Lovely linen: a Summer must-have...

As our loyal customers will know, we love natural fibres. In fact our entire range is made from yarns which are sourced from nature, something which we are very proud of. Each season we like to introduce new yarns to our collection and Summer 2012 is no exception. If you have flicked through our catalogue already you might have seen and abundance of beautiful linen pieces which we have designed for the high summer season.

Now of course, being based in Cornwall, we know that ‘high summer’ for this country sometimes means more umbrellas than parasols so we have specifically designed linen pieces that can be layered effortlessly on non-summery days. We do like to think optimistically as well though so if you have a lovely summer holiday to look forward to so, or perhaps - like me - you are just keeping your fingers crossed for a beautiful British summer, you might like to see our linen range being worn as nature intended; simply thrown on after a day on the beach. So for today’s blog post I thought I would highlight two of my favourite pieces, one for each instance.

First up, here’s my favourite linen piece for layering…

I love this Linen Cowl Top. I think it works really well over the Organic Cotton V Tee as in the picture above and is a great combination for days when the sun won’t make its mind up as the Cowl Top is so easy to throw on and take off. I would also wear this over a simple vest top and for a day on the beach over a bikini. Being linen it is brilliantly lightweight and has a gorgeous sheerness to it which I just love – I think it looks really feminine. I particularly like the Woodpigeon shade pictured above (it goes with anything!) but it also comes in Navy and White too.

Following on, for those days that we dream about – warm sunshine and a beach to laze on, I love our Sheer Linen Tunic….

I think that this is one of those pieces that really come alive when you put it on. It’s such a wearable style; very versatile and would suit all shapes and sizes. It’s sheer without being revealing and looks brilliant over a bikini although I think it would also look fab teamed with a pair of brightly colour skinny jeans (you might like a simple vest top underneath to protect your modesty too!).

Do you love our linen range as much as we do? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

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Transitional styling with our key summer dress

I went into town at the weekend to have a browse around the shops and I came away thinking that summer must be just around the corner because the shop windows were brimming with pretty sun dresses, almost begging to be worn on a sunny day to show off our sun-kissed legs while basking in the summer sun…

Back to reality and looking at the forecast today it doesn’t look like the rain is disappearing yet. Some of you might think that this is reason enough to keep your dresses on their beckoning hangers for a while longer and I must admit that briefly, so did I. That is until I remembered my Short Sleeve Cable Dress which I treated myself to the other day (a brand new addition to our Summer 2012 collection)…

As you can see, Amelie is wearing it as most of us would imagine a short summer dress should be worn; with bare legs and a smile! For those of you who are about to embark on a sunny holiday, this dress is a perfect day-to-evening look; and I love wearing it with pair of wedge heels to make it even more girly and of course show off my pins! Being made from 100% cotton it doesn’t feel overly warm but definitely keeps the evening chill away. I think its best accessorised with a sun hat and a glass of Pimms!

Now I did say at the beginning of this blog post that our inclement weather shouldn’t be a reason not to wear a summer dress so let me explain. The beauty of our Short Sleeve Cable Dress is that it is as adaptable as any true jumper dress should be: All you need is a pair of leggings or skinny jeans and a light jacket over the top and you have a great transitional outfit that you can wear long before sun puts his hat on. Here’s Lauren modelling my suggested ensemble to help you visualise the style…

(Pictured above with Classic Boots and Short Suede Jacket).

I think that this is a really easy look which can utilise many combinations of layers. If you prefer to go without a jacket, our Organic Cotton Henley would work well layered underneath the dress as the capped sleeves of the dress would pull the look together. I predict that this dress will fly off the shelves as it is so flattering and comfortable to wear and, as with all our products, it will see you through many-a-season to come.

Are you embracing the opportunity to wear a summer dress already? We’d love to hear your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter.

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Video: Behind the scenes at the Summer 2012 photo-shoot

Hopefully you have received your summer catalogue by now. If not, it should be with you any day. Have you picked out your dream pieces yet? The orders are already flying in thick and fast and it’s great to know that despite the dreary weather, you –our customers-are looking ahead to your summer wardrobes!

I thought today I would continue the summery feeling in this blog post but rather than talking about our products in the usual way I am letting a different medium do the talking!

