I went to Stoke on Trent last week to visit my friend Emma Bridgewater’s factory. Forever patriotic, Emma and her husband Matthew have designed a fabulous range of Jubilee china.

Sales are soaring as they did for their fine royal wedding mug last year. By all accounts, David Hockney has also bought a few “60 years a Queen” mugs!

Hats off to made in Britain and Bridgewater pottery.

Last week my husband kidnapped me from the office and took me to the David Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy.

I diligently put on my headphones and then was immediately swept away on a tide of vibrant colour, room after beautiful room has been dedicated to this extraordinary display of art.

As I travelled through each story listening often to the soft Yorkshire accent of Hockney, my mood lifted till I was walking around like a Cheshire cat. It is an extremely uplifting experience.

Everyone knows I am passionate about Britain and this exhibition, highlighting the huge variation of nature through the seasons in Yorkshire, is indeed a celebration of one of the joys of England.

If you have the opportunity, do go. And if you see some Hockney colours appearing in future cashmere collections, don’t be surprised!

Royal Academy of Arts
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London W1J 0BD

You have until 9th April 2012 to be amazed.

Look out! London Fashion Week is hitting the runways and the big news is that Brora has been leading a trend for the return to British manufacture in this fabulous, eccentric and fun industry. The British Fashion Council chairman, Harold Tillman told the Sunday Times, “A Made in Britain label is important” and that every truly British brand thrives on having some manufacture based in the UK.

At Brora we agree wholeheartedly. Since we began selling cashmere cardigans from a small mail order catalogue 18 years ago, our philosophy has been to manufacture as far as possible in Britain. We use the precious handed down expertise available to us from centuries of cashmere and wool production in the mills of Scotland.

We are proud that much of our Fair Isle childrens’ cashmere is hand made in crofts and cottages by knitters who learned their skills from their grandmothers. Every piece we make is hand finished, and we go to great lengths to design patterns that team traditional technique and with contemporary colour and shape.

Brora lovers, and those who enjoy our British contemporaries Mulberry and Jaeger, already know what the rest of the fashion world is about to discover – made in Britain brings you fashion of the highest quality to love and wear for years.

So place your orders, pop on a pom pom scarf and a smile, and bring British manufacturing back to the London Fashion Week cat walks to stay….