Edinburgh Castle

Our AW18 collection takes its inspiration from the Scottish Highlands – its natural beauty and rugged wildlife. But we also travelled further south for inspiration from Scotland’s beautiful capital Edinburgh, designing our Edinburgh Castle border print dress - complete with bagpipers, fireworks and Hogmanay celebrations! And who better to showcase our Scottish themed dresses and give us a little tour of the city itself, than our Scottish stockists Godiva?

Godiva opened its doors in 2003 as a vintage store and has gradually transformed into the hot spot for buying ethically made, British, local and independent brands. We had a chat with Godiva’s Jude and Natasha about all things Edinburgh and ethical fashion.

What are your favourite things about Edinburgh? What draws you to it as a city?

Jude: "There's so much to like about Edinburgh, where to start? It’s a city full of outstanding architecture and buildings brimmed with history. There are stories around every corner, where the past mingles with the present. Our independent shops and the people behind them are definitely up there of things to like about Edinburgh, with new creative talent arriving from all over the world thanks to our Art College and Universities. There are beautiful parks and green spaces all over the city that encourage wildlife and provide places for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It's a city to fall in love with over and over again."

Talk us through the dresses you're wearing from our Scottish Highlands collection!

Natasha: "I wore the Cynthia Loch Ness Monster dress first. It’s such an easy-to-wear style but super flattering too with its belted waist. I love the Palava dresses always have pockets and our customers always comment on this too, why should men get all the pockets?! We need them too! 

“My second dress was another Cynthia, this time in the Puffin print. I completely fell in love with this dress, the gorgeous deep red colour is one of my favourites to wear with my dark hair, and I couldn’t stop looking at all the cute little puffins! In fact, I loved it so much the girls bought it for me for my birthday!"

 

Tell us a bit about your personal style - how has it evolved over the years? What do you feel most comfortable in?

Jude: "Eclectic would be the best word to describe it that and weather dependant!

I wear a lot more colour and bold prints than I used to and that is 100% down to Godiva. I’ve always been a fan of vintage and charity shop shopping, but being surrounded by amazing designers who strive to be ethical and fair has had an everlasting effect on how I view the fashion industry. I’d say I feel most comfortable in clothes I know haven’t been produced at the expense of someone else or the world's resources. Wither that’s a responsible brand who reuse vintage materials, who produce garments here in the UK or pledge to keep their workers safe and minimise their effects on the environment it all goes towards my wardrobe choices."

A Scottish themed collection from us is the perfect fit for our Edinburgh boutique! Tell us more about your thoughts on the collection.

Jude: "I think this is a great collection, I love it. There is something for everyone, it's ageless. Classic country colours perfect for this time of year that reflect the natural world around us making you want to crunch through the fallen leaves wearing cosy knits. It takes typically Scottish imagery and turns it on its head it’s original and fun. All made from organic cotton grown in Turkey the dresses and skirts are made here in the UK, what's not to love!"

One of the most popular of our Scottish Highlands collection features a landmark outside of the highlands itself - the famous Edinburgh Castle. Tell us more about why you like this dress and your other favourites from the collection.

Jude: "It's a beautiful classic cut made with 100% organic cotton made here in the UK with a colourful iconic scene of a celebration at Edinburgh Castle. Is it the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo or is it Hogmanay? I don’t know, but I could definitely see myself wearing this to party into the wee small hours!

My other favourite dress is the Rita Pheasant Moon dress, again made from 100% organic cotton making it super comfortable to wear. Its Autumnal tones make it perfect for any occasion. I do love this dress, in fact I know own it. I couldn’t help it, let's just call it occupation hazard."

Godiva is a well-loved boutique and known for its commitment to ethical fashion. Talk to us a little bit about these values and why they're so essential to your approach to buying - and your outlook as a company in general? Why should the world care about ethical fashion?

Jude: "The belief in ethical fashion came naturally as part of the Godiva ethos – not dictated by trends but celebrating hand-made independent design. In recent years there has been a noticeable increase in awareness of the practices in the fashion industry and more people are looking find clothing that is made in a safe, clean and fair way. Godiva is proud to be a positive influence to celebrate fashion and offer an alternative to the high street. We believe in a fashion industry that values people, the environment and creativity.

We all have the power to do something to make a positive change."

We highly recommend a visit to Godiva to browse their beautiful boutique in the run-up to Christmas. Stocked with a fantastic selection of British made, ethical brands - what better place to go if you're looking to have a stylish, colourful and ethical Christmas?