornwall and also of tin-miners and the story of his historical journey is worth a read if you have time (click here to learn more). While there is not a public holiday for the occasion of St Piran’s Day (despite many ardent Cornish folk lobbying for one!), it is an opportunity to celebrate all things Cornish and why wouldn't we want to do that? For me, Cornwall represents rugged beauty and on days like today when the sun is shining on the sea and a soft breeze is blowing across the rolling fields, there is nowhere else I would rather be.

The word “Celtic” in our company name gives a deliberately unsubtle nod to our Cornish beginnings and we like to bring the essence of our love for Cornwall into our products. So for example, the colours that we use draw on inspiration from the hues that we see on the moors and along the coastline…

We also channel hints of our Celtic heritage in the form of traditional patterns (such as our Fair Isle patterns which come from Scotland) and wools (such as our Donegal range from Ireland)…

As well as this, perhaps the most obvious point to mention is that the fibres used in our products come from the natural world around us, demonstrating our love of nature and the beauty it offers. Our link with nature is hopefully very much apparent through our catalogues and everything we do (we are an eco-friendly company!) and we hope that you enjoy being at one in your natural surroundings as much as we do.

If you’re celebrating St David’s Day today then Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hapus! Let us know how you’re marking the occasion on Facebook or Twitter.

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