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How one of the oldest fabrics in the world became the must-have fabric of summer Linen is a firm favourite for summer, loved for its simple and elegant qualities. It is well known to wick moisture away from the body and keep you cool, while being iron-free and highly durable.. what’s not to love!? This summer, linen has gained huge momentum, appearing in store after store in beautiful designs and colours. Most snapping up the trend do not realise the long and fascinating history behind the fibre, so let’s dive in and take a closer look at linen’s journey through the centuries.        Linen, made from the fibres of the flax plant, is one of the oldest textiles in the world. Historians believe the flax plant was first domesticated in ancient Mesopotamia and discoveries of linen fabric have been found dating back many thousands of years.  The process of turning flax fibres into linen is a difficult and laborious one. The plant is temperamental and requires a great deal of attention during its growth and once ready for harvest it is a long process to extract the fibre from the stalk. In addition, flax fibres are not elastic, and therefore it is difficult ...

Since 1877, Wimbledon Tennis has been one of the most recognised tennis championships, hosting hundreds of royals, celebrities, and visitors from around the world and playing a central role in the foundation of many famous tennis careers. As far back as the nineteenth century, the accepted tennis outfit for players were plain white, long-sleeved shirts and trousers for men and full-length corseted white dresses and hats for women. It was not until the 1920s and 1930s that the players, (particularly the female players), began to experiment with their clothing. Shorter skirts, shorts and sleeveless tops were all introduced, some more daring than others, to provide ease of movement and an expression of individual personality and style. While tennis style evolved to be practical and comfortable this was never at the expense of fashion. High-profile athletes like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova found their own ways to have fun with their outfits, (think tennis dresses made of lace and even denim) and often attract as much attention for what they wear as their backhands. Tennis outfits have often inspired the masses too, like the white V-neck sweater used by Bill Tilden, still today remaining a classic staple in men’s fashion. Advances ...

  New season, new knitwear! Want to be in the know about next season’s key shapes and colours? Look no further than our interview with the brains behind the new Spring Summer ’16 styles, our Head Designer Stephanie. She tells us what inspired her designs this season by showing us a glimpse of her moodboard, and explains what qualities we will all be wearing this summer. Bring on the warmer months!   “This season, we’ve taken inspiration from the minimal 90’s decade, with particular emphasis on structure and simplistic silhouettes. We’ve used references from the archives of couture design and combined this with interesting yarn techniques for a modern feel.”     “We’ve looked at primitive, tribal influences to inform our print designs. The main focus for colour has come from the work of artist Callum Innes. He uses a method of layering pigments of colour, which results in a vivid array of tones. We’ve translated these varying hues into a fusion of pale pink, grey marls and indigo ombré details.” “In this Spring Summer season, we’ve focused on using natural fabrics like washed silks, linen and cotton. Our signature summer quality, cotton poplin, gives you a freshness when worn making it perfect for warmer days! We’ve also experimented with hand-dyed ...