40 Faces of Seasalt: Founders, Designers and Dreamers

It's our 40th birthday this year, and to celebrate we're shining a light on 40 of the many people who have made Seasalt what it is today.


 

Over the course of the year, we’ll be reflecting on our 40 years and looking to the future with the people who work here, as well as the community who buy, wear and love our clothes.

Our first five faces include some of the family that started it all, and two of the designers who help bring the story of each collection to life.

Neil and Sophie Chadwick

Founder and Director

Neil and his two brothers started the Seasalt brand to carry on the legacy of the Penzance shop owned by their father Don,  ‘General Clothing Stores’. 

Special memories: Whilst the family’s role has changed over the years, the thing we really obsess about are quality and value, and of course our beautiful and simple aesthetic.

Our home in Cornwall: Every day we look out of our studios and feel blessed with our natural environment. The sea and countryside are constant inspiration. Beyond that, the people, and the creativity.

Proudest achievement: There’s two things really. Firstly, I’m really proud that we’ve managed to stay true to our original idea, putting the customer first, and creating product in the most sustainable way we can. And secondly, that we have positively contributed to the economy of Cornwall. It’s so pleasing to see all the people, young and old, that now have long term careers and who are enjoying their jobs. When we reached a thousand employees it was huge day for me!

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Don Chadwick in his Penzance shop

Opened General Clothing Stores

Neil also answered some questions about his father. ‘We worked together as a family from 1981 to 2001. He was a much-loved character, and always had people stopping for a chat. He’d always manage to sell them something!’

His favourite item: A fisherman’s smock. We always wore them as kids, and still do. A perfect garment, both functional and beautiful in its own way.

Best part of working in the shop: The chance to work alongside his family and meet such a range of people. He was friends with lots of St Ives artists. Sir Terry Frost was a regular customer.  John Emmanuel, who still paints in the Porthmeor studios, used to swap paintings for trousers. I have two hanging in my hallway, I’m very sentimentally attached to them! 

Special memories: My brothers and I feel Dad’s influence every day. Our business is shaped by the values he taught us. Always be honest, sell the best quality we possibly can and be fair on price, and think of those around you.

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Sophie Chadwick, print designer and founder, with Pepe the cockapoo

Senior Print Designer and Director

Sophie has been designing our prints since she and Neil started Seasalt as we know it in 2005. Today she leads a team of designers, and still crafts many of each season’s prints by hand.

Favourite item: I have lots of favourite Seasalt prints, most of which have a strong sentimental value. ‘Kaye’s Floral’ was created by my Mum.  She passed away before it came out for sale but it was really popular; so much so that we have re-run it in different colours and fabrics since.

Our home in Cornwall: Seasalt’s essence is its Cornish roots; a combination of the county’s beautiful scenery, the strong industrial heritage – tin, copper, clay and fishing – and Cornwall’s rich creativity, past and present.

Special memories: The excitement of getting the first ‘strike offs’ of our designs through from the mills that we work with. It is still exciting (and sometimes disappointing!) to see your hand-worked design printed on fabric.

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Kathryn Fowler, Seasalt

Print Designer

Senior Print Designer Kathryn has been with us since 2015. Every season she helps craft new prints which are such a signature of our collections. 

Favourite item:  A tough choice between a classic navy and chalk Breton and my current wardrobe staple: the Line Strokes Dress in the Copper Marks print. I’ve had my eye on a pair of Star Moon slippers for a while! Perfect for padding around in the colder months.  

Best part of working here: I love being a part of the stories we tell, and using print and colour to bring our inspiration to life. I feel really lucky that we get to work in such a creative brand that stays true to its heritage but remains contemporary.

I’m always inspired by our customer’s love for colour! It means we can be really playful when we design our colour palettes.

Your home in Cornwall: My favourite thing to do is walking along the SW coast path, and weekends are spent trying out new circular walks (and getting lost a lot!), with a bag packed with snacks and a swimming costume for when we find the perfect place to dip in the sea. 

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Laura Watson, Seasalt

Chief Creative Officer

Laura has been with Seasalt for nearly 10 years, starting as a designer. Today she’s responsible for the overall look and feel of our collections and uses her creative brain to shape strategy on the Management Board.

Proudest achievement: When I joined there were only two designers. I think I’m most proud of the way the business and the range has grown – it’s rich, new, interesting, modern, relevant – and the brilliant team who create it. 

Our home in Cornwall: I love the sea, the awareness of nature. I have a beautiful loft bedroom overlooking Falmouth harbour and I never tire of watching the changing sky and seascapes. 

Favourite items: It would probably have to be a piece of knitwear as I am a knitwear designer by trade. I love Fair Isle patterns and have a great vintage cardigan with a slightly crazy pattern. I’m loving my Rock Dove dress. I layer it over a Landing top with a chunky black alpaca cardy on top that I’ve just finished knitting.