The new spring summer ’11 range has just gone live!

In my haste to tell you all about my exciting trip I made on Monday night to see Mark Fast’s Autumn Winter Fashion Show, I completely neglected to point out that last Saturday those of you who are subscribed to our website would have received an email telling you about six new items that were launched online ahead of the new catalogue. And since then the whole collection has literally just gone live on the website!

What do you think?

So by way of a better in sight into the new spring range, I thought I’d pull out three pieces from the original line-up of six, and scrutinize in a little more detail so you can learn even more about them.

First up is the Cowl Button Through. I think this is a top that you learn to love and when you do you wont be able to take your eyes off it! I say that only because I wasn’t sure at first, but now it a very firm favourite from in the spring collection, and at the top of my “must buy” list.

Lilac is one of those shades that happily sits alongside fashion. Officially this summer is a season of bright bold colours, but when don’t they say that? Contrary to the mass feeling, I’m very aware that Vivienne Westwood’s spring collection was filled with soft summer hues, and have found for you all a site that describes in great detail the colour trends for Spring Summer 2011 CLICK HERE - So purple was a colour of choice for Christian Dior, Gucci, Prabal Gurung, Max Mara, Victoria Beckham!

The top has beautiful mother of pearl buttons, and a very flattering length sleeve. It’s made from a mixture of wood pulp, wool and a little elastane, to make sure the fit is flattering and as natural as possible. The top is a comfortable length, sitting just on your hips and above all, the fluidity of the fabric will leave you wishing you never need to take it off!

So, next on my top three list is the Vera Long….


Isn’t it gorgeous! Now I may be able to guess your thoughts here –the model does indeed have a super figure, but the top is made from 100% organic merino wool, and being wool there is no sheen in the material that will accentuate any lumps and bumps. In the images above the top has been pulled down tight to look more like a dress than a tunic, but as the bottom will cling to anywhere you rest it, you can move the bottom up a little higher and create a slouchier look.

My favourite part of this top is the sleeves. They’re interesting without being impractical; you can still fit them under a jacket in winter, or layer with a top underneath without you looking like you’re wearing a tabard! And of course, according to the colour chart I took you to above, grey & stone are shades that are very popular this season!

And then there’s our beautiful Smocked Cheesecloth Top…


I must point out now that it doesn’t come with the belt, that’s our Lariat Belt (which is also a very popular belt for 2011). After the catwalks last September for the spring summer 2011 collection, all the critics announced that white shirts are big news this season! So we know that our natural cheesecloth version will turn a few heads.

It’s a simple design at first glance, but when you look at the detail there’s a lot to take in. The wide, square neckline is very flattering, with smocking detail to make sure it fans out for comfort. The sleeves remind me of the film Aladdin, bellowing out at the elbow before being brought back in at the wrist with three delicate buttons. The finish at the bottom is relatively uncomplicated to let you choose whether you tuck it in or leave it out loose. Over all, it’s one very beautiful white summer shirt, which at only £35 I doubt will stay on our shelves for very long.

Mark Fast. Designer.

Last night I had a thrilling change to my usual Monday, after receiving an invitation to view Mark Fasts Autumn Winter 2011 collection at Somerset House, London. Squeezing my usual eight-hour working day into six was tough, and I was only relaxed when I knew my plane had taken off with no delays. I was on a tight schedule; arrive at Gatwick at 16.05 for 18.00 show. Thanks to the speed of London’s public transport, I made it with half an hour spare –just enough time to meet one of Mark’s design assistants, Joe Richards.

Sitting politely on my designated spot on the bench was a press release to describe the collection I was about to see “Mark Fast Autumn/Winter collection is about a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”. This is Mark’s sixth season and will be his second stand alone show at London Fashion Week”. And then I found the wording that links Celtic Sheepskin and Mark Fast…”Mark Fast has selected to knit with Merino wool as a natural fibre choice for 2011”. And I wasn’t disappointed with the knitwear.

