The 'Victoria' and her namesake

My next post on our A/W 2014 garments is on the Victoria cardigan and Queen Victoria, after whom our lovely knit is named (in case you hadn't guessed).

I've recently had more cause to be interested in Victoria's life and reign and the Victorians in general, as when I got married last year my then-fiancé and I had our wedding reception at Osborne House, which was Victoria & Albert's beautiful, Italian-inspired Isle of Wight escape.

Queen Victoria probably doesn't really need much of an introduction or explanation, but I will endeavour to provide a brief background about this incredible woman and monarch regardless.

Victoria was Queen of Great Britain and Ireland from June 1837 until her death in January 1901 and, together with her husband Albert, is associated with Britain's great age of industrial expansion, economic progress and empire. Victoria married Albert, her first cousin, in 1840 and so one of history's great love stories (in my opinion) began. During their marriage they had nine children, all of whom went on to marry into royal or noble families across Europe.

Seven attempts were made on Victoria's life between 1840 and 1882 but it was her courageous attitude towards these attacks that greatly strengthened her popularity.
After Albert tragically died in December 1861, Victoria was inconsolable, plunged into deep mourning and wore black for the rest of her life. She avoided all public appearances for many years and spent much of this time ensconced on the Isle of Wight with her family.
Victoria died at her beloved Osborne House after a reign which lasted almost 64 years, the longest in British history.

Follow these links to see the posts on the Emmeline dress and Suu sweater.

The 'Osborne' and its namesake

The 'hero' piece of our SS14 collection is the 'Osborne' beaded jacket. Inspired in part by a Japanese kimono, its almost regal status within the collection was what inspired us to name it after the tiny private beach at Osborne, which was once royal residence to Queen Victoria.

The jacket itself is a heavy piece constructed using a British blend of silk and wool, with a foil coated yarn running through the panels, which gives it a structural quality. The opening edge has been adorned with rows of silver plated beads which have been hand-crocheted on, taking several hours.

On a more personal note, Osborne House has a great deal of personal significance: when my family & I moved to the Isle of Wight in 1996, we started attending their open air concerts and went every year until they stopped them two summers ago. It became such a family tradition that we miss our annual picnic on their vast lawn! More importantly, I love it there so much that my fiancé and I decided it was the perfect spot for our wedding reception in just over two weeks' time.