Wool celebrates The Coronation of King Charles III

As UK is gearing up in anticipation of the big event of May 6 - the day of King Charles III’s Coronation - one cannot miss the plethora of commemorative merchandise on offer on British high streets, from high-end retailers, to souvenir and charity shops, be it luxury hampers, bespoke food items, designer scarves, china wares, mugs, plates and tea towels, to mark the historical occasion.

Bunting made in wool remnants ready to be hung outside Holland & Sherry at Savile Row

And just one week ahead of the big day, Buckingham Palace released three new official portraits of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, taken in the Palace's Blue Drawing Room by royal photographer Hugo Burnand, showing the King and Queen dressed in blue themselves while endorsing British tailoring and design.

King Charles wears a blue suit by Savile Row tailor Anderson and Sheppard, with a blue tie and white shirt by Turnbull and Asser of Jermyn Street.  The Queen is in a blue wool crepe dress from one of her favourite British designer Fiona Clare.

Indeed the royal couple are giving British fashion industry and the general retail business a big boost.

Thus it is not surprising to see all this week and through to May, the neighbourhood of' London's Savile Row including Clifford Street, Old Burlington Street and parts of St James's are celebrating the Coronation with over a mile of bunting, created by apprentice tailors in participating companies using red, white and blue wool Melton fabric from AW Hainsworth, as wool is a fabric historically used in the iconic red military uniforms.  

Military uniforms made from wool at Gieves & Hawkes (Royal Warrant Holder)

This is the initiative of The Campaign for Wool of which King Charles III convened in January 2010 while he was HRH The Prince of Wales, in association with Savile Row Bespoke.  As a long time campaigner for sustainable and renewable sourcing, King Charles has long been supportive of wool due to its biodegradable qualities.  The bunting is reusable and will be used for future events, according to Campaign for Wool.

Bunting being prepared at Richard James of Savile Row and Clifford Street

Chair of  Savile Row Bespoke, Anda Rowland, says in a press release, Savile Row has had a very long relationship with The Royal Household.

A tailor at Anderson & Sheppard preparing bunting made from remnant
Melton wool supplied by Hainsworth.

"To celebrate The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, the cutters and tailors put their skills to work to create bespoke woollen bunting from remnant Melton cloth from Hainsworth, a British mill with a remarkable heritage across the decades and especially with the military uniforms.  With over a mile of bunting, it will hang from 100% wool rope ensuring the bunting will be completely biodegradable, plastic-free and reusable.  

"The Campaign for Wool is King Charles' personal initiative as Prince of Wales, launched to assist wool growers from throughout the Commonwealth to challenge the rise of toxic synthetic fibres in the worlds of fashion and the built environment," said Ms Rowland.

Gieves & Hawkes

Historically wool has been used in many Royal events and for its natural performance benefits for clothing, interiors and other more unusual products.  It is anticipated for wool to feature predominantly as part of the Coronation and to play an integral part across multiple applications, each use highlights wool's manynatural performance benefits of comfort, crease resistance, moisture management and breathability, sound absorption and reproducibility, safety, longevity, versatility and durability.

"Wool will be used in virtually every part of the Coronation, from beginning to end."

"The 6,000 military, naval and air force personnel from the UK and Commonwealth will wear uniforms made from 15 miles of wool uniform fabric.  In addition, there will be formal dress, regalia and vestments, red carpets, hassocks and alter cloths, wool-filled saddles and blankets, undercrofts and ceilings cladded in wool for essential non-flammable insulation, canapies and awnings, casement linings for organs, pianos and percussion instruments, to mention just the essentials in evidence on the day, " said Sir Nicholas Coleridge, Chairman of the Campaign for Wool.

All images above from Campaign for Wool / Savile Row Bespoke.

Left:  Limited Edition Coronation Tea Towel made in Great Britain from The Village Green in Buckinghamshire.

The Coronation, to take place in Westminster Abbey on May 6th, will be witnessed throughout the Commonwealth and the rest of the world. 

This will be the first Coronation the UK has seen for 70 years.

INUIKII x Niamh Emily Foster launch limited-edition sassy footwear and hand-knits

Swiss sustainable footwear brand INUIKII have teamed up with London-based knitwear designer Niamh Emily Foster to create a limited-edition collection of hand-knit sweaters and bootie-styled sneakers. The "one-of-a-kind creations" were conceptualised through experimenting with yarn, mohair and leather.    

The INUIKII and Niamh Emily Foster collaboration has been two years in the making,
and the results are born out of a shared love for the unexpected.

After graduating from London College of Fashion, Niamh turned a lockdown hobby to a full-time passion, hand-crafting wearable art created from re-used yarns to produce a range of sassy garments  with raw handcrafted sensibility.

INUIKII was founded in Zurich by Cinzia Maag and her sons Danilo and Alessio in 2013, initially as a brand for the colder months, when both style and function is key.  INUIKII has since gone on to make state-of-the-art curated footwear for all seasons, combining durability and style, while having sustainability and practicality in mind. 

