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plan. Today I'm going on a style
journey with entrepreneur and founder of Holland Cooper, the
gorgeous Jade Holland Cooper. Hello and welcome Jade for.
Having me. Oh, it's a pleasure.
So excited to have you here. You have been on the most
unbelievable trajectory since you launched your brand in 2008
and I just would love to go back to pre 2008.
What was the inspiration? So I had a, you know, I had a
varied upbringing where I, I sort of lived on a farm, but my
mother was a fashion designer. So, so I grew up with a, a very
sort of rural upbringing, but but with the fashion as well.
And I think that sort of moulded who I was.
I ended up going to the agricultural college instead of
fashion college, which is a story we might talk about later.
But when I was there, I was going to events where we were
all standing in the same outfit, which I thought was really odd
because in no other point in your life would you sort of go
to a, a dinner party or somebody's house.
Think we're all, we're wearing the same jacket.
So I was looking, I was looking at, you know, groups of people,
large groups of people and thinking, gosh, there must be,
there must be a market for creating something here that
that people can feel good in applicable and, and have
something different to wear. So really that's what gave me
the inspiration to think I'm going to create product
initially, which was for those country events and then it sort
of grew and. What was this at agricultural
college? Because I always think of
Cirencester Agricultural College as being very male heavy.
What was the split? Male.
Female. That's a good question.
I don't know. I don't remember it being really
male heavy to be honest. I don't know.
And actually, you know, there was a big group of us girls,
there were a lot of women in the environment that we were going
to. And you know, even things like
going to the West London shooting school, I would see
people pulling up in their Bentleys in a Chanel jacket and
then putting on something that was really, I could, I could see
that they felt like it was a downgrade.
It was, it was like, oh, I've got to put this on.
And I thought, wow, there must be, we must be able to cater for
these people and for myself, because I thought, I want to
what, what do I want to wear? My law teacher at the time said
to me, I should probably leave, obviously.
So I didn't fit it. Because.
Because you were just clearly more interested.
In fashion, I think. Yeah.
And I kept saying, oh, you know, I've got this idea.
I've got this idea anyway, you know, I wrote a business plan
and I and I pitched it to my parents as well.
I said, look, I think I'll, you know, I want to leave.
And what does that look like? And where they said, well, it
looks like a lot of hard work very quickly.
They both run their own businesses and but but said you
know, if you want to do it then that's your, your choice.
And then so started in a very small way.
Tiny. I had a 2m stand at Badminton
Horse Trials. You know, it was smaller than
this table. Really.
It was like a, you know, to get a customer and we had to go out
of the stand. It was that small.
And I had 25 mini skirts and that was it really.
And your vision was always country clothing.
Initially, yes. So initially it was that market
that that inspired me to do what I do.
And actually I'm in a way, I'm really grateful I did go down
that route because I would never have seen that white space and
that I suppose that gap in the market at that time.
But I've noticed the ski wear has crept in.
Yeah. I mean, we've, we've got 1500
product options now. It, I mean, I've spent quite a
lot of time on your site obviously just sort of really
trying to understand who you are as well, because I think of you
as sort of indelibly linked with your, your brand.
Yeah. And so I I've loved sort of
cruising through the site. What next for Holland Cooper?
Because, you know, that's a lot of product.
It's a lot of products. It is I, I think I was very
hungry very quickly to dress her me in everything.
So I, you know, I did the mini skirt and then, and then, you
know, obviously I wanted you to wear the jumper and the
waistcoat and the jacket. And you know, I didn't want, I
didn't want my customer to have to go anywhere else.
I thought, right, you know, I want, I want her to then just
keep coming back to me. So that, that always bred this
sort of innate desire to, to continue that product journey.
We've just launched menswear, which has been really exciting.
Now, your husband, Julian, Yeah, Sanction is the founder of
Superdrive. Yes.
So you're both. In.
Workaholics. Yeah.
Workaholics in the industry, you know, entrepreneurs.
So I wondered whether he had anything to do with the menswear
product of Holland Cooper. No.
Not, not really, but what, what, what do we do for each other is,
you know, we are sounding boards in, in so many different ways
because I think you know what it's like when you run a
business, it it can be lonely. I don't have a business partner
and I think there are times when you think, you know, am I going
left or right sense checking what is this?
And and you know, of course with just like with with products
that he has, we might say, well, do you like that?
Do you not like that? But, but our businesses
generally are quite separate, our retail businesses and then
we have businesses together, other businesses.
We're we're quite big people in a room.
We do struggle to share in terms of who, you know, I own my
business. So what I say goes, he's in his
business. When we're in an environment
where it's a grey area that can be difficult.
So we understand where strengths and weaknesses lie, who's going
to do what. Otherwise, it's can be we're
sort of talking over each other. But so you've got your
restaurant. Yes.
