Last week I was invited along to an event held by the British brand Brora. I wasn't aware of their shop on Fredrick street, so I had been looking forward to discovering what they had in store.
Brora specialises in cashmere clothing which is manufactured in a 200 year old mill located in the Scottish borders. The company is known for its excellent craftsmanship, with the majority of cashmere clothing made by hand. I was amazed by the attention to detail throughout production, which includes carefully selecting every fibre, making sure they are long and fine enough to avoid the garment from piling and losing shape. Also, can you believe there are over 50 processes to make one cashmere jumper?
There are plenty of other luxurious fabrics that Brora use, ranging from tweed to silk. It was also lovely to find that some of their pieces feature beautiful prints designed by Liberty of London. I really enjoyed browsing Brora's four main Autumn collections which are called Antarctica, Enchanted Forest, Tribal and Rising Sun. The latter is my favourite since I'm drawn to the oriental influences. Their Japanese garden printed blouse has my name all over it!
Moodboard for the Rising Sun story.
Brora has also had some amazing collaborations with designers such as Louise Gray and Michael van der Ham. We were able to preview the latest designer collab with emerging designer Eudon Choi, as seen at London Fashion Week. The collection was inspired by après-ski in the seventies and has a playful look that I can picture being worn by the likes of Susie Bubble.
Eudon Choi x Brora collection, available mid-October.
It was great listening to Brora's founder Victoria Stapleton talking about her experiences throughout her career as the creative director, from starting out in London during 1993 to building a business that now has 14 stores across the UK and one in New York. I could really feel how passionate Victoria is about sustainable fashion that is made in Britain, which has always been a core value of the company.
Meeting Victoria Stapleton with Emily and Katie.
Towards the end of the evening I tried on a few things with my friends. Emily opted for a plaid pleated skirt and, after a lot of thought, I decided on an aubergine coloured trilby with a wide brim. Since then I've been on the website and purchased a pair of Liberty print Japanese garden pants. I told you I was obsessed with that print!
Thanks so much to Brora for a fantastic evening. It's the perfect place to find stylish pieces that will last year after year, without going out of fashion. I really enjoyed learning about the company and it fully deserves all the success that comes its way.