So after the crowd eventually sat in their seats, the show began only 20 minutes late. Well, it’s fashionable after all! Sadly I’m not a professional photographer, and despite bringing my best camera I wasn’t able to snap the gorgeous array of knitwear and leather that Mark displayed.

Although in the picture above I was successful in shooting Hilary Alexandra, Fashion Director for the Telegraph looking on and taking notes of the collection before her. That’s her in the big hat!

So I’ll grab a few images from Vogue.com who I knew wouldn’t let me down. You can of course view the whole collection for yourself by visiting vogue here.

Mark designed his range based on three colours: white, soft grey & ox-blood red. Opening the show with his white knitwear, I could help but fall in love with the woolly leggings on the second model in and then be overcome with lust at the dress that soon followed…

Isn’t it clever what you can do with Merino Wool! According to the press release, Mark grew up on the outskirts of Winnipeg, Canada, next to a forest. As Celtic Sheepskin is also based in an area of outstanding natural beauty, I can see why we both opt for natural fibres.

And equally I was pleased to see that amongst all the wool and leather, a little sheepskin still remains for autumn winter 2011. What a hat!

Seeing Hilary Alexandra in a big sheepskin hat too, I can’t help but feel this is a trend that is going to take off once the sunshine disappears once more. Looks like we’re going to have to make sure we’re well stocked with our Diane Hat!

Making an entrace

So who watched the Brit awards on Tuesday night then? And who wasn’t dazzled by the opening performance from Take That? If you missed it, like most things thanks to the marvel of technology you can view it online HERE.

When I listened to James Cordon on Radio One that Tuesday morning, explaining his role as presenter of the Brit awards and how Take That had enlisted 300 dancers for their opening performance, I knew I had to watch. Isn’t it clever how these hooks work? You often wonder why a fish doesn’t see his friends getting caught on the end of a fishing line, or in fact caught themselves and yet theystill continue to take that (possibly) fatal bite – it’s clearly all about the bait. Sadly for me, after I enjoyed the opening performance and a couple more while flicking through the channels, I didn’t stay tuned to the whole event. As good as it was, I’m already hooked on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. The dresses are incredible!

This gets me thinking about the forthcoming launch of…

Celtic Sheepskin's Spring Summer 2011 collection

Should I write that any bigger? :-)

Seriously now, how much should we be shouting about it? We could discuss enlisting 300 dancers to grab your attention and gloss over the fact that we’re really only had 60! It’s still an impressive number after all, and the show was certainly worth the hype for the millions of viewers who didn’t switch over. Just think of all the fish we could catch! But alas, we’re just not that callous. We want you to see our promises are true, which for countless reasons at the moment the launch is a greatly held secret. If you’ve had your nose to the ground however, you may have noticed that a few magazines have snapped up some samples for their current editions…

Country Living featured a new Reversible Knitted Tee in their March issue…

And You and Your Wedding snapped up the Lace Knit Slouch for a honeymoon shoot in their March issue too… Just remember, you will have to wait a while before you can get these two tops!

Yesterday I was asked to summarise the spring collection, and considering my words above I wonder if you’ll also find them interesting…

The collection is filled with a sense of casual elegance; every-day clothing designed to make you feel special. The colour spectrum is based on a trip to a Cornish beach, with lots of soft neutral tones and the occasional sorbet shade that resembles the odd splash of colour that sparkles in the sea on a summer's day.

So I hope that in some way that helps you to look forward to the imminent arrival of our new range. For now however, that’s the most we’ll be “plugging” it, but you can be sure that as soon as the products are launched on our website and the new catalogues are sent out, you’ll hear everything there is to know about it. At the same time you’ll be able to see the range for yourself, with no elaborate gimmicks. Although like Take That we’ll too be waving that British flag!

Quite a pair!

So who enjoyed a night in with their loved one last night? I imagine home electricity consumption went down across the nation yesterday evening, with couples opting for candlelight or the extravagance of dining out on a Monday night. Oh, how lovely it is to know on the same day of the year thousands of couples celebrated the night together. Let’s not forget those who didn’t of course; with every ying there’s most often a yang. I’ve been on plenty of “anti-valentine” evenings to know how it feels, and for the most part I ignored the whole episode and put it down to “mass marketing” as often it feels good to displace the resentment!