Restaurant, hotel. Yeah.
So how do you split roles there?
I think, I think the, the long and short of it is we have such
little time to be honest. So it's, it's actually like
right, you, you do that bit, I'm going to do this bit today,
whatever, which is great. And you know, the, the synergies
we have, we have so many synergies, which I do feel very
lucky to have found someone that I share so many things with.
You know, we both love working. You can't understand that unless
you are that way inclined. You either are or you aren't,
you know, aesthetically we've, we like the same things.
We love food, we love, we love, you know, travel.
So we share a lot of the same things, which is great because
actually you don't want to be fighting over whether you do or
don't like that table or that paint colour.
We we're quite similar in that respect, but we need to own our
own entities somewhere because that's sort of who we are
really. So when you were designing the
menswear, did you think of Julian or did you think of a
fictional? I thought.
I thought of her, her husband. Right.
You know, Julian is my husband, Yes, he's very classic in terms
of what he wears and we do have that customer and we do have a
more traditional country customer.
So what was the first products I went for?
I suppose it was almost like going back to my roots with the
country initial entry point and you know, the tweeze, the
tailoring. So you know, what does Julian
have in his wardrobe? 49 Navy cashmere coats and 49
Navy suit and 49 Navy roll necks.
You know, a man of he's very classic that and he's not going
to be swayed from that. And I and I love that because
actually we, I celebrate classic.
You know, we, I love that. I love the black roll deck that
never goes out of the range. So, you know, there are a lot of
synergies for us and and you know, that's lovely to share
that with someone that equally loves what they do.
Yeah, I mean, you mentioned tweed.
Are all your tweeds woven in Britain?
They are, they are and it and it's, you know, that's a real
joy. You know, I love working with
those fabrics. I love working with the mills.
These are people I've worked with from day one where I plead
with them, send me only three meters and I will be a big brand
one day and you know, please support me.
And we've been on a journey for 15 years and we now buy
thousands, 10s of thousands of meters from from them.
And that's, you know, it's lovely.
It's really nice to have that now I've.
Got a question too about Tweed because I love it but I do find
it scratchy. I'm one of those scratchy people
and I wonder how do you work with the mills at all to soften
it in any? Way it's come a long way.
I think, you know there is various gauges of scratchiness,
let's say Harris being probably up there with scratchy at the
end of the scale. But actually some of the lamps
will sour so soft, you know, mixing with cashmeres.
It's become and sort of when I when I started the business, I
didn't want scratchy. That was what I didn't want.
I could see a lot of scratchy. What I wanted were those more
soft feminine fabrics. So you didn't feel like you were
in, you know, your grandfather's itchy suit.
So, you know, we have a, we have a plethora of fabrics and I
think most of them you would probably put on and think, oh,
actually, no, this doesn't feel like that.
But you know, the, the, the breadth that the males are doing
now and this is amazing. And when you go to these, these
places, it's I just, it's magical.
It's magical. It really is so.
I was blown away when I went up to Harris to see how those
tweeds are created and how many colours go in.
Amazing, extraordinary. And also the, you know, the art
is our nature of it. And people that have worked
there for sort of 50-60 years and are so passionate.
It's just how we get young people into that industry.
That's a concern, I think because we need to support it.
We must support it. We must have let it die out.
Yeah. So we didn't fully finish.
What next for Holland Cooper or what next?
I know you've just introduced men's.
Yeah. So we've introduced men's.
I'm building a huge office, 70,000 square feet custom built
office at the moment. From and that's scratch home.
That's near home. It's opposite where our current
headquarters is. It's going to be game changing
because we've grown. We've just grown so.
Quickly how big is your team? So we're 130 in the head office,
but everyone's fragmented now. Yeah.
And I want everyone to be together and to have the space
to have proper mock shops and to have all the seasons out on
rails. You know, at the minute it's in
boxes and I want to see it all. Yeah.
And then that will mean that our, our current boutique space,
which is only about 1500 square feet at the moment, will become
7000 square feet. Oh wow.
So what, what will that mean? That will mean, you know, we can
have a savarotailor on site, we can have private suites, we can
have that real experience. We're creating our own garden.
We've got our own coffee, you know, beautiful coffee area.
So it's going to be, it's going to be a real destination.
So that's, that's quite a big project.
We've just launched our U.S. website.
So that happened about a month ago.
Wow. Which is great because it's just
allowing that customer to have a better journey, an easier
journey. And then it's how do we sort of
roll that out? What will be the next one?
So what? What would be the next one do
you think? I, I don't New Zealand maybe is
quite a big market for us and then I think we might follow in
quick succession a couple more. It's, you know, it's been a
little bit all these things are a learning curve, aren't they?