The INUIKII and Niamh Emily Foster collaboration has been two years in the making, and the results are born out of a shared love for the unexpected.  With this year marking INUIKII's 10th anniversary, they are pleased to be introducing their first ever UK collaboration of this kind.  

Founder Maag said, “I discovered Niamh’s art on  @mimimoocher and immediately fell in love with the raw handcraft and the sassiness of Niamh’s designs. We always had this idea in mind to support young artists, their energetic spirit and unexpected way of thinking. To start this kind of project era and this new kind of HERE I AM — which is one of the INUIKII pillars — with Niamh, made perfect sense. 

"Our brands are aligned, since we support womanhood, standing out, being bold and believing in what each of us is capable of. On the INUIKII side, we dived into the world of knitting, which was very interesting for us and is something that we want to take up in the future. 

We are now excited to see how many heads our collab pieces will turn!” said Cinzia Maag, INUIKII Founder & Creative Director. 

The collection is available at INUIKII.com.

Photos courtesy of INUIKII x Niamh Emily Foster

Remembering Dame Mary Quant (1930-2023)

Shown at a retrospective exhibition of Dame Mary Quant's lifetime achievements held at London's Victoria & Albert Museum that ran from 6 April 2019 to 16 February 2020, was a photo featuring Dame Mary Quant having her iconic Geometric Haircut created by Vidal Sassoon in his London salon on Bond Street.  Quant championed the look, as iteration of the Sassoon blunt-cut bob style was sported by the likes of Princes Margaret (sister of Queen Elizabeth II), actress Mia Farrow and Vogue creative director Grace Coddington.  

It was news that shook Britain's fashion world when Mary Quant's family announced the iconic designer's passing on 14 April 2023.  She was 93.

Quant's family announced to the PA news agency that the designer died peacefully at home in Surrey, UK.

Dame Mary Quant is remembered as Britain's best-known designer who changed the fashion system and established London as a new centre of style to face off the dominance of Paris couture.

While she was defined as the designer who made the miniskirt a wardrobe staple and established the playful look for women in the 1960s, her span of achievements was so much more.

Exactly four years ago, London's Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington launched a major exhibition to celebrate the late designer's amazing career between 1955 and 1975 featuring more than 200 garments, including unseen pieces from Quant's personal archive.  

In addition to miniskirts, her vast span of designs included hot pants, iconic dresses and coats, vibrant tights, makeup, sunglasses, berets as well as miniature versions of her designs on diminutive Daisy dolls and of course her famous daisy logo. 

Left and right photos show
Daisy dolls dressed in
scaled-down versions of 
Mary Quant's designs.

Quant first came on the scene with her experimental boutique Bazaar of 1955 and by the 1960s and 70s, Mary Quant became an international brand as thousands of her products were mass-produced and exported around the world.

Sporting her instantly recognisable geometric haircut (fashioned by Vidal Sassoon himself in London), Quant was an ambassador of her revolutionary look.  

Mary Quant's OBE dress

When Quant went to Buckingham Palace to collect her OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) award, she sported a mini jersey dress made of jersey commonly used on sports clothing. It featured functional details like her favourite circular zip-pulls and contrasting top stitching.  The OBE dress became her signature look.

The long dress possibly from the 39 Ginger Group designs show
at the Hôtel de Crillon, Paris on 19 April 1963. 

"The whole point of fashion is to make fashionable clothes available to everyone."    Mary Quant 1966

Following the announcement of her death, Victoria and Albert Museum wrote on Twitter:  It’s impossible to overstate Quant’s contribution to fashion. She represented the joyful freedom of 1960s fashion, and provided a new role model for young women. Fashion today owes so much to her trailblazing vision."

All photos by Lucia Carpio, taken at an exhibition to celebrate Dame Mary Quant's lifetime achievements at London's Victoria & Albert Museum.  The exhibition ran from 6 April 2019 to 16 February 2020.

Furla in Partnership with Magnificat to launch home line at Milan Design Week 2023 this April

Italian luxury brand Furla known for its desirable leather goods since 1927, has collaborated with Magnificat to launch the Furla Home line during Milan Design Week 2023 (April,18th-23rd 2023).

In synergy with the brand's expansion goals, the Bologna-based Furla Group has signed a licensing agreement with Magnificat for the development, production, and distribution of the home collections globally. 

Furla Home is a mash-up of temporal blend between fashion and design. Two worlds that merge and find legitimacy in univocal values, such as a focus on craft processes and technological innovation, according to Furla Home.

The Italian brand expresses an authentic, unique and inclusive lifestyle following its unique DNA; presenting a distinctive style, interiors of timeless elegance and an aesthetic that combines well with functionality.

Described as timeless elegance, Furla Home's furniture range features sleek designs that add a touch of class to any room. A mash-up of temporal blend between fashion and design, the two worlds of Furla and Magnificat merge in Furla Home to offer a distinctive style with an aesthetic that does not forgo functionality.