But this year I’m not feeling so indifferent, and for this blog post at least I thought I would continue the happy feeling that emanates around Saint Valentine’s Day; a time of year that is historically associated with love and fertility. Well, perhaps I’ll skip over the fertility bit, and focus on the “love”. That’s a far more comfortable subject!

I’m translating the celebration into a theme of pairs; a couple destined to be together. Ah, how sweet! Pertinent to the time of year we are currently in, I’ve listed the items below as pieces best worn in the early days of spring, when you can’t rely on the weather but you don’t fancy dressing as though it’s still Christmas.

So first up are our Statement Scarf and Kangie Hat. I think these two work really well for February/March as the scarf is far less cumbersome than a winter coat and has a sense of individuality -a hot topic with all the fashion weeks taking place at the moment. The Kangie Hat on the other hand is for purely for practical reasons, because you never know when it might rain!

With the theme of intermittent rain firmly on my mind now, next up are the Hazelwood Jacket and Blouson Cowl Top. I wouldn’t say that the weather is warm enough yet for sleeveless tops so it’s worth sticking to a long-sleeve tee, even if it’s lightweight. Similarly, keeping your jacket lightweight will ensure you’re not lumbered down when the sun peeps out for that hour at lunchtime. The Hazelwood Jacket is designed in a lovely shade of “tan”, which you will probably have noticed is a very popular shade for spring.

And then there’s the bottom half of the outfit to consider, and you’d do well to stick to a mid-length skirt this season. If you’ve got the legs, then it’s a hot length for spring. With our High Waisted Skirt comes the flexibility for weather; wear it with thick tights, opaque tights, or bare legs! And for your feet, a comfy pair of Sheepskin Clogs will ensure that your toes stay snug, even if you opted for bare legs on a cool day.

And if you do find yourself stepping out without anything covering the whole part of your legs, you may find you can be a little braver with your top half. If so, I’d suggest a little waistcoat over a long sleeve top will make sure you don’t step out unprepared for the unexpected late finish that day –and the waistcoat would do wonders for your layering-style credentials. This Shaggy Waistcoat is my favourite, as I can so easily see it worn on the beach in the summer too. Matched with our Henley Top they make a great team. You could wear the snood or choose show off a little skin –even unbutton it a little. The possibilities throughout the day are endless!

And to round off this little post, I’ve pulled out a pair of accessories that I think are perfect together and perfect for now; our Sheepskin Earmuffs and a big Suede Bag. One goes with the other as the earmuffs may not always be needed, but as you can never truly be sure when you may find their warmth essential, a big suede bag is the perfect answer –and it’s in that on-trend colour I’ve been telling you about! Top marks.

Clothes for sport

Sport. It’s a popular subject. So much so that it has it’s own section in the news, with the latest debates reaching the main features on whether parliament should get involved with the FA! Now there’s a big topic for debate, but one that I’m not about to start here as I must hold my hands up straight away; as I’m not a “sporty” person. The “outdoors type” yes, but I don’t religiously follow a sport and sometimes I wish I did and other times I’m glad that I don’t. I would say that Celtic Sheepskin is the same.

Our clothing is not designed for a particular sport. We don’t photograph our models performing yoga in our Fine Merino Leggings or riding on a horse in our Waxed Stockman Jacket. Why not? Because we know that for the most part, those leggings are going to be worn slouching around the house, or that coat will be mainly thrown on when it’s raining cats and dogs. So I thought I’d use this blog post today to show you items from our clothing and footwear range that could as easily be used for comfort as they can be for sport. Two in one! What a bargain.

With sport there’s generally an element of competition. Maybe it doesn’t feel fair and you may not agree, but there’s generally a list of who’s first, last and in the middle. So taking this theme of sport seriously, I’ll list my “premier league” suggestions from number one down to number ten…

First up at NUMBER ONE has to be our original sheepskin boots, as this is the reason why this business began; for surfers to put on their feet during time out from a surf.