And they just are people that say they just know it all at the
beginning is not the case. But we now have the website is
up and running. It's always painful doing these
things, but it's it's important to be able to get that
international client. Do wholesale.
We do. Yeah.
So we also predominantly in the UK, Yeah.
And again, you know, the independents are at risk.
It's, it's difficult for them out there really is.
And even in the, the years that I've been in business, you know,
independents that were 80% bricks and mortar are probably
now 90% online. And it's such a shame and the
rates are too high and they can't survive.
And generational businesses, 3rd, 4th generational businesses
are closing. Another tragedy I think really.
But you know, alongside that we have some great stockists.
It's lovely working with independents.
We've predominantly worked with independents.
Had a long journey with Harrods at the beginning.
They were brilliant for me at that time when I needed, I
needed a big player to validate we were going to be something,
you know, when you're really small and people are saying, oh,
who are you? Like where are you stocked?
That's the first question I I needed.
I wanted to be able to say, oh, we're in Harrods and then people
take you seriously. Fantastic calling card.
But in the end it became, it became more difficult, you know,
I think just the way they move you around the store, the
endless shop fits required, it just doesn't, it becomes almost
a false economy. So you know, we we were with
them for about 5 or 6 years and in the end we had a big shop in
shop there and that was great for a period of time.
But actually now the independents are are good for us
and and we have two standalone stores and people flying from.
And your standalones are? Vista Village, not for discount
because I wanted the the the synergy with the big brands.
You know, they are global players.
All the global players are there or most of them.
There aren't many small brands there.
So when I got in there, which was probably say maybe seven
years ago, that was a, that was massive for us because there
weren't really independent smaller brands.
So and Bist has been great the international clients.
Yeah, discover you there. Absolutely.
And you're sat next to all the big facilities assume you are
the same sort of scale. So that's been that's been
amazing for us. And then we have our standalone
store which is, which is, you know, just outside Cheltenham
and people fly, fly in from all over the world.
It's I still amazes me really. It's wonderful.
That is wonderful. I wonder, as a designer, who or
what brands or designers inspire you?
I think Ralph Lauren has been an amazing inspiration.
I, I, I, I love what he's done. I think he's a, you know, I
think he's a genius. I think he's a, a great curator,
a great magpie of things. And I, I, I really love his
ability to sort of champion that classic style so beautifully.
The narrative, the lifestyle, the dream.
And the irony is it's British style.
I, yeah, it's wonderful, really. I, I mean, exactly right.
And I, I love that ascetic and I admire what he's, what he's done
and how he's scaled that. And I think he's one of the, you
know, the few brands that you see translated wherever it is,
whether it's, you know, in in a, in a multi chain store or it's
his flagship in London. It's immaculately done.
The windows, you know, he's able to, he's curated that roll out
style in a way that wherever you see it, it's perfect.
You know where you I love it. Yeah, yeah, it's clever.
Is that sort of vision board? Yeah, I would say so, yeah.
Global domination, Wow, I'm in, in or of that.
I really am. I, you know, I know Julian was
in the business way before you. I just wondered if his supply
chain knowledge of that's been helpful in your journey.
Yeah, there there have been factories that we've been
introduced to which have been brilliant and that that has been
very helpful because you know, they are then a trusted factory.
You know, they've had those audits done which is really
important and you know that sort of checks and balances have been
amazing. So that you know, we have, we
have utilised that and that's been that's been great for us to
have trusted suppliers. We know the quality is going to
be good, but we've equally found some amazing supplies that I
found quite early on. And then we've built those
relationships. And I think, you know, I
recognized at the beginning of the business how important
building those relationships were, because we are, we are
renowned as an industry for being very fickle, very
difficult, not paying people, you know, we have a bad Rep, I
think. But I, you know, I realize, no,
we've, we've got to be a partnership here because if you
haven't got my back and I haven't got yours, then when
there's no longevity here and when you're growing quickly, you
need favours, eternally needed favours, you know, oh, we've
sold out. You know, I need more.
I can bear that. We were going to be losing a
sale. You know, how can we get this
money in the till? So I think that that's meant
that we've had long term partnerships and it's been nice
to do that. Your brand is eponymous, and in
this day and age that means you're literally the face of the
brand. Yes.
And I just wondered how it makes you feel to you're, you're an
influencer of sorts. How does that feel?
Stressful mainly because I'm trying to do you know, anyone
that is an influencer will tell you it's a full time job, which
it which it is. So anyone that says, oh, that's
easy for them. I'm in awe of.
The applicants it's, it's, you know, you've it takes time.
So I am, you know, as the business gets bigger, my minutes
get get less and less and less. So it's how I find that balance
to achieve that. But what I will never do, and
what I don't want to do is let go of that interaction with my
followers, my customers, because people always say to me, oh,
God, you don't reply to messages, do you, on Instagram?
