New Harris Tweed designed for luxury Scottish hotel owned by Andy Murray

Judy Murray wears new Harris Tweed
designed exclusively
for Cromlix, in bespoke
jacket and Catherine Aitken Hayworth Handbag.

For fashionistas in the know, Harris Tweed Hebrides is the multi award-winning Scottish business (based at Shawbost on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis) which produces and supplies the unique Harris Tweed fabric to the world’s most discerning design houses including Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Saint Laurent, to name just a few.

Now Cromlix Hotel, which was acquired by world-acclaimed Scottish tennis star Andy Murray and opened about a year ago, is celebrating the launch of a new accessories range using a unique bespoke Harris Tweed.  The unique tweed was  developed jointly by Andy’s mom Judy who is herself an established tennis coach and a star of the latest UK TV series - Strictly Come Dancing TV show) and Harris Tweed Hebrides.

The new Harris Tweed was inspired by the famous Wimbledon colours of purple and green and has been used by three renowned Scottish-based designers Catherine Aitken, Gráinne Broderick and Katherine Emtage, to craft a contemporary accessory gift range which will be available to purchase at the luxury hotel.

Ladies' toileries bag in Harris Tweed 

designed exclusively for Cromlix Hotel.

The Cromlix Collection includes a clutch bag, a messenger bag, a ladies handbag as well as a clip fastening change purse, ‘his and hers’ toiletry bags and Harris Tweed cufflinks set in sterling silver.  For modern-day gadgets there is also an iPad and iPhone 6 cover, and a cushion cover and tea cosy for the home. 

Each item has been handcrafted by all the designers blending both traditional and modern techniques.

The tweed itself has been hand-woven by independent weavers based in their croft sheds across Lewis and Harris, using pure virgin wool that is dyed with separate pigments before being carded and spun.  Just one single yarn can contain several different colours, blended together in order to obtain the perfect tone or hue, each reflecting aspects of natural surroundings such as heathers, mosses, lochs and mountains. It is this ancient process that defines all cloth officially certified with the world-renowned Harris Tweed Orb symbol making it genuine Harris Tweed – the world’s only commercially produced hand woven tweed.

Judy Murray launches new Harris Tweed designed exclusively for Cromlix in bespoke Wild Stole, Wrap Belt & Kate Clutch from new range by Catherine Aitken.

Judy Murray said: “I wanted to develop something unique for Andy’s hotel which would reflect Cromlix’s heritage and also showcase the fantastic textiles and craftsmanship that Scotland has to offer.” In addition to the accessories range a number of one-off items were also fashioned to showcase the beautiful fabric including a jacket for Judy in the new Harris Tweed by Perth-based Blues & Browns.
“Cromlix is a stunning location to visit and now guests will be able to take home something memorable from The Collection in the hotel’s signature Harris Tweed.”

The Cromlix Hotel in Perthshire is set in 34 acres of secluded woodlands and garden grounds, with its own chapel and house loch), and according to the hotel’s website, it offers guests the chance to experience the sort of decadent lifestyle once enjoyed by the Lairds of Cromlix.

Book of illustrations celebrating Menswear

In the past decade or so, there has seen a huge increase in the interest in menswear, due to the explosion in male grooming and sartorial blogging and the increase in men’s publications, rejuvenating the industry.   

Now a new book called Menswear Illustration from illustrator Richard Kilroy is focusing solely on menswear by up and coming illustrators. Whether drawn in pencil, splashed across a sketchbook or digitally rendered, the 290 colour and black and white illustrations are as varied in style as the clothing itself.   The book is the first up-to-the-minute survey of contemporary  menswear illustration, which is booming across editorial, advertising and brand communications.

The images explore the modern man and modern fashions and how they contribute to menswear.

A small preview of work from the book will be previewed at The Hospital Club during London Collections: Men trade show which opens on Friday 9^th January.   The illustrations will then be exhibited at Paul Smith in Albemarle Street during London Fashion Week (the womenswear fashion event) in February and until 6th March.