For the very first time on our summer photo-shoot, we were accompanied by a videographer who has created a brilliant behind-the-scenes video for us. As those of you who have browsed your new catalogue will know, there are some gorgeous new summer pieces in the collection and I think this video is the perfect complement, highlighting the fit and feel of many of our key garments plus the fun we have on our shoots, which I think is a key ingredient when working such long days!

So without further delay, here it is - our behind-the-scenes video of the Celtic Sheepskin Summer 2012 photo-shoot…

(If you can't view the video, please click here.)

What do you think? I particularly love how the products seem to come to life, giving you a real taste of how they will look and feel. If I had to pick, my favourite featured piece would be the Sheer Cable Knit which Amelie (the gorgeous blonde model) wears – it looks so good over a bikini!

What do you think of our behind-the-scenes video? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.
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We’re going all patriotic with thoughts of the Diamond Jubilee!

It might still be a couple of months away but I’m sure I’m not the only one to have noticed the excitement surrounding the Diamond Jubilee celebrations have started in earnest. 2012 is of course a brilliant year for everything with a ‘Great Britain’ story and there will no doubt be a sense of patriotism as we welcome visitors from all over the world who want to join in the celebrations and be a part of only the second ever Diamond Jubilee (the first being that of Queen Victoria back in 1897). I think that the mood feels reminiscent of this time last year as we were enjoying the Royal Wedding; there seems to be a sense of community and a generally jovial outlook on the forthcoming festivities and I can’t help but want to get involved!

This brilliant official website has lots of interesting information about the Diamond Jubilee and the planned celebrations if you’re interested to find out more; http://www.thediamondjubilee.org/

Needless to say, with a busy Cornwall-based factory we like to fly the flag when it comes to all things British. 70% of our sheepskin footwear ranges are still handmade on site here in Newquay, Cornwall by our skilled team and the other 30% of our sheepskin footwear ranges and much of our clothing pieces are also made in Great Britain, so we are extremely proud to support the GB manufacturing industry.

In light of the patriotic start to this blog post, I thought you might like to see our special edition boots and slippers which have been created with the Diamond Jubilee in mind.

Aren’t they brilliant? These have been specially designed with the Jubilee in mind and we have created slippers to match so that you can relax in patriotic style in the comfort of your own home too…

These all can be ordered by using our made-to-order sheepskin footwear guidelines...

The beauty of us making by hand here in Cornwall is that you can change our usual ‘recipe’. We love going that extra mile for you and offer a made-to-order service on many of our popular styles so you can create your very own personalised pair of boots or slippers.

This service isn’t as expensive as you might think; with a 'made-to-order' charge applied on top of the style price that is most closely related to your design. Of course, do bear in mind that it will take extra time to create a bespoke pair of boots for you, but it’s certainly worth the wait.

Speaking to Bernie Hoare, our resident 'special order guru', I learned that there is a wide variety of options that you can choose to make your perfect pair of sheepskin boots or slippers. From different coloured panels or soles, a style you love in a different length or added details, Bernie said that she always endeavours to fulfil a request. There are occasions when some requests aren’t possible, for example wider fittings don’t always look quite right on the finished product, but it is certainly worth asking as you just never know!

For more information or to discuss a made-to-order pair of sheepskin boots or slippers, the simplest route is to email Bernie directly at: Bernie@celtic-sheepskin.co.uk.

If you could choose your perfect pair of sheepskin boots, what would it look like? We would love to hear your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter.

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Celebrating our 200th blog post!

Today marks a very special occasion on the Celtic Sheepskin blog as this is our 200th blog post! This is quite a notable milestone and it is thanks to you, our loyal blog readers, that we are still blogging.

Launched back in May 2010, the blog has been updated with new posts on Tuesday and Thursday each week, with the aim to keep you in the loop regarding all things Celtic. As well as providing additional information on our new products, we sometimes like to go ‘extra-curricular’ by giving you an insight into Celtic life, for example by interviewing members of staff or showing you what goes on behind-the-scenes at our photo-shoots. The aim was always and still is to use the blog as a way of communicating with our customers on an informal level, much like we would do if we had a high street presence but without the queues!

