The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
PRETTY PASTELS
The Cath Kidston ranges mean playful designs, accessories and vintage-style home decor with a modern twist, writes Jacqueline Wake Young
“Ajoyful British brand,” is how Cath Kidston Limited describes itself and it couldn’t be more accurate. Its cheerful prints and nostalgic patterns are as pretty as they are comforting and are designed to “spark memories” and “inspire the everyday optimist”. Designer Cath Kidston opened a small shop in Notting Hill, London, in 1993, and today its global brand sells clothing, homeware and accessories in more than 40 countries.
Working from a studio in London, the company says it takes classic items and “reimagines them with a smile”.
Cath herself has displayed a sense of humour in interviews.
It’s said that she has called that first store in Notting Hill a “glorified junk shop” and likened the brand to Marmite – people either love it or hate it.
Whatever the reaction, the Cath Kidston brand identity is strong. Like Gucci or Lacroix, it’s possible to spot a Cath Kidston design at a thousand paces on anything from bedding and stationery to backpacks and pets’ clothes.
The brand’s playful approach is perfect for – although not limited to – children’s clothing and accessories.
In fact, the design team draw on happy childhood memories as inspiration to create prints that transport people back to a “more carefree time” adding that “research shows nostalgia can even make people feel warmer on a cold day”.
This sense of playfulness and joy extends beyond the designs to all aspects of the brand, including its values, which include imagination, curiosity, authenticity and warmth.
We could all use a bit of that at the moment during the recession, and so that could be why a Cath Kidston design stands out as a particular winning choice of present as we move deeper into winter and approach the festive season.
Or as the company puts it: “Gifts that pass the joy on.”