When Kate Middleton wore an Autumn/Winter red Beulah dress to a charity ball last October, she created a huge buzz around new label Beulah. However we had already received recommendations from our customers and were very excited to see the new Spring Summer 2012 collection. Beulah London, to give it’s full name, is a new venture by Natasha Rufus Isaacs and Lavinia Brennan, who , as they describe themselves:

“share a combined love for fashion, and a heart for social justice.”

“This luxury brand, comprised of elegant timeless pieces, is designed to exude sophistication whilst remaining effortlessly beautiful. The first collection, Amazing Grace, launching in Spring/Summer 2011, and made only of the finest premium silks and cottons, includes a stunning array of sweeping gowns, maxi and cocktail dresses, individualised by a stylish selection of bold prints and colours designed to set these pieces apart from the crowd.”

“Natasha and Lavinia, creative directors of Beulah London, say, “We wanted to create a luxury brand that was naturally elegant and easy to wear. Our designs are simple, with a strong philosophy behind them – to provide stunning fashion with a conscience.””

We have three styles instore, the Poppy and Jasmine long dresses, the Blossom dress and, as an exclusive to us, the Poppy dress in a short version that was recently in our window and created a lot of phonecalls to the shop! The prices range from £415 to £590 which is not bad for such an exclusive collection. Check out the photos below and pop into the shop to appreciate the beautiful fabrics. No wonder the Duchess of Cambridge, as we should call her now, was featured on the front of Hello in such a beautiful dress.

Many people know Katharine Bird for it’s occasion wear. And we do pride ourselves on scouring the fashion world for beautiful, versatile and wearable outfits for weddings, christenings, parties or race meetings! However we have always stocked casual and day wear, often at prices that compare very favourably to the highstreet whilst still having the quality you expect from the store.  This regularly includes work wear for those that need to dress up for the office/site/meeting place.

This spring we have in stock some particularly nice suits from Marc Aurel and Gerard Darel, two labels that have long stood out for their excellent fit and quality. There are skirt, trousers and dress options to go with the tailored jackets, in navy and grey. For those that can play with more adventurous combinations and/colours, Gerard Darel also has a delicious coral dress suit whilst we also have some very smart dress and jackets in red and navy from Aideen Bodkin and smart block colour dresses from Tara Jarmon, Penny Black, Nocturne and Ann Louise Roswald.

As always, we also have many easy to wear dresses and smart separates from the likes of Joseph, Inwear, Nougat nd Day Birger et Mikkelson. Pretty blouses are a must this Summer and we have some particularly nice ones from Almost Famous and new label Rose & Rose along with some equally nice examples from Day and Gerard Darel.

With the recent sunshine making valiant efforts to remind us that Spring is nearly upon us, we hope you’ll get a chance to pop in the shop and take a look at the new stock soon. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.

This is a great time of year in the shop when all the new season deliveries arrive. It’s always exciting to open the boxes and see what lovely garments will soon be available instore.  We’ve already had some casualwear from Hartford, BZR, Day Birger et Mikkelson and Inwear and now the occasion wear has arrived.

Libelula has produced some gorgeous colours and prints again and we have a variety of versions of the classic but ever lovely Millie dress along with some new pretty shapes to check out. Tara Jarmon is all about bright, bold colours in classic Tara petite shapes.  We’ve already had a very strong reaction to Aideen Bodkin with lots of jacket and dress combos.  Nocturne has already been featured in this post and Ann Louise Roswald is all about sumptuous detail as always.  Have a look at a few teaser pictures below. However you need to come into the shop to see AND feel everything in gorgeous detail!

Fashionista: Tell me about this collection and what’s different from your main line.
Matthew Williamson: I hate the word “diffusion,” but it is a diffusion line in the sense that it’s a secondary level to the main line. It’s less red carpet, less glamorous, less jet set, all those DNA qualities of the main line. They’re there, but they’re in much more subtle form, and it’s more about a day wardrobe for a more urban, contemporary, younger customer.

You have some specific design elements you’re well known for. What did you keep and what did you pitch for this line?
I kept the love of pattern, color, print, texture, effortless glamour.

What is challenging about a lower priced line? What do you have to give up?
With this line, weirdly, not very much. Because it’s owned by an Italian company, everything is manufactured in Italy, so the quality is certainly not sacrificed. It probably would be with a high street collaboration, but in this instance it’s not. It’s mid-priced. It’s not a cheap, low-end line. The quality is absoblutely there. It’s amazing what you can do.

It’s not often any shop can describe their clothing as exclusive but this is Matthew’s very first MW collection and the UK stockists are limited and we may well have items that no one else has in the world. Regardless, the collection is to die for – beautifully cut, flattering, glamorous, fantastic fabrics and colour. Everything you’d want from Matthew Williamson in fact but at a boutique price. Check out selected items below.

The Libelula velvet Dulwich coat was a firm favourite even before Kate Middleton or, as we should call her now, the Duchess of Cambridge, started to wear it.

As the exclusive stockists of the beautiful Libelula wedding dresses, it crossed our minds that a simple but elegant coat for Winter weddings would be an utterly unique and fabulous addition to the collection and designer, Sophie Cranston was happy to oblige with this exclusive cream silk, velvet, full length version of her classic design.

There aren’t many of these coats in existence and one is already reserved so don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re interested to visit the shop and try one on for fit.  The coat looks stunning over all of Sophie’s exquisite dresses but is pictured with the Vinnie dress in silk georgette.

In the gallery below there are a few more pictures of the wedding dresses. We have most styles in stock in most sizes, at the moment, along with a few one off styles in size 10 only.

The prices range from £650 to £900 which is incredible for 100% silk dresses (including the lining). Customers have bought them recently for weddings on cliff tops to classic English churches. When you want a dress that you wear with happiness throughout the day, rather than a dress that wears you, these vintage inspired, beautifully  and generously cut dresses beat the alternatives hands down.

We also have the Dulwich coat in the classic short length in cream velevet, if you’re going for a short dress for your special day or even if one sounds lovely for some other special occasion. Just remember, they’re only available at Katharine Bird.

The big question is whether we will have another cold and snowy winter.  Whether you’re regularly walking the dog, picking kids up from school, scurrying to work or off to a special occasion, we have some great clothes for you.  Poncho coats from Pablo, Ella Moon and Inwear. Cashmere from Don’t Label Me and Sheepskins from Joseph. The Puffa coat (Short and long) is still a must and we have lovely ones from Iblues, Gerard Darel, Pablo, Day and Joseph so you should be able to find the perfect one for you.

Whilst black and grey are still the main staples of any winter wardrobe, we have plenty of colours too: greens and mustards, reds and purples and luxurious creams and camels. There’s plenty of work wear from Tara Jarmon and Marc Aurel whilst Day. Berenice and Inwear still offer attractive dress up/dress down separates.

If you know what you want, we’ll point you in the right direction and if you need help, just ask and we’ll be delighted to offer you some suggestions.  New label MW from Matthew Williamson (his only boutique line) offers the cut and quality of his bespoke collection, enhancing our evening wear range greatly. Finally, the lace Libelula wedding dress that many people asked us about earlier in the year has finally arrived so do ask to have a look.