While we’re celebrating, I think it’s only right that I mention the launch of our new summer collection again – it’s so exciting, I just can’t help it. The full range is now available online and catalogues are due to hit doormats any day now so we are fired up and eagerly waiting to hear what you think of it all.

It seems that the miserable Easter weekend weather didn’t put anyone off the idea of summertime with orders already coming in thick and fast for our gorgeous summer pieces. So as this is our 200th blog post and to mix things up a bit today (after all, we like to offer something different to our blog readers!), I have pulled together some noteworthy figures about our new collection …

…the number of pages in the new catalogue.

…the combined number of pages across the Spring and Summer 2012 catalogues which have this year been split for the first time into two separate brochures. The Spring/Summer 2012 collection boasts 66% more pages than in Spring/Summer 2011, so we have more to offer you than ever before.

…the number of pieces which have been featured for the very first time this season.

…new colours available in our organic cotton range; Woodpigeon and Bijou Blue. This leads us smoothly on to our next figure…

…the number of pieces in the catalogue that come in more than one colour especially for all of you that have requested that we offer our most popular styles in more than one shade.

… the number of fabulous shades that our Nubuck & Suede Flip-flops come in (Pink, Blue, Tan, Taupe, Mocca, Black). Our flip-flops are a long-lasting alternative to the synthetic versions available elsewhere and they’re so comfy!

… the lowest priced piece of clothing in the catalogue. The Bamboo Short Sleeve Tee is brand new for summer and set to be one of this season’s key pieces. The length is perfect for every-day wear and the bamboo feel makes this so much more than just a normal t-shirt.

…and, conversely, the highest price! The price tag may be more ‘investment’ than ‘everyday’ but in my opinion, our Long Suede Coat is worth every penny – it is stunning and I’m sure it will become a wardrobe classic which will appear again and again.

That’s a great place to leave our 200th post. Thank you for reading and here’s to the next 200!

What are you buying from our new collection? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

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Introducing Summer 2012...

What a lovely long weekend - I hope you feel as relaxed and refreshed as I do!  Have you had a look at our new Summer collection online yet?  The new range went live just before the weekend and it is already proving popular despite the not-very-summery temperatures over the last few days.  The Summer 2012 catalogue will shortly be sent out so if you prefer to browse over a cup of tea in your favourite armchair then keep an eye out for the postman later on this week!

I might have mentioned already that this is our first dedicated Summer catalogue (previously we have combined Spring and Summer) and I am excited to say that this means we have even more new products for you to add to your wardrobe as well as additional colourways.  As always at the start of a new season, I like to showcase a few of our brand new pieces for you, our blog readers, to give you a taste of what you will find in the catalogue.  You can now view the whole collection online so I have linked the images below to each specific page and you can view the entire catalogue online here.

My first highlight is the Linen Shirt...

This is part of our new slubbed linen range which comes in 3 gorgeous shapes and 3 great colours which are perfect for summer; Navy, White and Woodpigeon.  I particularly like the white version and I think that it would look great with a sun-kissed glow after a day on the beach.

The second piece that I am coveting this season is the Cotton Box Cardigan which comes in a bright and breezy Blueberry shade (pictured with the Raffia Toggle Basket)… 

I can see myself wearing this cardi all over the summer as a light throw-over or as the perfect complement to a simple tee and jeans outfit.

As I like to organise things in threes, the stunning Short Suede Jacket is my final pick for today... 

This is one of a collection of 3 new-for-summer suede outerwear pieces which I predict will be really popular this season as they are so versatile. This short sandy-coloured version is the perfect summer jacket: it’s lightweight yet long-sleeved to keep the evening breeze away, and the neutral colour will go with anything – dressy or casual.

Now that you’ve had a chance to peruse the range, we would love to hear your thoughts.  Let us know your must-have items on Facebook or Twitter. 

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A little Easter treat – view the Summer catalogue before it goes live!

Look what we found when we came into the office yesterday –the Easter Bunny had visited (in the form of Sarah, our Merchandiser – thanks Sarah!)... 

I am quite partial to a chocolate treat or two as anyone who knows me will confirm, so I was a very happy girl, as were the others in the office! 