Number TWO is purely favouritism; a top for dancing, because its my favourite sport! The cropped top will help you to show off (and keep cool) your toned stomach muscles.

Number THREE is perhaps the reason why so many turn to Celtic Sheepskin in the wintertime –for skiing. And what better way to step out onto the slopes than with our gorgeous Fergie Headband Number FOUR is chosen because they’re one of the few technical items we offer our customer when it comes to sport, all be it the highest in the luxury sport category…

At number FIVE I feel I need to bring something back into this score chart for the boys, as it’s getting very girly. So how about rugby? Our Trapper Cape is ideal for men and women, and with the Six Nations in full swing at the moment you could find this useful as a spectator or perhaps when playing your own game of rugby it’ll come in useful for keeping dry when waiting at the sides?

Keeping with the male & female theme, up at number SIX has to be our Sheepskin Fingerless Gloves. Then a great sport for these is shooting, but who’s to say you don’t simply find these useful for texting on your mobile on cooler days!

At number SEVEN I’d like to bring in our Organic Cotton Hoodie, which is perhaps great for a good number of sports but the one that springs to my mind is jogging. Made from natural organic cotton it’s a super lightweight, long sleeve top that will even keep your hair dry!

Aware that number ten is getting closer, at number EIGHT I’ll introduce a second pair of technical and sheepskin lined footwear, Walking Boots. These boots will keep your feet warm and protected on family walks to a days trekking.

At number NINE, there’s our Classic Flying Jacket and of course if you have an open top plane then you’ll find this extremely useful for it’s main purpose, but I’ve opted for a sport that more people will take part in; driving. Topless of course!

And bringing up the rear in my premier league of Celtic Sheepskin goodies is the Kangie Hat at number TEN. Made from 100% sheepskin it’ll keep your ears lovely and warm as you sit by the side of a river and casually wait for that fish to take a snap.

Achieving sustainability...

I’ve just returned from a break with friends to Centre Parks and want to share with you my boosted enthusiasm for corporate sustainability. It’s an important topic for Celtic Sheepskin and I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a subject that society talks a great deal about. Some may argue that we talk too much on “green living” yet others campaign eagerly to keep it on everyone’s minds. So for those of you who sympathise with the latter or are simply interested to hear more on Celtic Sheepskin’s beliefs, I’d love you to read on…

It’s a firm belief of mine that a company should approach a sustainable method of “being green” rather than promoting the idea that the company is green. Very few companies can honestly say they act wholly for the benefit of a better environment, as so often decisions have to be made about the viability and ultimate profitability of taking a green approach to each situation. The underlying point is that it needs to be sustainable; It does no good for a company to act solely in the interests of the environment if they cannot sustain enough funds to stay in business.

According to the “Free Dictionary by Fair Fax”, the dictionary definition of “sustainable” is: -

sustainable
adj
1. (Economics) capable of being sustained
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Environmental Science) (of economic development, energy sources, etc.) capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage sustainable development
3. (Economics) (of economic growth) non-inflationary

The company Centre Parks come across as being green since day one and therefore I expect it was a natural development to become categorised as a “sustainable company” with an aim announced on their website; “to be one of the leading sustainable ‘Large Scale Tourism Destinations’ in the UK”.

As a visitor to the park it was very exciting to see a deer skip across the footpath early Sunday morning and then bounce off over the fence. Such visual aids like these with the backdrop of enormous trees and expanse of wild beauty, really get into the hearts and minds of visitors and almost subtly encourage them to recycle their waste, travel by bicycle and learn about taking care of nature. This tactile method is clearly not an approach that a retail catalogue company like ours could ever hope to achieve. So instead at Celtic Sheepskin we set about our “corporate responsibility” in other ways, and try on a smaller scale to encourage customer participation.

