By George, this Teddy may help heal a broken heart!

Feeling bruised and broken-hearted from the Referendum result? This Teddy may provide you some tender loving that you may need in the healing process, at least in the short-term.

George is a limited edition teddy bear of just 250, perfect as a family heirloom to be handed down from generation to generation,  Specially commissioned by Highgrove and traditionally hand-made by Merrythought in the company’s original factory in Ironbridge, Shropshire,  George has been  brought to life using 85 years of skills and excellence.

George is fully jointed with hand sewn features and a fine mohair coat. His pads and paws have been crafted with purple velvet and a beautifully embroidered Highgrove crest, while a matching satin ribbon is tied in a bow around his neck to finish.  His fully jointed limbs bring his character to life, along with the finest of golden mohair coats and a satin Highgrove bow tied around his neck.

This plush Teddy bear will make a cherished addition to the family with adorable hand-sewn features, including a soft-stitched nose and luxe velvet paws, embroidered with the Highgrove Feathers.  His makers, Merrythought, have been hand-making the quintessential English teddy bear in the World Heritage Site of Ironbridge, Shropshire, since 1930 and George is one of their latest creations made exclusively for Highgrove.

Presented in a classic Merrythought collector’s box, he is available to buy online at www.highgrovegardens.com or by visiting one of the Highgrove shops in Tetbury, Gloucestershire; Cribbs Causeway, Bristol; or on the Highgrove Estate.

Brexit could be good for the world, according to Jeffrey E. Garten

Jeffrey E. Garten, author of From Silk to Silicon: The Story of Globalization Through Ten Extraordinary Lives, writes in Time Magazine that Brexit could be good for the world. Click HERE.

New bags from Poppy Treffry of Cornwall celebrate British-made

Cornish company Poppy Treffry are celebrating a ‘coming of age’ collection of tote and clutch bags which they have added to their popular range of homewares and accessories, all made in house in their  studio in Penzance.

The three new bag styles include the Sketchbook Tote, inspired by Poppy’s sketchbooks, with three internal compartments, leather detailing and embroidered designs.

Sketchbook clutch with an embroidered vintage racer bicycle design 

Beautiful clutch bags feature best-selling motifs and several brand new designs, and are made from sturdy denim with a leather wrist strap.

Clutch bag embroidered with a Dachshund 

The shoulder tote bag with Oyster-catchers, featuring 

a phone pocket and three compartments.

The Oil Cloth Totes are made from Poppy’s own designed oil cloth fabric in popular Darling Dachshund, Best in Show and Oyster Catcher patterns.

Two fabric designs also join the collection of canvas bags - Muddy Paws, featuring Poppy’s incredibly popular Labrador design, and the striking Cornish Chough.

“Being the product we first started out making, our bags are very special to us and it’s been such a joy to focus on them this year,” says Poppy. “We have sourced some beautiful new base fabrics and leather to work with as well as finally having our own fabric made into oil cloth. The only difficult thing is deciding which one to take home with me!”

Poppy Treffry's  range of gifts and home wares are stocked by boutiques and galleries across the country, including Fortnum and Masons, and with a growing number of international stockists across Europe, Japan and the US. Their core range is created in Cornwall using freehand machine embroidery but, since the introduction of printed tea towels, the range has grown to include ceramics, printed fabrics and stationery, all instantly recognisable in Poppy’s whimsical style.

The new bags are available now via the Poppy Treffry website, via mail order and from selected stockists in the UK and internationally too.

This summer festival season, opt for a layering look with that Disney magic

It’s supposed to be summer right now according to the calendar, but at the moment we certainly are not feeling it here in the UK.  With this wishy-washy weather in force, it is perhaps wise to go for a layering look when temperatures rise and fall, and these cropped tops may be the answer for those who can’t decide how to dress. 

For the young and youthful at heart, character motifs continue to be on trend, like this cute Minnie Mouse Crop Tee from Miss Selfridge above, and have it layered over with the Mickey Mouse cropped hoody from Topshop on top.

Alex Longmore, stylist to celebrities the likes of Jamelia, Little Mix, Amanda Holden and SophieEllis-Bextor, suggests pairing these tops with the bomber or black leather biker jackets or a parka for a stylish look, perfect for getting in the mood for the summer festival season.  And by embracing Mickey Mouse’s style, one should go for an edgy, cool and urban look by opting for skinning ripped jeans, brightly-patterned socks worn with clashing trainers, a hoodie under a parka and some black Mickey Mouse ears. 

This season, for the Minnie Mouse look, think cutesy accessories, a turban bow in your hair, pastel or pink converse, mini-skirt, denim shorts or brightly-coloured jeans worn with a logo T-shirt and denim jacket.  Top it all off with mirrored sunglasses and an across-the-body bag, according to Longmore.

