Friends of Begg x Co - Bay Garnett

Over 20 years’ experience as a stylist, editor, author and creative director of some of fashion's most enduring images.

As the pioneer of "thrifting", Bay was the first to include vintage pieces in luxury shoots, bringing thrifting into the mainstream. Today, her second-hand credentials are more relevant than ever to the future of fashion, as a cornerstone of sustainability.

Nature - Xanthe Gladstone - Growing a Mini Garden on Your Windowsill

I personally feel that it’s a myth that we need a garden to grow our own produce. There is really so much that we can do with a small indoor space to still provide fresh, delicious food for ourselves. All you need is a light and reasonably warm space, good quality compost, seeds, and something to plant them in. It’ll also be useful to get a small watering can or something that can be utilised to provide a steady and gentle stream of water onto the seeds. My general rule is to plant the seeds twice as deep as the seed is long, and cover it with compost, water it once or twice a day, and then wait to see what happens. Everything will germinate at different times so you have to be patient! 

Healthy Living - Sophie Hellyer, Cold Water Swimmer & Founder of Rise Fierce

Sophie grew up in Devon (UK) and loved the water from a young age. She became a champion surfer and model in her late teens but, as her career has progressed, she has pushed for a more inclusive surfing culture, with particular focus on feminism and diverse representation. She has also become a prominent spokesperson on ocean pollution, sustainability and ethical fashion. Sophie has written about these topics for publications such as The Independent, GQ Magazine, Glamour and Surf Girl. She even gave a TEDx talk in which she flashed her menstrual cup. Sophie founded Rise Fierce, a cold-water swimming community which empowers women through wild swimming and kinship. Currently living by the sea in Cornwall (UK), she regularly hosts Rise Fierce retreats across the UK – incorporating wild swimming, surfing, yoga and women’s circles – where she encourages other women to jump in and rise up. Sophie is also a qualified instructor for surfing, SUP, open-water-swimming and yoga, as well as a lifeguard at her local beach. 

Healthy Living - Xanthe Gladstone's Baked Jerusalem Artichokes

As I am now clearing out my garden to make way for this year’s growing, I now have an abundance of Jerusalem artichokes and cavolo nero to use up in the kitchen. This is a very simple and delicious recipe using the best of this season’s vegetables that makes a delicious lunch. 

Xanthe Gladstone's Guide to Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring

Spring is undoubtedly the most important time in a vegetable gardener’s year and it’s also the most challenging because there’s just so much to fit in. Sitting in my freezing cold kitchen in Wales in late January, I am actually craving the time when I can spend hours of satisfaction in my garden in March, but for now, it’s all about preparation and planning for that time. I want to get as ready as I can for that time and also set myself up for my most successful vegetable growing year yet. I’m going to share five top tips with you so that you can get your garden ready for Spring too. It’s harder to get motivated when the weather is cold and dark, but I assure you it’s so satisfying when you do force yourself to get out there. 

Why is Cashmere a Luxury Fibre?

Cashmere is the perfect fibre in so many ways. Not only is it soft, delicate and beautifully fine, it’s three times more insulating than sheep wool and is extremely versatile. Such versatility means that cashmere fibre can be transformed into a vast array of garments and styles – from the likes of chunky knits and lounge wear to light summer shawls and accessories. It’s interesting to note, while you wouldn’t choose to wear cashmere on a tropical beach, it’s very difficult to find a fibre that has all these qualities, while being so seasonally and stylistically versatile – I’m trying really hard to think of one – can you? 

These properties are the obvious response to the question ‘Why is cashmere a luxury fibre?’, however there are a lot more answers than you first might think…

Why Gift Cashmere?

When it comes to Christmas, there are three factors that come into play when I’m buying gifts. The first is thought – for me this is about the craftsmanship behind the item. Is it handcrafted? Locally-made? Is it beautiful/useful? The second is sustainability. What is it made from? Who made it? How sustainable are the production practises of the brand behind it? And finally… longevity. Is this item good quality? Is it evergreen? Will it last a long time? There’s no denying that treating the ones you love over Christmas is endlessly fun, but I believe we can do it in a way that is kind to the planet, that supports our favourite businesses and celebrates craftsmanship.

Indulgent Festive Treats - Lotti's Favourites from Begg x Co

Comfortable and classic cosiness is at the forefront of much of what I’m gifting this year, as well as supporting artisanal Scottish business. It’s safe to say, Begg x Co rolls all these into one, so I wanted to share some of my favourite finds from their Winter collections to bring a little inspiration to your gift hunt this year.

World Environment Day 2020

As we welcome another World Environment Day into a year that looks a lot different than the last, we should all be thinking about what we can do, in this new way of life, to encourage the sustainable stewardship of nature. The fashion industry has a significant role to play in this, from farms and manufacturing right through to transport, retail environments and the fibres we choose to invest in. Every decision we make impacts nature and this is no different when it comes to the cashmere industry and the cashmere we choose to buy. 

Author: Lotti Blades-Barrett, sustainability expert and writer. 

From Goat to Coat: A Cashmere Journey 

Welcome to the next instalment of: From Goat to Coat: A Cashmere Journey. This time around I’m going to be talking about the next stage of the cashmere supply chain; processing. Before reading this I highly recommend reading my first instalment about cashmere herding (see here!) so you can get a bit of context about what I’m talking about. You never know, you might learn something!

Author: Lotti Blades-Barrett, sustainability expert and writer.