Monthly Archives: October 2015

Plum of London Triumphs At Junior Design Awards 2015

Plum of London receives highly prestigious award in the Best Eco-Fashion Brand category in the Junior Design Awards 2015.

The alpaca knitwear brand Plum of London, is delighted to announce that Junior Design Awards 2015 has ‘Highly Commended’ their ethical range of luxury children’s knitwear.

Often referred to as ‘Vogue for children’, Junior Magazine has always showcased the very best in beautifully designed, exquisitely crafted products and lifestyle brands for the discerning and style conscious parent. Every year, parenting and family brands, products and experiences are judged against each other in order to bring their readers the ‘cream of the crop’.

Competing for the Best Eco-Fashion Brand, Plum of London’s exquisite range of British made children’s alpaca knitwear and accessories was assessed by this year’s meticulous judging panel and faced stern competition so were extremely proud to have received such an esteemed award. The brand’s founder Hugo Douglass, commented “We believe in our product as well as in our business practices but to be recognised for our endeavours is extremely fulfilling. Given that, as yet, few people are aware of the incredible benefits of alpaca yarn, we thought our journey might be longer than others’ but to be acknowledged in this manner confirms that we’re on the right track.”

With other entrants including Harrods, Marks and Spencer, Mothercare, Frugi and Jigsaw Junior, the competition was always going to be fierce but thanks to an informed and knowledgeable judging panel, the true winners had no trouble in shining through. The singer Rachel Stevens, designer Olivia Rubin, journalist Erika Davies and Editor of Prima Baby magazine Kelly Beswick were just a few members of the judging panel at this year’s awards.

Plum of London was launched in 2014 with the premise to create ethical and sustainable luxury knitwear using the world’s finest yarn, Royal alpaca. With a desire to support and ultimately revive the British knitwear industry, each piece has been expertly crafted in sympathetic knitting and weaving mills throughout England and Scotland to push the boundaries in knitwear fashion. These mills can all be attributed in helping the brand realise its ambitions: to create sustainable and eco-friendly luxury British knitwear using ethically sourced alpaca yarn. This remains firmly at the heart of the Plum of London brand.

Plum of London x Positive Luxury

The luxury British knitwear label Plum of London has received recognition for its sustainable practices and has been awarded the Butterfly Mark

“Positive Luxury” has awarded the sustainable alpaca knitwear brand Plum of London, with the Butterfly Mark for its outstanding commitment to championing positive initiatives on both a local and global level. These achievements have led to Plum of London’s recognition by the advisory board of Positive Luxury as a Positive Brand of 2015.

Plum of London has completed and excelled the assessment and verification process by the Positive Luxury advisory board including leading experts such as Dilys Williams – Director of the Centre of Sustainable Fashion, Sir Jonathon Porritt – founder of Forum for the Future, Patrick Laine – CEO of Better Cotton Initiative and Nigel Salter – co-founder of SalterBaxter. Positive Luxury awards the Butterfly Mark to brands that have a positive impact on both people and the planet.

“We are delighted to receive the Butterfly Mark because we firmly believe that sustainable action, particularly in the luxury fashion market not only consolidates our brand’s reputation but also enhances its competitiveness” says Plum of London’s Founder Hugo Douglass. “We go to great lengths to ensure that we’re innovators in all practices concerning sustainability and alpaca – it is at the very core of all that we do and to receive recognition for this is a great honour. If we can be respectful to our partners, the communities in which we live and remain respectful to our planet’s finite resources, we will enjoy long-term success as a company.’’

In being awarded the Butterfly Mark, Plum of London stands alongside many highly esteemed brands who have been recognised for their conscientious and methodical approach to improving both their ethical and sustainable credentials. These brands include but are not exclusive of Gucci, Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen. If other global brands can share the same desire and ambition to provide consumers with a greater level of trust and transparency in all their dealings, the world and its inherent beliefs will no doubt change for the better. Armed with Brand Ambassadors including actor Adam Garcia, journalist Celia Walden and philanthropist and humanitarian Alisa Swidler, the company’s ultimate aim will surely soon be realised.