“The festival season is my favourite time of year - long summer nights, dancing under the stars and listening to some of the best music.  Festival fashion is also one of my all-time favourite looks and with so much to take inspiration from there’s plenty of fun to be had. I will certainly be looking to much-loved icons such as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse when choosing my different outfits,” said Longmore.

Images courtesy of The Walt Disney Company UK & Ireland

Blooming bridal florals by Charlotte Balbier

Floral prints in painterly brush strokes weave happiness and beauty into lovely gowns from designer Charlotte Balbier’s new 2017 collection entitled Untamed Love.

The signature "Untamed Love" gown in soft silky chiffon organza was one of the talked-about dress at the bridal London fair White Gallery in May.

The "Bloom" gown is a pretty palette of lilac’s, pinks and rich crimson and ivory tones.

A strapless dress in design with an on-trend pocket detail, a delightful statement bridal gown…

www.charlottebalbier.com

The graceful "Posy" gown, created using a soft silky chiffon organza, features a pallette of muted greens, pink sorbet and soft lilacs adorns this beautiful two-piece.

The gowns make a trio celebration of floral beauty.

All pictures from Charlotte Balbier.  

Brits to spend a third of their household income during the summer, new research reveals

The Summer Barometer 2016™ from Ferratum Group has revealed that UK households are set to spend 33% of their disposable income during the summer this year.

Storksak Travel is a clever new five-piece collection of lightweight travel bags designed for short-haul, weekend family travel or as the perfect hospital bag launching mid-August 2016 at both M&S and online at Storksak.

Surprisingly, the annual research revealed that consumers in the UK are actually some of the lowest summer spenders across Europe, with Germany (71%) and France (60%) spending at least double that of the UK over the hotter months.

Retailers and hospitality businesses need to be fully prepared for this increase in customer demand in order to prevent customers spending this money with their competitors.

Summer spending in the UK is on the rise, however, with 1 in 3 households (35%) planning to spend more than last year, and a further 44% likely to spend a similar amount.

Over a fifth (22.5%) of the UK spend will go on travelling this summer, with only Sweden and Norway intending to spend more cash on travel. British consumers also prioritise buying new clothes and engaging in social activities during this period, with households spending 20.7% of their disposable income on these.

Tony Gundersen, UK Country Manager for Ferratum Group comments:“This year’s Summer Barometer™ clearly demonstrates how much the UK prioritises travel, spending more in this area than other countries in the survey. By contrast, given the number of sporting events and summer festivals occurring over the summer period, it is surprising that only 10% of household expenditure across Europe and Canada goes towards these activities.
The fact that a third of our household income is being spent during this relatively short period means that retailers and travel services providers have a strong opportunity to boost their revenues over the summer months.  However, retailers and hospitality businesses need to be fully prepared for this increase in customer demand in order to prevent customers spending this money with their competitors.”

Ferratum Group’s annual Summer Barometer™ was conducted using a standardised online questionnaire of 17,631 anonymous respondents across Ferratum Group’s 19 country locations in Europe and Canada. Respondents were asked about disposable monthly net income, how much they spent on their summer holiday, which activities they spend their money on and their preferred payment methods.

Come rain or shine, Bermondsey Street the place to be this weekend for some art loving

Never mind the weather.  This weekend visit Bermondsey Street for a lot of happenings.  The area - south side of the River Thames and stone's throw from London Bridge - has two of the most sought after food markets in London Borough Market and Maltby Street Market to say the least, which are only a minute's walk away from the Eames Fine Art Gallery where an Open Weekend is held on Saturday 18 June 11am - 6pm and Sunday 19 June 12pm - 5pm.

At Eames Art GAllery, you can join fellow art lovers for a browse and even a rummage through the 1000s of original artworks they have at the studio by the many artists they represent - from Modern Masters such as Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall, to Contemporary Masters including David Hockney, Antony Gormley and Paula Rego as well as exciting new talented artists such as Mila Fürstovà, Sophie Layton, Paul Catherall and Ross Loveday.

The area around the Eames Fine Art Gallery includes many wonderful museums, galleries and working studios very close by, and this weekend is the exciting opening of Tate Modern's new extension 'SwitchHouse'.  The new building is open ahead of schedule and offers an amazing 360º view of London from it's roof terrace, it has interesting open spaces for performance art and interactive installations.  Tate Modern is about a 15 - 20 minute walk away from Bermondsey Street.

Weird Fish scoops prestigious ECMOD Direct Commerce Award

Congratulations to British casual clothing brand Weird Fish for winning the Best Multichannel Retailers Business to Consumer Award at this year’s ECMOD Direct Commerce Awards.

Weird Fish clothing is available to buy nationally from Weird Fish retail stores and online. There are 13 branded stores and stockists including Debenhams, Cotswold Outdoor, Haskins and Blacks Leisure. 

The ECMOD Direct Commerce Awards spearhead the recognition of business excellence for organisations engaged in direct-to-customer retailing across traditional and newly emerging channels. With categories designed for those targeting sales to businesses as well as for those selling to consumers, these Awards also celebrate the achievements of businesses of all scales.

