Zoom in full bloom

Friends Sarah Thompson and Ellie Hutton have collaborated on a beautiful photography project to launch their fledgling businesses. They talk to Stephanie Smith. Pictures: George Hutton.

In the words of Frances Hodgson Burnett, “if you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden”. Friends Sarah Thompson, a fashion designer, and Ellie Hutton, a florist, decided that they would look the right way when the pandemic struck, and set about organising a very special collaboration so that a group of creative young people in North Yorkshire could pool and showcase their talents.

Co-ordinated and styled by Sarah and Ellie, who met eight years ago, the fashion and flowers shoot took place at Dimmingdale Farm, Sarah’s family home, 12 miles from Sandsend. “As we have both been heavily inspired by our surroundings in North Yorkshire, we wanted to make sure our shoot embraced that,” Sarah says.

The photographer was George Hutton, Ellie’s brother, who is studying Fashion Communications & Promotion at Central St Martins in London. The two models are also local – sisters Isla and Caitlin Macdonald – and Morgann Russel, from Whitby, assisted with photography and styling.

“It’s amazing what local talent we have around us here,” says Sarah. “I love collaborating with others, putting our heads together to create something that can really celebrate North Yorkshire.”

Ellie created all the floral designs