Just as Centre Parks have nature displays across their park, we too show off the natural beauty of Cornwall in our catalogue and across our website. We only shoot our model shots in Cornwall so as a customer looking at these breath-taking landscapes, we hope you’re inspired to take on the “easy way of life” that the catalogue aims to achieve. You could say that “being green” is sustainable for Centre Parks because in part they aim for their customers to return to them in the future encouraged that they’re doing a good thing for the environment by choosing that particular holiday destination. At Celtic Sheepskin we strive to achieve a similar balance by advocating the benefits of clothing-for-life that’s been cared for at every stage of its production. It isn’t just an item of clothing like Centre Parks isn’t just a holiday break. Of course, if you want it to just be something you throw on in the morning or Centre Parks to be just a reason to relax, then it can be.

As a company we strive to achieve sustainability by encouraging our customers to care as we do, but it’s not essential that everyone feels the same. As an individual I strongly believe that you should have the choice to decide what your ethical beliefs are and how you want to act upon those. Only you can take responsibility for your own actions, and as a company we believe the same thing. That said, everything in life has a bigger impact when a great number of people offer their support. At Celtic Sheepskin we source natural fabrics for our clothing and make our garments as close to home as possible, we also try to offer services such as re-sole and repair for our sheepskin boots and ensure a high standard of quality throughout the range so that our pieces last a long time. We do not believe that throw-away fashion is good for the environment and hope that such efforts put into making our range will ensure our customer do not choose to discard their clothes a year later. Our aim is tied up by our marketed natural Cornish brand with a slogan “where the living is easy”. We strive to achieve sustainability and we strive to keep a harmony between our products, customers and above all our environment.

I aim to return to Centre Parks in the future and in the mean time I will continue with my home-recycling system despite my partner’s complaints that the extra waste storage takes up too much space. Similarly, Celtic Sheepskin will continue to work towards helping the environment in areas that are sustainable for the business, and we hope that you too will be inspired by our efforts and support us and the environment in a way that fits in with your lives.

Spring is just around the corner!

It’s [apparently] official. Spring has been launched in a great many number of shops. Yes, we’ve seen some sunny days, but people please; It’s still winter! February is still a cold month, and I am not about to set out each morning without a coat over my shoulders – and usually zipped right up too!

At Celtic Sheepskin we’re standing our ground. The spring collection will not be launched until you lovely people are ready to wear it. There are still a large number of you jetting off on winter holidays, aside from the fact that you too are still buying sheepskin and knits to keep you warm. So we’re not about to try to convince you to hurry up and buy the new spring range before it sells out. That doesn’t seem fair.

Now you may or may not agree with my thoughts on when a spring range should be launched, but either way you’re bound to agree that the excitement of what will be is very thrilling! I’m sure you are all keen to hear what we’re going to be launching next month when the catalogue hits your doorsteps, and I don’t blame you. I’ve seen the samples, and I too am excited about the moment I can start buying the beautiful spring collection. So perhaps you’ll be pleased to hear it’s grown again this year! To put it in perspective, last summer we launched 16 new items of clothing and this summer we’re set to introduce 32 new items of clothing! Ok, so if you compare our collection to the likes of the big boys in catalogues then 32 new garments is nothing, but remember that we are only small and to us this is a big leap. Particularly when your company name suggests you are solely a winter brand.

The new Spring Summer Catalogue is being printed as I write this; ready for a day in March when the directors are satisfied that the warm weather starts to get going. I am therefore delighted to offer our blog readers a sneak preview of what the front and back cover is going to look like…
Aren’t they beautiful! The Fisherman’s Jumper you see on the right hand side is designed in a cotton rather than a Merino Wool that we’ve previously made it in. So it’s now perfect for spring. Remember, you can’t get these two items now so please don’t upset yourselves by trying. I’ll keep you updated the moment they’re available to purchase online.

As for the rest of the spring summer 2011 catalogue, I think it’s best we keep it a surprise. Give you all something to look forward to! So I’ll leave you now with some scenes taken on the summer shoot, so you can imagine just how gorgeous the items are when the model stands in the foreground…

The weather...

