Linton Tweeds Style by Sarah Kate Byrne

A swift perusal of the newly refreshed Linton Tweeds website reveals to me a who’s who of old friends, so to speak! The mesmerising video of a fantasy tweed being woven on the mill takes me back to one of the first outfits I chose from Claire Mischevani for Francesca Cumani for an ITV Racing promotional shoot. Amongst the kaleidoscope of colours and textures in the fabric gallery, I recognise immediately so many other luscious fabrics that have defined my 10 year career as an occasion-wear stylist – traditional tweeds, tweeds with a twist, tweeds that some might think initially weren’t technically tweeds at all. I am reminded of the early days when I was told by a big cheese corporate chap to “avoid tweed as it was too twee, too green, too Cheltenham”. Starting out on my styling career I was navigating unchartered territory for sure but I was very quick to put him back in his box and point out that his notion of tweed was far from correct. And I like to think that my styling choices since have firmly backed that up – a rainbow of colours at a variety of events and dipping into the rich offering of Linton’s Aladdin’s cave of cloths.

 

The history of the brand dates back to 1912 with incredible archive letters charting the relationship between a brand utterly synonymous with tweed, Chanel and the Linton house which set the course for Linton to become the supplier nonpareil it is today. From a humble small family business collecting and selling local wools to a haute couture supplier in less than 20 years, the 1960s, the era for change, saw the family business introduce innovative yarns, modern dyeing techniques and a wider colour palette setting Linton Tweeds on course to be a lasting bastion of the tweed industry.

 

These days, Linton Tweeds roster of clients is a veritable little black book – Chanel of course, alongside Burberry, Balmain, Dior, YSL & Oscar de la Renta which stand out as the bigwigs whose endorsement is beyond reproach. Then throw in cool, avant garde global brands such as Rag & Bone, Tory Burch, Me+Em, Thom Brown & Alice & Olivia which only further bolster Linton’s legacy as a textile stalwart. But for me, a sustainable stylist from day one, whose modus operandi has always been to champion small, independent brands I can add a dozen dazzling brands to that impressive list – Claire Mischevani, Pip Howeson, Allison Rodgers, Sarah Badeni, Really Wild, The Fold, Jane Atelier, Lalage Beaumont, Eponine, Lisa Redman, Catherine Walker, Beulah…the list could go on and on! 

 

So why is it that Linton tweeds have featured so heavily on my styling mood boards this past decade? It is most definitely not a coincidence. Rather it is the fact that these magically versatile fabrics take my styling clients effortlessly from the depths of Winter to the freshness of Spring, from balmy Summer days to chillier Autumn dates. They are practical first and foremost – a workhorse which can keep the wearer warm or equally keep them cool, in line with the demands of our inclement British weather. They are stylish & beautiful – a delectable array of hues, an endless selection of magical weaves, something to suit every palate, every occasion and every design. Skirt suits, trouser suits, dresses and coats, Linton’s weaving wizardry enables each of the aforementioned designers to create pieces that work on every shape, for every wearer. Styling a Linton cloth comes easily for someone like me with a keen eye for detail but an often obsessional desire to create a timelessly elegant, top to toe look. Every fibre has so much character and depth such that pulling out the colours to enable me to choose a complimentary hat/pair of earrings/bag is walk in the sartorial park. Flecks of pink in a typical green (Claire Mischevani) lend themselves to a modern, sexy look; textured dashes in an otherwise neutral monochrome (Lalage Beaumont) give depth to a classically chic ensemble; while fantasy tweeds do exactly what they say on the tin – elevating a look from ordinary to exquisite as streaks of metallic thread catch the light magically especially on a drabber English day (Eponine). 

 

Linton’s ability to produce out of the ordinary fabrics has allowed me to be a bit more playful and modern with my styling over the years. A bold check maroon coat by Sarah Badeni stood out from the otherwise typical crowd at Cheltenham; a sexy grey trouser suit by Allison Rodger for a Royal Ascot photoshoot enabled me to showcase tweed in a setting often deemed to be all about whimsical florals or safe pastels; a striking blue & white houndstooth design by Pip Howeson and delivered in a snow storm has gone down in the annals of fashion history as a standout TV look that changed how tweed was perceived.

 

The quality of the weave in a Linton cloth is sublime, lending itself perfectly for these artisan designers to deliver delectable garments. Trousers fall perfectly, skirts swing gracefully, coats drape perfectly, jackets sharpen shoulders flawlessly. The class is there to see and the variety of designs conjured up with Linton creations stands testament to that. Even beginners can handle a Linton. Take me, undertaking a millinery workshop at the famous VV Rouleaux haberdasher in Marylebone, London. Given free reign to design a bonnet using the myriad of fabrics and trimmings at my disposal, I settled on a fantasy Linton tweed with all the colours of the rainbow with which to cover my beret base. I chose this fabric as the colour variety in the fabric was limitless & I knew that it would “go with anything”! Never mind the fact that the inherent “weight” of a Linton made for an easy project for an amateur. Speaking with friends such as milliner extraordinaire Giulia Mio, she chose Linton for her foray into clothing, fashioning a perfect Chanel style jacket on her first attempt. Of course she uses the tweeds in her hat making – natty tweed covered boaters & tweed trimmed Trilbys and berets are stalwarts of her Autumn Winter collections. Jonny Beardsall & Lucy Brice Millinery create fantastic hats from Linton cloths be it Baker Boys, pillboxes, perchers & fedoras.

 

Anyone who stumbles across the Linton offering or is familiar with this heritage brand already will never fail than to be dazzled by the selection. I encourage you to be inspired to turn your hand to making a stylish cushion or a hat like me. Or for those who prefer to let the designers work their magic, a Linton design be it a millinery masterpiece or a bespoke garment will stand the test of time for elegance, quality and craftmanship.