Our signature blue stripe isn’t just blue, it’s literally dazzling. It’s a fabulous blue with vivid depth, which has been created not just by pantone referencing, but by the way the fabric weaves through itself.
Creating the stripes
Creating the vibrant blue that we have today took many samples – at least five. We tried different techniques, and this is much to the credit of Patricia’s amazing knowledge and craftsmanship. Together, using our basic weaving research that we shared with our talented team of fabric experts, we ended up with the perfect colour, texture and pattern. We have come up with an approach to bedding, so that it’s as durable as it is luxurious.
We achieved this by creating a jacquard weave that breathes texture, luxury and longevity into the fabric. The weave also places all the blue cotton on top of the duvet to create a rich blue stripe. We work with with our team in Portual because they comply with rigourous Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX, which ensures all elements of our products are tested for harmful substances, and are approved ecologically friendly.
Taking on too much
The day job was becoming pretty full on. This, combined with increased sailing commitments, started to become unsustainable. Exhausted both mentally and physically, all this work started to pile up and impact my life, but even at this stage it hadn’t hit home that we were about to launch a business.
All the activities associated with XV felt like a blur. It was as if I was working for a client and not myself. There was so much going on in my life that I hadn’t really stopped to consider what was happening.
There was one vivid moment when I was sitting on my bedroom floor having a meltdown, when reality started to seep in – not only the financial implications, but having to create the fabric and the final products. There were just so many other things to do, from finishing the new website to deciding on logistics and creating the branding to managing social media channels. These challenges crowded my thoughts. One day mid-race season, when my day job took me away from home, the mental and physical fatigue hit me.
Good friends are the ones who are brave enough to be honest. They are able to be direct when you need it most. They know when to kick you up the arse and get you out of the bad place. At this moment, I was lucky enough to be on the phone with one. They said to me, get up, pull yourself together and focus on small steps. It wasn’t exactly what I thought I needed, but looking back it was a turning point to where we are today.
It was at this point, I understood the importance of capturing a feel-good factor in bedding. I wanted to package it up and share it with like-minded souls. This has become something of an obsession. Creating a product that evokes a feeling in others when they touch or see it –whether that’s comfort, warmth, nostalgia or inspiration, if only for a moment.
Exactly 12 months from the day we met the production team to the first order being placed. A lesson I’ve learnt from that time, is to always take time to breathe. Step back, before the rush of life blinds you from what is happening right in front of you.
Ends
A lesson learnt. Always take time to breathe. Step back, before the rush of life blinds you from what is happening right in front of you.
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