The 'Appley' and its namesake

Our beautiful 'Appley' cropped sweater from the SS14 collection was named after Appley Beach on the Isle of Wight, a short walk from the Hall family home. It's a beautiful, long and sandy beach which connects Ryde with Seaview. It has it's own little tower which, the last time I looked, was occupied by a tiny gift shop and a large shaggy dog with dreadlocks. I don't actually have any idea why the tower was built, or when. If anyone knows, please let us know.

The sweater itself is knitted in our British blend of silk and wool that we've used throughout the collection. It has a foil coated yarn running through the cuffs on the sleeves, giving them a distinctive, structured 'bell' shape.

The 'Steephill' and its namesake

Our S/S 2014 collection would not have been complete without a bikini of some description - we love a bit of knitted swimwear here in the studio and the sheer element of some of our pieces demands that you layer something underneath to protect your modesty... as demonstrated in the image below.

This season we kept it very simple, with a plain bandeau and matching knickers, which we named after one of the prettiest and hidden spots on the Isle of Wight: Steephill Cove. It's not accessible by road, but down some very steep steps which you access via a tiny side road in Ventnor. During the summer there are a couple of dinky cafes serving the most delicious fresh crab, caught right there on the doorstep. 

The 'Whitecliff' and its name sake

Whitecliff Bay is at the easternmost point on the Isle of Wight. The beach there is hugely popular in the summer months and is accessible only by two steep tracks. All the best places on the island are trickier to get to!

Random historical fact: Whitecliff Bay was one of the landing points for the French invasion of the island in 1545. There you are - don't say we don't teach you anything.

Now for the knit: our Whitecliff dress is an easy summertime staple, a relaxed, simple vest dress in a British blend of silk and wool to throw on on a cool day. 

The 'Freshwater' and its namesake

Our asymmetric dress 'Freshwater' is named after one of the more dramatic locations on the Isle of Wight: Freshwater Bay.

Every year in May a charity event called 'Walk the Wight' takes place, where thousands of people walk from the furthest point on the east of the island to the furthest on the west: Bembridge to Alum Bay. My favourite part is when you join the Tennyson trail, which runs along the 'spine' of the island, dropping down into beautiful Freshwater Bay and then leading steeply up again, onto Tennyson Down. The cliffs are stunning and on a clear day, before you come down into Freshwater, you can look from north to south and actually see the distinctive shape of the island either side of you.

Our lightweight two-tone 'Freshwater' dress is knitted using a British silk and wool blend, with the same structured 'bell' sleeve as the Appley sweater. 

Recent press coverage: Raconteur for the Times

I've returned from a trip to Hong Kong. Before I left I was interviewed by a journalist at the Times about my change of career from photographer to creator of knitwear. The article, about taking the plunge and going into manufacturing as an alternative occupation, was in Raconteur in the Times last Monday, 3rd March. You can read the entire article here.

Introducing the Autumn/Winter 2014 collection, continued

As promised yesterday, here is the rest of the Autumn/Winter 2014 collection, for your delectation.... For part one, click here.
[Photography by Alyssa Boni, make-up by Ellie Tobin, model Naomi Pelkiewicz)

Introducing the Autumn/Winter 2014 collection

If you haven't been following our Instagram feed over the last day or so, you may not have seen our new collection gradually appearing, image by image. We're going to share yesterday's images with you below. To catch the rest of them still coming through today, find us here.

This season we were inspired by strong, influential women throughout the world with a focus on the specific craft of knitting and crochet – for example: most of the pieces consist of knitted panels which have then been assembled using an assortment of different crochet stitches. The Boudicca coat also features a scarf panel which has been knitted using a yarn which was hand-spun especially for us by a local spinner in Dalston (Sheep of Steel) using Merino wool and sustainable soy bean fibre.

See part two of our big reveal here.
[Photography by Alyssa Boni, make-up by Ellie Tobin, model Naomi Pelkiewicz)