By utilising channels such as Amazon and eBay as well as its own website, Weird Fish won the Best Multichannel Retailers Business to Consumer Award with annual sales of between £5 million and £15 million.

Gerald Dawson, finance director at Weird Fish, says: “It was an absolute honour to receive this award on behalf of everyone at Weird Fish. We have been incredibly busy in the last year, introducing new products, opening stores and increasing our internet orders by 60 per cent so it was nice to take time out to mix with our peers at the Direct Commerce Awards.”

Cheltenham-based Weird Fish is currently shortlisted for the Cotswold Live Engineering, Manufacturing and Innovation (EMI) Awards in the Best Place to Work category. Winners will be announced on September 22.

Art-deco London building inspires new shoe design - Walsh X McCann London

Creative agency McCann London has created a new trainer with British sports shoe brand Norman Walsh, inspired by the agency’s iconic 1930’s art deco building on 7-11 Herbrand Street, London (near Russell Square).

The new ‘Herbrand Seven-Eleven’ trainer, in the distinctive white and green colours of the McCann building, was launched on June 8th at an exhibition devised and hosted by McCann London.

The partnership follows previous brand collaborations between Norman Walsh and fashion brands such as Universal Works and high street giant Marks & Spencer.

The exhibition tells the story of Norman Walsh through photos, film and shoes from the Norman Walsh archive dating back to 1948, featuring original track and field, marathon and fell running, rugby, football and cricket shoes, and including the running shoes brand founder Norman Walsh created for the 1948 Olympic Games.


Within the exhibition is a showpiece area named ‘The Peaks of Walsh’, featuring a formation of cairns - a reference to the stone cairns that are found on hill and mountain tops in the north of Britain. The showpiece celebrates the history of fell running, and the peaks that Walsh has reached in its long history.

The exhibition is open to the public and will run for two months.

McCann London designed the limited-edition Herbrand Seven-Eleven sneaker, which was then manufactured by hand in Walsh’s Bolton factory.  The trainer will be displayed in the agency’s Herbrand Street window as well as on sale on the McCann London website.

Laurence Thomson, Chief Creative Officer at McCann London, said: “Many sports brands are keen to stress their Britishness, but Norman Walsh is the only British-owned sports footwear brand still manufacturing in this country and a real authentic icon of the craft heritage that remains in this country, so we want to help tell their story"

Tim Walker, London agent for Norman Walsh, said: “Our collaboration with McCann London has not only resulted in a beautiful new trainer but an exhibition that brilliantly conveys the history of our brand and the craftsmanship that goes into everything we make. The team at McCann have a real passion and appreciation for our brand and we’re proud to work with them to make our story famous.”

Vegetable-tanned leather brand TINCT releases new playful film

Love the new film from TINCT Handbags, the brother and sister run leather goods label showcasing their collection of vegetable-tanned leather bags and accessories.  The UK designed and manufactured leather goods come in practical simplistic designs play with colour-blocking and contrasting details.  Great for everyday use.

To view the TINCT film, click HERE.

Showcasing the colourful world of plants, vegetation, flowers and paint that form the essence of the veg-tan heritage brand, the playful film - the first from TINCT - was directed & produced by London-based director Jack Driscoll, whose work for other brands such as Harvey Nichols, Adidas and YouTube has earned him international acclaim. 

The film was shot by Marek Mystika at Park Village Studio in north London, who also represent Driscoll. According to the brand, everything was shot in camera, with all set build and props created in the studio on the day.

Ben Broad from TINCT said: "This project is testament to the awesome dedication and hard work of everyone involved.  It’s an unbelievable culmination of Jack & his team’s creative drive, vision, selflessness, and talent.”

Heal’s launch first TV ad campaign on June 9th created on a high-fashion concept

Co-inciding with their annual Summer Sale, the British home and furniture retailer Heal’s showcase their best-selling Mistral sofa in their first ever television advertising campaign on June 9th, and marking the occasion with a launch party at their Tottenham Court flagship in London.  Capturing the timeless quality of a Heal’s piece, the advert takes viewers on a journey through time ending with the strapline, ‘A Love That Lasts, A Price That Can’t’.

ABOVE Behind the scenes: Heal's Mistral Sofa 4 seater in cognac leather

The film starts with the glamorous 1930s and moving through the 1960s and 1980s before arriving in present day.   The Director, Can Egvin created the high-fashion concept and has worked with Heal’s to deliver his vision.  His previous work includes Giorgio Armani; Dolce & Gabbana and The British Fashion Council so fashion shoots are second nature to him.  His vision ends on a simple shot of the beautiful Mistral sofa, a timeless classic.  Heal’s have worked with London-based singer songwriter Joel Bailey and his beautiful song about love and time, Wet Cement, is the perfect backdrop to the film.

For details of the launch party, click here.