An evening of fashion

Have you ever wondered what goes behind an introduction of a fashion collection? Have you ever imagined how much thought (and planning) goes into a new collection and what happens inside a design room? After working at a fashion e-tail business for 3 years, I know quite a lot about all these and the inner workings of a design room. It really is a unique opportunity! For the wider public though, this is a revelation, so I applaud each and every business in the industry, providing an insight into their work. So when I received an email from Cath Kidston inviting me to a meet-and-greet with their designers, I just grabbed this opportunity!

Cath Kidston is a brand I love so much for many reasons. I have a wonderful, sturdy and stylish (did I mention sturdy?) umbrella from Cath Kidston that has been my constant companion when it’s raining or even snowing. It has a beautiful floral print and a wooden handle, and is truly the best come rain or wind! I also have a couple of handbags from them, but my favourite accessory is indeed this umbrella. I just love their attention to prints and patterns and how their florals are not in-your-face florals, but rather understated and elegant.

So the event was held at Cath Kidston Piccadilly, just 10 minutes away from Leicester Square, at 6 o’ clock. I will have to give the team that organised this props for that, as both the location and the time were extra convenient for me. So, I got in and was promptly led to the first floor, where a table full of glasses filled with prosecco and two rows of chairs greeted me. The staff at Cath Kidston were very helpful and I even got my glass topped up! How cool is that! Luckily we didn’t have to wait too long, as the event started at 6 and the discussion started.

We were introduced to Christine, who is the design director at Cath Kidston, and Cecily, the senior bag designer. They both gave us a little insight into their work at Cath Kidston and what it means to be a designer for this brand. Both of them mentioned the importance that is given in the prints every season and how that makes this company different from all the rest. In Cath Kidston they don’t really follow the trends; they are a little world of their own, producing what they know best, modern-vintage looking bags and other accessories (and even fashion pieces) with unique and colourful prints that, as Christine described, evoke happy feelings and nostalgia. These feelings from childhood play their part in the success of the brand and its continued presence in the market.

Later, Christine and Cecily introduced us to the new Freston print and the launch of the new range, which includes a cross-body bag, a classic tote, a backpack, some pouches and wallets and demi bags, which are in fact Cecily’s favourites. All of them looks fab, with some pretty detailing. It was actually awesome to looks at the new collection through the eyes of, well, their designers. After that, both Christine and Cecily were able to answer some of our burning questions, like for example if they plan to include more in the Disney collection (answer: we will have to wait and see!) or if they plan on moving towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly future for Cath Kidston’s collections (the answer is yes!)

The night was a success through and through. Prosecco really did help, both Christine and Cecily were approachable and warm and everyone was merry. I do think that you can judge a company (in this case, a fashion company) by how happy its employees are (and I’m not talking about the fake, overly enthused cases). Just genuinely happy and these ladies shared passion and love about what they do and about whom they work for. I find this equally exciting as the launch of the new Freston print. I am so excited about it and would love to try one of the new totes, if I’m honest!

For me though the best part of the evening was the goody bag I received, which was basically a Cath Kidston carrier bag, printed with the Freston pattern, which was an absolute delight! Now within the bag, there was a lovely bag charm, a book that I can’t wait to get my hands on (celebrating Cath Kidston’s success from 1993 onwards) and a beautiful mug with a floral print throughout. I am now using it to drink my tea, see? I think this goody bag was a wonderful touch, not only because of its contents, but also because of how thoughtful it looked as a gesture! That along with the glass of bubbly really made my evening! The shopping bag is actually huge and roomy and I would love to use it again and again as a carrier bag, if I didn’t fear it would break! No, I’m kidding, I’ll gladly use and re-use it again!

Overall, the Cath Kidston meet-and-greet event was a success in my view and I would like to attend similar ones from this (and other ones) brand. In fact, both Cecily and Christine promised that! For now, I will be satisfied with next week’s panel discussion from Refinery29 and Coach, with a title “Dream It Real”. Oh, and did I mention that the proceeds will be donated to charity? That’s one amazing idea, on top of another great evening out in London! See you all there!

Till next time,

Sofia-Maria