Merry Christmas
By now, I hope you’ve got all your Christmas shopping done, Christmas cards written (I’ve still to finish mine!) and are just adding the finishing touches to your Christmas food shop!
I was reading an interview with Charlie Mackesy (author of The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse) last night and where he talks about hibernating at about four o’clock when the sun sets in the Winter and this suddenly sounded very appealing!
I’ve had an extremely busy few months with Charl, which I’m absolutely thrilled about, it’s so heartening to discover that an idea that you’ve nurtured for many years and finally brought to life also resonates with other like-minded people. Especially when it’s something that aims to create a more sustainable, caring approach to living.
Many people have also told me how they love the story behind my collection; of the Norfolk fishermen, the photographer – Olive Edis, who captured their likenesses and the knitters who created the works of art that were the original Gansey jumpers. A surprising number of people have ancestors who once were fishermen and their stories form part of their own identities which they are keen to hold on to.
This is what I hoped for when I started work on the collection, in the archives of Cromer Museum – two years ago next month.
In the New Year I will begin thinking about new styles for the collection – as I have always said, this “slow” approach to fashion will be an evolution rather than a brand new collection, as I originally set out to create knitwear that lasts for a lifetime, not to be discarded each season. New pieces or colours will blend into an existing base (just like in your own wardrobe).
I will be looking at lighter colours to welcome in the Spring, and airier weights so that you can wear the knits well into the summer months. I’ve got lots of ideas about what these pieces might look like and I’ll be sharing inspiration, mood boards and “sneak peaks” with you over the coming months. What I can tell you now is that they will stay true to their roots on the East Anglian coast line and in the stories of the people who lived there.
But for now, I’d like to wish you a merry, peaceful and healthy Christmas and New Year!
Frankie x
