OOTD Diaries : Harness your inner Firehorse!
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
People often ask why I like to buy designer
goods, some believe it’s for the kudos of being seen to wear designer labels,
or that I have “more money than sense”! But those reasons couldn’t be farther
from the truth, in fact it’s the opposite, every substantial purchase is always
considered. For me the choice to buy from a designer label stems directly from
my love and appreciation of premium quality and craftsmanship. From the initial
design process, to the finest artisans using premium materials to skilfully create
the final product, this is where the real value lies in an exceptional designer
piece. It’s value should never be attributed to a flashy name, but rather it’s should be discovered through an appreciation of the heritage, quality and skill required
to create such an exquisitely made piece.
We all know established labels like Hermès
or Chanel but for me the most exciting labels to wear are from the emerging sector,
not only does it support our future designers but more often than not you are
purchasing a treasured item that has a certain level of exclusivity, a hidden
jem if you will, that will set you apart from the rest of the fashion set. I am
so happy to say that I recently discovered such a jem, in the form of “Firehorse
Fashion”.
Founded by Finella Devitt, her dream was to
build a UK-based luxury accessories brand that focused on creating wearable
works of art by emerging designers using only the very finest of British
craftsmanship to create something truly special.
At the very core of Firehorse is Finella’s
attention to detail, spending many months sourcing only the finest silk satin, woven
in the traditional silk-producing villages of China where generations of
farming families plant and nurture mulberry trees to produce the finest silk
cocoons, and in turn, the finest silk thread.
The silk satin is then transported to
Macclesfield, a city whose silk heritage spans four centuries where expert
artisans create each beautiful scarf. The silk is washed in local limestone
infused waters to enhance it’s beautiful lustre, while the designs are then
printed using a digital technique that ensures the print is as beautiful on the
reverse as it is on the front. The hem is then gently hand rolled and is exquisitely finished with hundreds of individual hand sown stitches. The artistry of
finishing a scarf in this way has to be seen to be appreciated and creates a
beautiful structure and drape to the scarf as it is worn.
These kind of details may not seem
important to some, but for someone who appreciates luxury to the extent that I
do, each of these elements work together to produce a scarf at the finest level
of quality. For their first collection Firehorse partnered with four inspirational British artists and textile designers to create twelve limited designs that perfectly capture the free spirited and creative nature of the Firehorse customer.
As I browsed through each of the scarves on their website I
found myself immediately drawn to one of Rachel Parker’s designs, “Mirror”. It’s
strong vibrant jewel like colour tones capturing my eye and my heart too! A perfect
juxtaposition between colourful femininity and geometric patterns, it’s design
captures a strong contemporary feel but retains an artisan feel to its look.
I knew immediately that it’s warm pink and purple tones, contrasted by blues,
vibrant oranges and cool teals would work perfectly with my chic and stylish
wardrobe, adding intrigue and romanticism to any ensemble.
I was truly blown away when I first received my Firehorse
“Mirror” scarf, and each time I wear it I feel so special wearing something so
beautifully made. A Firehorse scarf is so much more than just a scarf, it
represents the finest skill and artistry, a heritage piece that can be passed
down from one generation to another. A true work of art to be admired, loved
and most of all worn with happiness!
For my first outfit I decided to take a super
tailored black suit and give it a fashion edge by adding my Firehorse "Mirror" scarf to the look, tying it in a fun and funky asymmetric bow to give it a playful and flirtatious edge. I believe the clothes we wear should reflect our
personalities and the strong, vibrant colours of scarf perfectly reflect my own
sense of empowerment. As a women who isn’t afraid to take on the world on my
terms, my looks are always effortlessly chic,
sophisticated and most of all individual. The "Mirror" scarf perfectly encapsulates
this!
However just as a mirror shows many reflections, the same can be said of a personality. Like most people my personality is a myriad of facets and this is also reflected in my sense of style. My second outfit whilst chic, also shows my playful side, colour blocking a vibrant indigo with a zesty orange to create a mischievous feel to an otherwise perfectly coordinated look. Fun but chic, flirtatious and elegant, this outfit probably best describes me as a person and my "Mirror" scarf perfectly brought together all the colours the look together!
With such a versatile design I loved styling two completely different outfits to reflect the myriad of ways to rock my Firehorse scarf! We think of silk satin as a delicate and precious material, but the silk is of such exceptional quality that you really can play with it, twisting and tying the fabric without worrying if it will snag or crease, another example of why quality is so important!
It was such a pleasure to collaborate with Finella and Firehorse, a company that truly embodies all the qualities that make luxury pieces so special and covetable. I cannot believe that I get to own such an exceptional scarf and I am proud to be able to call myself a "Firehorse Lady".
I am also extremely excited to share with you all an exclusive discount code for anyone else who has fallen in love with Firehorse as much as I have!
The code will give you 15% off any purchase from the Firehorse website.
Just enter the code LOULOU15 at the checkout!
Firehorse Fashion:
"Mirror" by Rachel Parker:
(T&C's apply: Discount is set up to run for 4 weeks from Tuesday 21st Aug (6am) to Monday 17th Sept (midnight) - 15% off entire order, one use per customer.)
Photographs: Adrian Quinn Photography.
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