As much as we love the winter season for its sense of hunkering down, gathering family and friends, the festivities of Christmas, not to mention the textures of cashmere and wool, and the warm coats and heavy boots of the winter collections, the promise of spring brings a sense of renewal and hope and lighter clothes that we love in equal measure.
The new season is a chance to edit your wardrobe, to refresh the rails and perhaps re-think a look. We're currently a little bit in love with culottes which are big news at the moment. Denham, Sideline and Barena are all embracing this style with aplomb for SS'16 and we've been pairing them with a shorter top or a tucked in shirt, for a fresh silhoutte that works really well. Whether you choose to wear them with a heeled boot or a pair of white sneakers - our choice would be either Apisi or Raquet from Hudson - this look can go from work to play, day or night. Barena continues to deliver beautifully crafted clothes and the palette this spring has been our inspiration across all our collections. Navy, cream, white, black and teal features in our clothes edit as well as our homeware collections this spring...
Swildens is back for us this season and is looking better than ever. This quintessentially Parisian label bears all the hallmarks we've come to love - think perfectly cut shirts, jackets and jeans - clothes that fit seamlessly into your wardrobe, but this spring sees the return of the dress. Albeit a longer line, the Swildens dress is worn in a nonchalant way, a low drawstring waist and paired with a tailored jacket. Our spring/summer collections for 2016 are generally more transeasonal than in the past although high summer pieces will arrive as we get nearer to July and August, but rest assured that what you will find are pieces you wondered how you managed without and as the winter gives way to spring and the nights get lighter, and with deliveries starting to arrive at the end of this month, that's something I can't wait to share with you!
Judging by the amount of boxes arriving anyone would think there's an exciting season in store...Unpacking our orders from the far reaches of Scandinavia and India feels like Christmas has come early. Bit by bit, we'll fill our shelves with decorations and gifts picked up on our travels earlier this year so look out for some of these treasures on our website over the next few weeks. Our much-loved tin houses from Denmark are back this season as well as a new range of beautiful tree decorations from Italy.. We shall be adding things to our online store on a weekly basis and for those of you who can make it in to see us, we promise a shop decorated and filled to the brim with beautiful and unusual gifts and lovely decorations for your home. 
Fashion is always moving forward. Something very apparent to me as I write about the buying trip I have just been on with Heidi. It seems strange that we are still in the throw between winter and spring, yet in the fashion community all thoughts of summer have been moved aside to consider autumn and winter 2015..
I am doing some work experience with Flint and was invited to join Heidi to see and partake in the process of buying for the shop. This is my first blog post for the Flint website..
First up was a visit to Four Marketing which is the agency that represents Velvet. We met Christopher who showed us the pre fall/winter capsule that Velvet had created. It was so striking and there were some really amazing details and colours within it. It was so easy to see the collection in Flint, it will just fit in seamlessly. I almost can't wait the amount of time that it will take for it to drop!
Next up was a short walk down the road to Chiltern Street Studios where we were met by Denise who showed us a cornucopia of brands, specifically Bellerose, Crossley and Jumper 1234. All of them exhibited some fascinating pieces in scintillating colours. My favourite collection at Chiltern Street Studios was Crossley. The textures that the designers had achieved on these pieces were very unique. They would make every outfit that they were paired with visually unusual from the norm due to the aesthetic differences to most fabrics. It makes for a very original outfit. Crossley was also very special in that they were ready to buy and take away. It seems strange that they are in Flint now and customers are already wearing and enjoying them.
After a delicious lunch we had a lovely stroll down to Lucy Wernicks Fashion Agency where we had an appointment with Jessie. We had an opening to see 360 Cashmere - a brand that I absolutely adore. In fact, I am wearing one of their jumpers as I write this. Jessie talked us through the selection focusing more on the sensations of the fabrics and the exciting hues that they cam e in, subtle distinctions that made a large difference. With all of the agencies it was really great to see how they let Heidi go through her own process with the clothes, making up her own story.
Throughout the brands the colours were key, it was obvious that we were moving into autumn because throughout all of the collections they were rich, darker tones being used - for example, a burgundy or a dark teal. Autumn capsules are often my favourite in that I find they represent the colour changes in the leaves or the deepening colours of a lake, to me Fall collections feel very earthy and natural. I was really impressed with the different textures that all of the brands were experimenting with. My favourite yarn was 360 Cashmere's new brushed cashmere; it felt like a cloud to touch and had an almost angora like quality to it.
