A Year In Review

We collaborated with some really exciting brands last year, kicking off with our Collagerie partnership, which saw Penelope designing with founders, and former British Vogue Editors, Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood, to create one of our most popular looks — the Collagerie Loafer. Imagined in our London studio, and handmade by artisans in Spain, the style was a masterclass in clashing colour combinations, worked into a stylish, penny-loafer-inspired shape, and became a fast favourite. As Spring began to unfurl we ventured out and about again, and long standing customer, the Duchess of Cambridge, chose her Tassel Boots again, for a farm visit to County Durham. A customer for over 17 years, we’re always honoured to have her support and so pleased her Tassel Boots remain such a trusted staple. Spring also saw the long-awaited end of retail lockdown, and our shops dusted off their shutters and re-opened their doors in May. As the cherry trees began to bloom, London’s streets finally felt alive, and we relished the chance to welcome you back to Ledbury Road and Duke Street again!

 

The second half of 2021 began with the launch of our first full menswear collection, a really exciting moment for the design team, spearheaded by Penelope and daughter Africa, and an even bigger moment for the men in our lives, who finally got their chance to experience PC for themselves! Carefully crafted looks such as our sturdy Architect Boot, or the more suave Creative, have been popular looks so far. The year also featured the return of a favourite initiative from 2020; our #PCPIONEERS. This project keeps growing and gives us a chance to celebrate some of the women who inspire our ‘Go Anywhere, Do Anything’ mantra. It was great to meet new faces and hear new stories, and the full interviews and style edits are available here for those of you who want to read more. Our commitment to working with artisanal makers grew too, as we expanded our knitwear collection, working alongside a 200 year old mill in the Scottish borders, which specialises in the highest quality lambswool and cashmere. We added to our sock lines and designed some must have winter accessories, like the new Kaleidoscope collection, or the season’s much-loved Ribbed Balaclava, to keep you cosy all winter long.

Autumn came, and bought the expansion of our inclement collection, including the launch of our first welly boot, the Gloucester! Designed to stand out from the crowd, it’s made entirely from recycled polyvinyl, making it durable, waterproof and easy to clean, as the exterior is fully washable. We also hosted our first #PCStaycation, hosted in partnership with Thyme in the Cotswolds. The trip was a chance to get together with editors and friends, something we had really been missing. We planted trees with our friends Sapling Spirits, pickled pumpkins, and ate and drank lots of delicious seasonal treats, whilst exploring our Thyme X PC pop-up. And London saw a selection of pop-ups too, as our Duke Street store hosted an edit of independent brands just in time for Christmas. Gemma Sort Chilvers, our head of partnerships, invited a really exciting mix of up-and-coming names, with a focus on sustainability, and it was amazing to partner with so many great, like-minded businesses. We even had the honour of re-creating our Flor de Barcelona floor design for brand By Alice, as she moved into her new studio. Head over to our Instagram to see the original design and for a detailed how-to guide!

2021 was a really exciting year for PC, thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to an even better 2022, Happy New Year!