As I’m sure the regular readers of this blog can appreciate and also those who have scrolled down the numerous categories noticing how many blog posts go up each month; you’ll understand that finding a topic which is interesting to not only write about but that readers will enjoy, is difficult. Every week I take my hat off to those journalists who come up with new columns in their daily papers to discuss to their avid fans.

But trials and tribulations aside, every week we too produce two blog posts and every week we have a steady number of lovely readers. So a big and grateful THANK YOU goes out to you all. I may sit in front of my computer pondering nearly every week about what we could discuss, but every time a topic always comes to mind, and it’s a pleasant relief that you find them interesting.

So to this weeks post; I thought I’d talk about the weather! Well, we’re British, and what else should you talk about when you can’t think of anything to say? No, that’s not true, I’m teasing you. I am choosing to talk about the weather because at the end of last week I tore myself away from our beautiful Cornish countryside and sat on a 5-hour train journey to our infamous capital, London. I once lived in London, and I often visit, but I soon realised that my last visit was too long in the past, as my country life took a little longer than usual to adapt to the components of walking around central London. And I was only visiting! So the topic of weather now, came about because I realise that my strangest sight when I first entered the London Underground Network, AKA “the tube” was the great number of people in Wellington boots. “Why on earth would commuters on the underground need such protective clothing?” I asked myself, and trying not to stare I pondered, “have I ever seen a pair of green wellies that clean before?” I didn’t realise that they could ever be anything other than covered in mud! And then the penny dropped; snow was forecast today. Londoners, you are nothing if you’re not prepared for every eventuality, and I salute you!

So, today I scour the weather forecast to see what the new month has in store for us. “Unsettled and changeable.” Hmmm, how on earth can you prepare for that!

Well, here goes…

On this brief trip to “the big smoke” I would judge that I was almost as equally prepared as my fellow commuters. Ok, so I may have been wearing a summer’s dress because I was there promoting the new spring collection that will soon be hitting our shelves - but at least that stopped me from over heating on the underground! Then when stepping out into the bitterly fresh air, I was kept beautifully warm with my sheepskin biker jacket. It’s extremely lightweight for sheepskin, so I found it very easy to carry around. You may instead prefer a waterproof number this next month, as apparently they’ll be plenty of wet spells coming in from the Atlantic. Damn that Atlantic, and thank goodness for the Drapey Trench!

And next? Why those wellies of course!

I am the very proud owner of Celtic Sheepskin’s Gum Boots, and although I may not have thought to bring them to London, they could have easily held their own on the city streets as much as they do in the countryside (looking back I think that mine may have too much mud on them for city walking!). And as for our sheepskin lined walking boots; with the BBC forecasting snow in the north I think sheepskin-lined boots are certainly one for the essentials list!

Then there’s the essential hat…

Back in Cornwall by Sunday, I had the delight of standing outside in the still very cold air, but at least we had glorious sunshine. I was standing at a local ruby match, pleased that I had chosen to wear a hat, but wishing I’d picked up a peaked version rather than a beanie. With changeable weather, sunshine is also forecast this month and I know that sunglasses are extremely trendy, but I can’t help feeling stupid if I wear the combination of a winter hat and a pair of sunnies, and shielding my eyes from the sun with my hand soon got very tiring. So for me the peaked Baker Boy is perfect. Perhaps for those of you who disagree and enjoy all the drama that goes with wearing sunglasses in the cold, may I recommend the “cool” cashmere mesh beret? It really is beautiful.

Which leads me nicely to the cherry, the “it” bag….

OK, so they’re not Mulberry or Prada; but the price tag is significantly less too! With the “changeable” weather and the clear need to be prepared this month, I propose you keep a big bag with you at all times. You’ll need to stuff in that hat in case the heavens open or put away your lightweight coat if the sun begins to shine. Both the Breton and Penn bags will definitely assist you in your weather challenges.

May you enjoy every moment, wherever you find yourself this February.