The book will be published on 23rd February.  Its author Richard Kilroy is a top menswear illustrator in his own right and has brought together forty of the most versatile creative talents from around the world, whether they be the leaders in the industry or the private sketches of designers … from the exuberant street sketches of Richard Haines which have been taken up by Prada, to the delicate drawings of Cedric Rivrain for Lanvin, or the vivid sketches of Julie Verhoeven whose work has been sampled by Louis Vuitton, Mulberry and Versace, these groundbreaking talents are expanding our perceptions of the modern man.

Shoes good enough to eat. Yum!

The wrapping for those decadent chocolates we had for Christmas may still be in the recycle bin, we are already thinking ahead about Valentine’s Day or even Chinese New Year – both important occasions coming up in February.  

And these Edible Chocolate Shoes may just fit the bill if you want to say “I Love You” to the special fashionista in your life.

These shoes are by Azra Chocolates, realistically handcrafted from Belgian chocolate and hand-finished to give them that fashionable touch.

Azra Sadiq is a Harrogate based artisan chocolatier who has combined her two passions chocolate and shoes and turned them into a unique business.  Azra Chocolates uses the Finest Callebaut Belgian chocolate, used by master chocolate makers and pastry chefs the world over.  It is made from sustainably grown cocoa beans.

Azra use Dark, Milk, White and strawberry pink Chocolate.

According to the chocolatier, the edible colours and lustre dusts are used all over the world for food use, safe to eat and especially designed to use with chocolate.  The edible pearls,  also edible and safe to eat, however may contain traces of nuts, wheat, fish and gluten.

These edible chocolate shoes are perfect for any occasion, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s day and Easter, or simply to say Thank You and I love you.

Happy new year 2015!

Season's Greetings Everyone!

At the Royal Opera House, London with Padding Bear in Rainbow
designed by Darcey Bussell.

Gift cards and vouchers are among favourite gifts this Christmas

Consumer gift card and voucher sales have soared in the third quarter of 2014, growing by 9.07%, according to statistics from The UK Gift Card & Voucher Association (UKGCVA), the trade body representing the key players in the £5 billion gift voucher, cards and stored value solutions market.

For those of us who have run out of gift ideas for loved ones and friends who have everything, gift cards and vouchers are great ideas.

For Christmas gift ideas, go to Etsy.com

A new report compiled independently by consultants at BDO shows that in the third quarter of 2014, the gift card and voucher industry grew by 9.71%.   Growth among consumers was supported by the exceptional growth of gift card malls, which increased by 72.84%.  Online gift card and multi-choice voucher sales also grew by 13.16% and 48.85% respectively.

Andrew Johnson, director-general of the UKGCVA, comments:

“Growth of over nine per cent is a very positive end to our third quarter, a result we are extremely pleased with. It’s a sure sign that the gift card and voucher industry is continuing its momentum.

“Consumer sentiment towards gift cards and vouchers appears to be building momentum, and it’s great to see this spreading across multiple product types to include multi-choice products as well as category specific gift cards. Time will obviously be the test, but this is a very encouraging position to be in, in the run up to Christmas when we’re expecting bumper sales.”

Sock Club London releases Camo Tuesday collection.

Sock Club London is on a roll and has just released its "Camo Tuesday" sock collection which is available exclusively on their web store Tuesday 9^th December. 

Camo Tuesday socks are lightweight, made in a blend of pure wool and nylon for a snugger fit. The toes are

hand-linked to ensure a premium level of comfort.

‘Camo Tuesday’ is a weekly event promoted and sponsored by Sock Club London for the right to wear camouflage on a Tuesday.  The new line of camouflage socks celebrates a collaboration with Corgi Hosiery and are made in the UK.

Sock Club London has chosen a camouflage style from the Corgi range; and applied their touch through the use of wool (blended with nylon) and also through the choice of colours used.  

These lightweight socks are a blend of pure wool and nylon for a snugger fit. The toes are

hand-linked to ensure a premium level of comfort.

The camouflage socks come in three distinctive colour options, inspired by the British Armed Forces Disruptive Pattern Material, or DPM for short; the term given to denote this specific camouflage pattern, first used exclusively by the British Special Forces.

Sock Club London‘s  Camo Tuesday’collection will be released to the public on Tuesday 9th December. Exclusively available on the Sock Club London web store.