With Easter just around the corner and an extra-long weekend to look forward to, I am in a particularly good mood today.  I have a relaxed weekend ahead me so I think I will do a bit of spring cleaning to pack away my winter wardrobe and replace it with some lighter and, dare I say, cheerier pieces to welcome in the warmer weather which I am sure we are all hoping for (despite the current chill in the air and snow reports!).  Just as well that I’m doing it this weekend as the forthcoming Summer 2012 collection will definitely fill the gap… 

If you subscribe to our email newsletters already you might have seen a preview of the new Summer 2012 collection as we sent out an exclusive link last weekend. Don’t fret if you haven’t seen the email though as the new range is being officially launched towards the end of today!  Seeing as I am in such a good mood, I thought I would give you a last chance for an early preview of the Summer range so click on the link below to view the whole collection and a preview of our fabulous new catalogue which will be sent out in the next couple of weeks;

If you click on the product names or images in the catalogue, you will be directed to the appropriate product page on the website – how convenient!

I’m sure that you’ll agree that the summer collection is a real feast for the eyes!  I have been lucky enough to see the full range and there are so many pieces that I want that I am going to have to clear out a lot of space in my wardrobe this weekend!

Among other delights, we have some beautiful linen, organic cotton and gorgeous bags and I think that Summer 2012 is set to be our most exciting collection yet.  My advice?  Don’t wait until the temperature rises (who knows when that will be!), stock up on some beautiful natural knits and summery jersey pieces now (layer them up if it’s still chilly) and I’m sure that you will feel instantly sunnier. :-)

Have a lovely Easter and a restful long weekend.  If you haven’t already, sign up to receive our email newsletters here to keep up-to-date with all our news and exclusive special offers. 

Have you picked out your favourites from the new collection?  Let us know what you’re buying on Facebook or Twitter.

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Behind the scenes at the Autumn 2012 photo-shoot

Well what a difference a week makes! This morning I heard reports on the radio of snow in some parts of the UK (in April?!) and it is quite chilly here in Cornwall, so much so that I had a layer of frost to contend with on my car yesterday morning.

It’s hard to believe that this time last week, I was enjoying the warm Spring sunshine and bright, blue sky as part of the Celtic Sheepskin photo-shoot team. It made a welcome change to be outside for the week (as I am usually office-based) especially when the weather-gods are being kind. This time we didn’t see so much as a spot of rain and it was glorious for most of the week, and just a little bit overcast towards the end which was ideal for some moody Autumnal shots. We couldn’t have planned it better!

As promised, I took some photos of the behind the scenes action so that you – our blog readers - can see the initial stages of creating your Celtic Sheepskin catalogue. As you might imagine, there is more to it than picking beautiful models and hoping for good weather (although of course it helps!) and there is a large team of us that all have a role in ensuring that the shoot runs smoothly.

As always with our photo-shoots, we made the most of our beautiful natural surroundings here in Cornwall and shot in some beautiful locations, which included Mousehole, St Ives, Bedruthan Steps, and Padstow…

Our Design team came with us on this shoot so that they could start planning and editing the catalogue on the go which made the whole process all the more exciting as we could see how fabulous it looks from an early stage. The team had to improvise somewhat though as they were without their usual office facilities…

Our stylist and make-up artist worked with the models to make sure that their outfits looked perfect and that not a hair was out of place (which can be difficult with a sea breeze!).

Talking of our models, for this season we had 4 in total, three gorgeous girls and a lone man (he didn’t seem to mind!).

You might recognise Amelie from our previous catalogues as she has featured in quite a few for us now. It was great to meet her in person at last having featured her in many blog posts. She was happy to pose for me for the purpose of this blog post too – thanks Amelie!

Our other models were Stephen, Simone and Cher who were all new to Celtic Sheepskin and did a sterling job of bringing the Autumn 2012 collection to life…

Now, I’m sure you might be wondering when the pieces so beautifully modelled will be available. We are of course slightly ahead of ourselves as we have to shoot so far in advance so the Autumn collection won’t be launched for a few months yet. Sorry to keep you in suspense but I’m sure by that time you will agree that the wait has been worthwhile!

What are you hoping to see in our Autumn collection? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

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