“It is an honour for us to be part of the Furla family. Our mission with Furla Home is to represent the most refined qualities of Italian lifestyle in the world. Every single creation is as synonymous with elegance and creativity as the brand it represents. The cultural values that inspire us are the natural extension of Furla’s DNA to dress homes.” said Alessio Sghinolfi, CEO of Magnificat

Rory Hutton's new scarf for Westminster Abbey commemorates King Charles III Coronation

Award-winning, Cambridge-based designer Rory Hutton has launched a new scarf designed exclusively for Westminster Abbey as the official King Charles III Coronation scarf to commemorate the first coronation to take place at the Abbey in 70 years.

Rory started working with Westminster Abbey since 2019 on this classic silk scarf, shown at left with the British designer and below.

He took inspiration from the oak leaves and birds represented on the coronation chair, the Abbey’s medieval tiles and the heraldic animals and plants which symbolise the four nations that make up the United Kingdom.  

Created from Rory’s signature linocut illustrations, this intricate medieval inspired design is resplendent in a vintage-style colour palette of red, white and blue. The borders are emblazoned with the names of the King and Queen as well as the coronation date.

The official King Charles III Coronation scarf by Rory Hutton was commissioned by Westminster Abbey 
to commemorate the first coronation to take place at the Abbey in 70 years.
Made in Italy in 100% silk, the scarf measures: 90x90cm. 

This year, the artist,, known also as a print maker and historian, is also celebrating his 10th anniversary since starting his business in 2013 with handmade Irish linen bow ties.

In the January 2023 edition of The English Home, he was awarded a New Year Honour in the category "Rising Stars",  while the Homes & Antiques magazine had described the designer’s scarves as ‘worthy collectables’.  Previous awards included Ion Magazine Breakthrough Awards winner and runner-up in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Rewilding Blooms scarf (45x45cm) created by Rory Hutton, featuring lively linocut illustrations of Ground Elder, Primroses, Brambles, Buttercups, Ragged Robin, Nettles, Cow Parsley, foxgloves, bluebells, dog roses, daffodils, and orchids. This scarf is designed to celebrate the theme of rewilding, showcasing the beauty of native
plant species that are essential to our ecosystems.  It is a result of the collaboration between Rory Hutton, and Hannah Gardner, a Kew-trained head gardener with over 20 years of experience in sustainable and organic horticulture.

Rory Hutton said: “From making bow ties in my home studio in Wimbledon and achieving considerable success with my silk scarves to receiving a thrilling commission to design a range of items to celebrate the King’s coronation, it has been a hugely rewarding decade for me.

“At the heart of my work - essentially, guiding it for every item - are a commitment to reinterpret historical themes for modern audiences, and a joy in creating visually striking and culturally relevant designs."

Rory Hutton's Constance scarf in blue (90x90cm).

It features roses and peonies tied in elaborate bouquets alongside Chinese fans of varying shapes. These prints were developed from lino blocks lending them a distinctive and contemporary feel.
This design is available in four unique colour-ways.

Rory Hutton Anniversay Portrait by Anne Schwarz

Rory Hutton has collaborated with more than 30 major heritage and retail institutions at home and abroad, including Buckingham Palace, The British Museum, The Royal Opera House, Victoria & Albert Museum, National Theatre, Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in California.  Notable clients include Fortnum & Mason of Piccadilly and Brown Thomas, Dublin.

Over the last five years, Rory has designed over 100 silk scarves, featuring his signature linocut illustrations and block colours, most of them commissioned by clients to celebrate major exhibitions, events, and anniversaries, including a Queen Elizabeth II commemorative scarf commissioned by Westminster Abbey, and Feminine Power: The Divine to the Demonic for The British Museum. 

Rory’s most recent collection has been inspired by the 400th anniversary this year of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio, widely regarded as one of the most significant literary treasures in the world. The range is stocked by the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Westminster Abbey, and The British Museum.

Rory’s charitable work includes designing Christmas cards for The Hands Up Foundation to raise funds for medical centres and schools in Syria and Lebanon; and designing crowdfunding awards for The Art Fund’s ‘Conserve Canaletto’ campaign.

As his business enters its second decade, Rory plans to move into interior design, encompassing tablecloths, napkins, wallpapers, and upholstery fabrics - both, for the home and the UK and international hospitality sector - all of which will be informed by his deep love of art, craft, and heritage.

All images courtesy of Rory Hutton Ltd.

Tommy Hilfiger collaborates with streetwear brand Aries

American brand Tommy Hilfiger newest collaboration with London-based luxury streetwear brand, Aries is an ideal match.

The Tommy Hilfiger x Aries collaboration is a powerful play of exaggerated proportions on layers and denim,
bringing a distinct Aries luxury streetwear vibe to Tommy Jeans'  modern prep. 

The collection focuses on shared silhouettes and proportion play, detailed by Aries' handcrafted and distressed techniques to reimagine classic Tommy codes.

The 35-piece menswear, womenswear and footwear Tommy x Aries collection is inspired by TOMMY JEANS’ archives and updated through an Aries lens. 

Key items include the jacquard tape logo dress and black trucker jacket with a 5-pocket matching pant, a relaxed indigo denim jacket and baggy split colourway screen-printed denim pants. The collection is available at select Tommy Jeans stores and wholesalers, on tommy.com and at the Aries store in London.