After a 12-month long process, our popular trans-seasonal cloth bunch, Summerstrand, was recently re-launched with a variety of stunning new colours and designs. In light of this, we sat down with Claire Carey to find out more about the creative process and what this means for John Foster.
Claire Carey is the Sales Manager for John Foster. Claire was involved in the development of the Summerstrand collection and is responsible for showcasing the seasonal collections, attending trade shows, and visiting customers in predominantly the UK, Europe and the USA markets, with occasional travel to Korea and China.
Why was Summerstrand updated?
Summerstrand has been a popular choice in our stock supported offering for a long time. As we’re always looking for ways to improve our offerings further, we knew it was time for an update.
Based on customer feedback, we decided to place a greater emphasis on colour and plain fabrics. We felt now was a really good opportunity to update the plain offer, which is substantial in this bunch.
What is the focus of Summerstrand?
The whole emphasis of this bunch re-launch was colour. We wanted to include, not just the classics, which you would expect in any stock support. But also, with this being a summer bunch, we really wanted to include these lovely vibrant colours which you see more of in the warmer seasons.
Echoing the trends and what our customers requested, we also included more camels and beiges, alongside these lovely neutral colours.
What can customers expect from the new Summerstrand?
Customers can expect a move towards contemporary design with an emphasis on colour, featuring lovely beiges, neutrals, softer tones, blues, and of course, the classic colours we all know and love.
What is your favourite thing about the bunch?
I think what’s lovely with this bunch is, that actually we’ve been a little bit braver with the colours that we’re stocking, just to really give the customer a lot more choice. So, my favourite thing is the understated confidence and bold shades of the bunch.
What are the benefits of Summerstrand?
The fabric is a Wool, Mohair blend (94% Wool 6% Mohair) so with this cloth you get the benefits of both.
Perfect for the warmer climates thanks to the natural fibre’s breathability. With a slightly drier handle that makes it lovely to the touch.
The Mohair content, ensures excellent crease recovery, making it a fantastic choice if you’re traveling on business or in the warm weather. As, you know, the fabric will bounce back.
Overall, it’s a well-balanced composition.
What is this collection designed for?
I think as much as it sounds a bit of a cliché, this really is the bunch for everybody. We have the classic colours that cater to the established fashion houses, while the braver colour choices are perfect for independent brands seeking a unique touch.
So, in our mind this cloth is perfect for travel suiting however, our customers are incredibly clever with the way they take all sorts of classic fabrics, and create incredibly creative products with them. So, I can’t say what exactly this cloth should be used for, as honestly, the opportunities are endless. We’re excited to see the creative ways our customers will utilise this versatile cloth.
What’s next for John Foster?
John Foster has been evolving for a long time. I think traditionally we were always very focused on superfine, beautiful, formalwear fabrics. However, since COVID, we’ve had to acknowledge the more casual dressing and cater slightly towards the changing market. What we’re actually seeing now is almost a slight swing back to the more formal styling. I think going forward we will look at designing for both styles.
For the future, I see John Foster continuing to develop the fabrics that we’re known for whilst exploring colour and texture more, because I think that will always be important. We’ll continue to work on all bespoke projects. Continuing to work closely with people’s special projects and unique designs.
However, no matter how much we evolve, I believe we will continue to hold emphasis on, our traditional messages. That we’re made in England, we manufacturer in-house, and maintain the high-quality levels that we’re known for.
Get in touch to find out more and view our Summerstrand collection, please email [email protected]