Cath Kidston: darling of the design world.

Cath Kidston is the darling of the design world with her nostalgic interior chic and floral patterns which grace millions of homes worldwide. After fifteen years in business she has become a cult success despite originally going against the minimalist fashions of the early 1990’s.

The furore all began in 1993 when Kidston opened a shop in Holland Park, London, where she sold vintage fabrics, wallpapers and brightly coloured junk furniture. Gradually she began to create her own prints and products which centred on floral, stars and polka dot.

Since then the company has opened 26 shops throughout the UK which sell an array of homeware, women’s fashion and children’s fashion and over the years, Kidston has worked alongside numerous companies designing one-off products. These have included designing tents with Milletts, Nokia mobiles with Carphone Warehouse and most recently collectible eco shopping bags with Tesco.

Kidston’s inspiration came from her childhood upbringing in rural Hampshire where she lived in a traditional English country house and this is clearly evident when entering one of her stores.

A riot of patterns, ponies, rabbits and roses adorn everything from teapots, deck chairs and notebooks to book bags. And this welcome transportation back to the good life leaves even the most undomesticated student enthused and with the motivation to improve their somewhat lack lustre home.

So why not get in touch with your creative side and attempt some of your own home craft projects. The Kidston look is an easy one to recreate and doesn’t have to be expensive if you shop around for materials.

Alternatively, for those that are more artistically challenged, there are plenty of high street stores that have cottoned on to Kidston’s success and that sell their own vintage ranges.

For further information and ideas visit:

Cath Kidston's website and online shop: http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/

To read the original story on Pg 27. of The Forge Press website newspaper for the University of Sheffield:

http://www.forgetoday.com/forgemedia/forge_press_viewer.kmod?cardid=38

Patient wait for a kidney donor

Have a look at The Derbyshire Times website and video where I am interviewing Colin Cooper, 58, who is critically ill with kidney failure. March 13th is World Kidney Day which highlights the problems with organ donation and the challenges patients face. I have a chat with Colin and find out what his life is like.

http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/chesterfield/Patient-wait-for-a-donor.5054698.jp