Luxury cashmere manufacturer Johnstons of Elgin has demonstrated it is a ‘brand for all seasons’ with the launch of its new Scottish flagship store, situated in the heart of the capital’s exclusive shopping quarter, Multrees Walk.
Models graced the streets of Edinburgh for the official launch yesterday wearing Johnstons of Elgin’s innovative and lightweight spring/summer 2019 collection. Inspired by the island of Ischia, the collection has been created using cutting edge lightweight textiles and knit innovations in a colour palette of pastels, hot pinks, lemon and electric blues.
The spacious 2,000 square-foot store spans two floors and offers a distinctive customer experience featuring the very best of the company’s exceptional designs, including womens and menswear, scarves and accessories, and home interiors.
Customers can try on the new spring/summer 2019 collection in the generously sized fitting rooms, which are laced in 100 per cent cashmere, before relaxing in a comfortable seating area upstairs. The store also stocks Johnstons of Elgin’s rare Vicuna collection, with Vicuna scarves and stoles presented hanging from the ceiling in a contemporary glass casing.
Designed by one of the UK’s leading interior, architecture and brand agencies, Four-by-Two, the new flagship store has been created with Johnstons of Elgin’s core values and family heritage at its heart, while also showcasing the innovation, precision and craftsmanship that goes into every item they make.
Glimpses of the manufacturing process are visible throughout the store, such as their iconic teasels, the dried flower heads used as part of the finishing process for their wool and cashmere. Meanwhile, the product presentation takes people on a journey through the manufacturing process, with the striking hand-crafted staircase incorporating strands of wood to represent the yarn as it comes off the cone.
The Edinburgh store is the company’s fifth in the UK, with others located on London’s Bond Street, in Hawick, Elgin, and St Andrews. The company also has design teams stretching across five showrooms in London, New York, Paris, Dusseldorf and Tokyo, to offer consumers a complete product, from accessories right through to apparel for both men and women.
Managing Director of the company’s Retail Division, George McNeil, said: “Our new Scottish flagship store offers customers a beautiful and exclusive shopping experience while also cementing the Johnstons of Elgin legacy through retail. The distinctive design elements, teamed with our first-class customer service, promises customers a luxury retail experience like no other.”
The family-owned company is one of the last remaining vertical mills in the UK still carrying out all the processes from raw cashmere and fine woollen fibres right through to the finished product. This means that Johnstons of Elgin can rely on their own internal resource to ensure both the very highest quality and on-time delivery without adding thousands of airmiles as product is flown all over the globe.
Johnstons of Elgin’s mills in Elgin and Hawick employ 1,000 people, including highly skilled textile craftsmen and women, long supplying some of the world’s most iconic fashion brands.
Jenny Urquhart, Deputy Chairman, Johnstons of Elgin added: “Over the years we have expanded our business, but crucially the skills and traditions continue to be passed on from one generation to the next influencing everything that we do.
“Our new Scottish flagship store has been beautifully designed with our heritage and values front of mind, resulting in not just a new store, but a retail experience that tells the story of our craft in our own distinctive way.”
Alan Scott, Creative Director, Johnstons of Elgin commented: “Our brand ethos is to always look forward but to keep an eye on the past and it was important that our new flagship store reflected that.
“The craftsmanship, the materials used, and the attention to detail showcases the care and attention that goes into every item we make. From our lightweight silk cashmere ponchos and polo shirts to our classic cashmere stoles, our rich history and quality standards appeal to both traditional customers and modern fashion clients as well.”
Johnstons of Elgin held an exclusive launch party last night, with refreshments provided by Lindores Abbey Distillery and Red Door Gin, and canapes by Valvona & Crolla. The store was dressed for the launch by FlowerBX and scented by Essence of Harris.
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