From my point of view, it was really great to see the buying process unfold, it was so interesting to see what happens behind the scenes at Flint and the work that goes into making it the special shop we all know and love, and it will be wonderful coming into the shop in the autumn to see the clothes that were carefully chosen, being proudly displayed on the rails.
Piece of the Day!
For me, the sheer chiffon shirt from Velvet was my Piece of the Day. I absolutely loved the small details that are carefully sewn onto the shirt. I really liked the fact that they were relatively subtle too. Another reason as to why I chose this shirt was because it taps into the bohemian trend with out going too far, so it's wearable for pretty much everyone.
I would wear this shirt with skinny jeans and maybe espadrilles or ballet pumps, or if I'm feeling brave, some heels! Because of the creamy colour of the shirt, it could go with most outfits, but I think it would look best with jeans. I think this outfit suits an everyday atmosphere or maybe a smart/casual event because it can very easily be dressed up with a jacket and heels.
Finally, the evenings are lighter, the air feels softer, Spring is on its' way. I find this time of year is all about hitting refresh. Whether it's flushing out the wardrobe, trying a new look, getting a radical haircut or simply changing the furniture around, we're all doing it. Packing away the knitwear and coats feels like a positive step and a sign of the summer to come, but we're still in that in-between phase, we're not quite ready yet. This is the time however, to visit the store. Our new Spring collections are arriving week by week and there's no better time to catch the best bits before they fly. Savvy customers get in quick!
Two new labels to watch are Sideline, a collection of exquisitely detailed, understated and versatile pieces in varying shades of indigo, and Barena, whose Spring collection features slouchy yet impeccable linen tailoring, for laid back days..
As always, our online selection is only a fraction of what's on the rails in store, but we pick our favourites for you to browse through at home. Keep checking the Clothing page for updates...
Our favourite candle company, Birch & Brook, have added two new fragrances to their current collection of three, and I'm proud to say all are available on our website as from today. I'm burning 'Festival' as I write this, and loving it - and it's taking me back to summer days and muddy days, a mixture of sweet and sour. It's the most perfect laid back yet energising scent, and I'm wondering how on earth these clever guys manage to capture a mood so brilliantly.. Their second, 'Dressing Room' has all that vintage powdery-ness of a 1930's boudoir. I can picture a Chinese shawl over a carved screen, a dressing table laden with perfumes and creams, it's feminine and pretty but sophisticated. 'Secret Garden' is another lovely one, full of flowers and green grass and summer and you can't really help but smile when you catch its' scent. For something a bit more earthy, I'd choose 'Fireside', which fills a room with the deliciously warm scent of woodsmoke - perfect for the coming season, however, the one that we love to burn the most at FLINT is 'Library', which for me is full of nostaglia - the smell of old books, a fireplace, a leather chair in a secret corner...breathe...
There are many reasons why I've decided Autumn has to be my favourite season but rather than bore you with a list as long as my arm, I've got to say that one reason near the top of the list has to be because it signals the start of our buying agenda for Christmas. At this time, each year, Julia and I head to Paris to scour the flea markets, brocantes and trade shows in the search of unusual treasures for our shop, in time for our busiest season. Its also a fantastic opportunity to meet up with our long-standing suppliers - to share a drink and a chat over current trends, swapping ideas over business and the time to reassess and re-visit old haunts is always inspiring for us. This year was no exception, but only in the fact it was exceptionally good. This Autumn starts at the shop with a change in colour palette. As the pale, clear, watery colours of summer clothes give way to a richer palette and warmer textures, we're bringing out the boots, brogues, knits and coats and changing over our homeware collection to reflect that. Expect some twinkly lights, copper lanterns and lamps from Belgium and France, cushions and throws in bonfire colours, new candles and scent and some incredibly beautiful antique pots and bowls from Asia. As the new season gets underway with our clothing collections arriving weekly, and whilst we gradually turn over the shop to cosiness and candlelight we're embracing this Indian summer we seem to be having and aiming to stay in this glorious moment...
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