Out of Africa

We speak to our adventurous founder, Julie Deane, about her inspiration behind the new collection …

As a little girl in South Wales, I would dream of a great adventure. To me that adventure was Africa. To go on safari and explore the vast African landscape, to breathe the same air as the leopards and giraffes that wander the plains.

It was a dream that I hung onto and didn’t forget, I was hopeful that one day I might be able to make that dream a reality. And so, last year I found myself with an opportunity to visit Africa with my children, one that I seized with both hands. We were going on safari, yippie! 

The leopard stalks his prey

I love and respect nature and this is an environment I feel most comfortable in, but nothing prepared me for Africa. Once there, you are forced to shake off the chains of your daily routine and quite promptly knocked out of your comfort zone. 

Africa awakens your senses, you notice the little things that you might miss or perhaps take for granted back home. For me, it was early morning safaris,  watching the sunrise over the plains. I couldn’t remember a time when I had stopped my usual morning routine of school runs and phone calls and just walked out to my garden to watch the sunrise. Can you?

The morning sun makes an appearance

In Africa, there is an intrinsic unity of bold and vibrant colours, where nature and wildlife complement one another, everything has a place and nothing jars.

Look at those colours!

The vivid shades of the amber sky, the rich sand of the scorched grass. The rainbow feathers of the Lilac-Breasted Roller bird (Woah, what a name!), the cool green algae that cling to the crocodile's scales. The ripples of the python’s skin and the softness of the leopard's fur provide an explosive colour palette. The colours and textures are mind-boggling and imprint on your mind forever more.

Never smile at a crocodile

The memories of my trip have now been bought back to life in this new collection. A joyous celebration of the African landscape. 

Africa leaves a burning impression on your mind, so much so that it flows through every part of you long after you leave.

Photos taken by Max and Julie Deane