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Bath in Fashion | Nautical Narrative
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Events, Fashion, Natasha Henson

Bath in Fashion | Nautical Narrative

Last Wednesday I had the privilege of being invited to some of the events taking place during Bath in Fashion and I’ve got some fantastic reviews to share over the next couple of days.

This was my first time at Bath in Fashion and having attending the preview bloggers day last month, I was eager to see what amazing things where lined up.  Due to other work commitments this year I was missing out on the BIF Live event but still got to see some amazing designers and some of my journalism icons all in one place.

I arrived in Bath to sunshine and made my way to the stunning Assembly Rooms where most of my day was going to be spent.  The first talk I attended was called Nautical Narrative, this was a conversation between the lovely chief print designer Sophie Chadwick at Seasalt Cornwall and Alice Olins of Red Magazine.  Take a look at my Nautical Narrative experience.

bath in fashion - seasalt cornwall

Nautical Narrative

When I was a lot younger the idea of becoming a fashion designer enamoured me. So hearing the story of an art student selling her handmade scarves to her now husband, certainly put a smile on my face.  This is how the lovely Seasalt Cornwall clothing brand started, a romantic story intertwined with a shared passion of design, beautiful clothing and Cornwall.

Design inspiration

Alice Olins, Fashion Features Director at Red Magazine dug into the nitty gritty of what’s makes this brand so special and how they create the unique designs we see in the brand today.  Starting with family values, Sophie explained the chemistry she has with her art form and inspiration from her surroundings.  Coming from a creative family, paved the way for her quirky yet beautiful designs which form key prints in many collections.  Inspiration has come in all forms from walking the Cornish coastline, dedicated themes for locations in Cornwall to their signature rain jacket modelled on the yellow fisherman’s waterproof.

Sophie has used many types of tools for creating her interesting designs including paints, wax and believe it or not a potato!  Yes the potato print we all know and loved as a child.  You can see an example of this print on the Larissa shirt in the collection.

Sustainable fashion

Another key detail was highlighted in the form of sustainability in the fashion industry.  This has become a fundamental element in the evolution of the Seasalt brand.  The brand became the first company to gain certification from the Soil Association and has gone on to work with them to create standards for the organic clothing industry.  Both an important and amazing step forward for sustainable and ethical fashion.

Careers advice from a fashion designer

So you want to be a fashion designer?  Well some of the lovely audience asked for some helpful tips on how to stay creative and any tips on making it in this competitive market.

‘Just keep drawing’ Sophie advised.  Keep your skills alive by doing what you love, the key is to learn to use technology to your advantage but don’t forget the basics as that’s what it all comes down to in the end.  She added that the industry is competitive but concentrate on what makes you and your designs special and focus on that.

 

Seasalt Cornwall is a great British brand with roots firmly at the Cornish coastline.  I throughly enjoyed learning about what makes this brand unique and listening to the story of an amazing family business growing into a national treasure.  Thanks to Bath in Fashion for hosting a great event, I can’t wait for next year!

Next up I’m showcasing the amazing catwalk event which will be including a fabulous video and my experience at the talk with Barbara Hulanicki of the iconic BIBA brand in conversation with Sarah Bailey from Red Magazine.

bath in fashion - seasalt cornwall

Words by: Natasha Henson

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