Plum of London strives to create a diverse and conscientious environment combining the same meticulous approach to their positive initiatives as they bring to each of their luxury knitted and woven alpaca pieces. As many similarities have been made and comparisons drawn, some commentators have likened the luxury British alpaca brand to that of Brunello Cucinelli’s eponymous cashmere brand. Perhaps Plum of London will indeed become Britain’s answer to the ‘King of Cashmere’ some day or as they will no doubt prefer to be known, the ‘King of Alpaca.’

Year of the Shirt: Turnbull and Asser & LCF

Plum of London’s favourite shirtmaker, the British heritage brand Turnbull and Asser, have just launched a challenge for London College of Fashion’s undergraduate menswear and womenswear design students. London College of Fashion marks 2015 as The Year of the Shirt and in celebration of this, the students have been requested to reimagine and reconstruct everything they know about traditional shirting and create their own through their inspiration.

The head of London College of Fashion Professor Frances Corner OBE, commented: ”We are delighted to be working with Turnbull & Asser, who were founded in 1885 and have been a royal warrant shirtmaker since 1980, on a project which takes an item that is almost ubiquitous in everyone’s wardrobe and deconstructs and interrogates it with amazing results.”

Dean Gomilsek-Cole, Head of Design, Turnbull & Asser said of the collaboration:
”With 130 years of experience behind our brand, we wanted to make sure we were firmly focused on the future and being able to engage with young designers is key to that focus. The SHIRT project presents us with a two-way challenge, between history and innovation, the results of which will no doubt inspire.”

Turnbull & Asser will announce the winner of the project later in October at their showroom in Mayfair whilst their prize is already known: their design will then go into production for the proceeds to support them in their final year at UAL.

This is a rather similar enterprise to Plum of London’s own scheme to support the most promising young British knitwear designers and if other British heritage brands followed suit, the incredible creative potential these shores provide will soon be realised.

Prince George & Princess Charlotte in Plum of London

It’s been well known for some time that Prince George’s Christening Shawl was made by G.H. Hurt in their Nottinghamshire lace mill but not many know that he and Princess Charlotte also own a Plum of London Christening Shawl crafted in the world’s finest alpaca by the same mill!

G.H. Hurt have been supplying the very best lace knitwear since 1912 from their ”Shawl Factory” in Nottingham, England. The specialist lace knitwear company has been owned by the same family for over 100 years and is currently presided over by Mr Henry Hurt, grandson of the company’s founder George Henry Hurt.

The Duchess of Cambridge was holding HRH Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana wrapped in the company’s Elegant Soft Wool Baby Shawl as she emerged from St Mary’s Hospital for the first time in May whilst Prince George was seen in GH Hurt’s Super-fine merino wool shawl in 2013 .
The quality of the wool and merino christening shawls however don’t offer as many qualities or attributes as our very own suitably named Royal alpaca fibre which has been ethically sourced from South America.

100% Royal alpaca Christening Shawl by Plum of London

There are numerous benefits that Royal alpaca yarn offers new born babies that many are not even aware of; it’s hypoallergenic, breathable, naturally antibacterial and possesses incredible thermal qualities- better even than merino. The softness of each piece crafted from this wondrous fibre is breath-taking: some say that it’s even softer than the finest cashmere – avid followers and lovers of alpaca clothing and knitwear are often surprised at actually how well Royal alpaca yarn handles. The attributes of Royal alpaca yarn doesn’t stop there either- it boasts incredible durability falling just behind the strongest of all natural yarns, silk.

To learn more of the incredible attributes of Royal alpaca yarn, visit: http://www.plumoflondon.com/why-alpaca.php

We continue to receive wonderful feedback from all who have adorned their new-born babies in our Royal alpaca Christening Shawls and look forward to the chance to adorn more babies in our luxury shawls in the future.