It’s near on exactly a year since I first wrote a blog for the Country Girls UK website and what a 12 months it’s been. So many amazing things have happened here at Ginger & Jardine in the past year – new products, amazing collaborations and exhibiting at my favourite event of the summer – that it’s hard to believe the brand is only four years old! My aim when I started the brand was to create country clothing that was the perfect blend of style and substance. Garments which would look good, last for years, wash well and fit like a dream. The country check roll necks have been more popular than even I imagined (and I knew I was onto a good thing!) and it’s been a pleasure to share the benefits of bamboo fabric with more people.
As well as the iconic country checks, our customers were also snapping up stock shirts, snoods and socks all crafted from those popular bamboo blends. Bamboo is PERFECT clothing for active country folk because it’s breathable, moisture-wicking, antibacterial and it’s so soft against your skin! But in time, we wanted to expand our collection to include other styles of clothing and ensure there were options which worked all year-round and for relaxing at night after a long day in the field!
Ginger & Jardine goodies for any time of day – or night!
Our customers would so often comment that our bamboo blends are so soft and silky they wish they could sleep in them, so I set about designing a loungewear collection. That launched in November last year and you can now stretch out in front of the TV or catch up on your beauty sleep all whilst enjoying the oh-so-soft and silky fabric of our much-loved bamboo fabrics. 2021 also saw us collaborate with luxury country and equestrian brand Glaze & Gordon and Ruth Buchanan Art to share the Hunt Jump collection with the world, which went down an absolute storm!
A new collaboration with Charlotte Patten Art
The runaway success of that fieldsports print design meant that when I met a local pencil artist here in Suffolk and saw how gorgeous her work was, those cogs in my head immediately started turning. Charlotte Patten has made a real name for herself with her stunning drawings of British wildlife and game birds, and I just knew that our customers would love to see one of her designs on a Ginger & Jardine design… or two! Charlotte is a country lady through and through, hailing from a farming family, working her gundogs during the season, and smashing clays competitively for the Suffolk County team. When I eventually sat down with Charlotte to pick a design to put on our fabric there was a clear winner – the pheasant! What’s more, it looked as though the stars would align for us to launch the new print at The Game Fair this July.
‘The Pheasant’ is unveiled at The Game Fair
This year we took the Ginger & Jardine trade stand to The Game Fair for the very first time! If you’re keen on country pursuits then this incredible celebration of shooting, fishing, hunting, falconry, gun dogs, rural crafts, country fashion and British food and drink is a must-visit. It took place at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire over three days at the end of July and we were over the moon to be able to launch ‘The Pheasant’, our new design in collaboration with Charlotte Patten.
This exciting launch also saw us unveil a totally new product and a first for Ginger & Jardine – ‘The Pheasant’ Jersey Shirt. I’ve always put comfort at the heart of my designs and my fellow country ladies will know that a traditional shirt isn’t always the easiest garment for a day in the field. Too tight over the shoulders, too baggy around the waist, buttons popping out over the bust – the list goes on! But when a shirt is crafted from soft and silky bamboo fabric with a touch of elastane, it’s the perfect choice! The pheasant print was also featured on our Luxury Crew Neck T-Shirt, crafted from our silky bamboo blend fabric which is wonderfully lightweight and incredibly soft. The distinctive pheasant print means this tee works both on its own or layered up when the weather turns cooler in a month or so’s time.
I’m so proud of these two new additions to the Ginger & Jardine collection and they were a hit with the visitors to our stand at The Game Fair last month. I can’t wait to see how our wonderful customers style them for the rest of the summer and then autumn days out. If you would like to take a closer look at the pheasant print then head over to our latest arrivals on the website:
https://gingerandjardine.co.uk/product-category/clothing/new-arrivals-clothing/?v=7516fd43adaa