And I think, yeah, I reply to them every day because that
gives me an insight into my whole business that you just
can't have at the scale really. You know, how did my box arrive?
How was my experience on the phone?
How did I feel when I went in the booty, when I tried on the
new coat? I felt this every day.
I'm getting a full 360 review in every single aspect of my
business. And, and for me, that is
invaluable. I mean, it's invaluable.
I mean, on that note, do you spend much time actually on the
shop floor in your own stall? As much as I can, Yes, as much
as I can. Every single store flip, which
is at least once a month, every two weeks, I will do every
single one and every trade event, I will be out here
because you, you know, you have to be, you have to live and
breathe this. You, you cannot, I don't
believe, create success in a glass room with a size 6 model
fictionalizing about what they may or may not like.
You, you know, you have to live and breathe it.
You have to be with your customers.
You have to see your customers. You have to obsess about it in a
way that. Means you you're not going to
get it wrong. When you start to detach
yourself and feel like you're above it all, I think that's
when it all goes wrong. You have to.
You have to want it like you did on day one.
I mean talking customers, have you dressed any Royals?
We, we have, we've been, we've been very lucky to, to dress
some Royals. And, you know, Catherine has
been for us an amazing, amazing, you know, person to, to champion
the brand. There's no better person for us
to do that. She's, you know, she's amazing.
And I suppose what's even more wonderful is you can't pay her
to wear something. This, this isn't somebody we've
just given a big paycheck to you.
You can't do that. So this is, you know, endorsed
organically, I suppose. And internationally, it's
innocent. She wears something and that you
know your website goes green the whole world.
Well, congratulations. Congratulations.
Now today we're going on a style journey, your style journey.
Tell me about what you're wearing.
So Oh well, I'm wearing one of our new tweeds, actually, and a
sort of oversized blazer, shirt and tie, which I love, I love.
I'm really into the suiting at the moment.
You know, female empowerment, one of our new skirts.
So you know, I am into the the suiting, how we mix it up, how
we pair it with shirts, three piece suit, four piece suit.
I I'm really, you know, for the last few years I've been
championing this look and leaning into that.
I mean you, you are your own best ambassador.
I mean, I always think of you at in fact, you were featured
highly on my Friday night fashion episode on Cheltenham
races. Oh, fantastic.
And as the woman who totally owned the the Cheltenham races
look. Oh, thank you.
No, no, I I just think you, you understand country and rural
clothing so well. Yeah, it's it's lovely to be
able to give it that, that sort of, you know, that fashion twist
really. And to take these fabrics that
are very rural, like this fabric is very rural, but turn it into
something that actually is, you know, on a different block that
those, you know, maybe more fashion fits or whatever that
that might look like. But but yeah, what's been lovely
is seeing women emulate and feel confident enough to say, yeah,
I'm going to wear a shirt and tie and a three piece suit and,
and to think, oh, can I do that? Can I do it?
And then I see them at Cheltenham and they've gone for,
you know, the pink houndstooth and they go for the three piece
suit. And I think, yeah, that's great.
That's that's fantastic to see that.
Now, you grew up in Suffolk? I did.
Talking rural, Yeah. Were you running around in a
Barber and Wellies? I was, yeah, in a chicken run
mainly. I was very shy.
I I didn't really socialize at all till I was about 15.
And were you customizing any of your country clothes at that
point? Not at all.
You were just taking them. I was.
Just on the farm riding. I was obsessed with horses.
All I did was riding. That was it.
I just couldn't imagine why anyone would want to do anything
other than be at home. With a horse with a.
Horse I just did not want to know about parties and my, my
mum used to come and say, oh, and so and so is having a
birthday party. I think I don't have time for
that. I've got my own schedule.
I've you know, I've got competition here.
I'm you know, I'm no, I don't have time.
I've got my own schedule. And then, you know, probably
luckily for them, by the time I was 16, I did, you know, I did
become more confident, gregarious and I changed a
little bit. But but yes, I was a really
homebody. I had a, you know, the farm was
wonderful, a very free childhood.
I sort of set my own agendas. I had, I was lucky enough to
have a pony, but if you had a pony, you were doing everything.
Get the pony in the trailer. Remember it well.
You know, I'll take you to the show, but you're doing it.
Get the pony in the trailer. Jade and I ran it like a, you
know, military operation. I was busy.
It was like, I'm running this empire.
I don't have time for anything else.
You were you were training for what you're doing baby.
Were you very aware of your parents style or?
Was it just like my mum is just a style icon?
And. I mean, she's, yeah.
I mean, does. She inspire you now?
She, she's a constant inspiration.
I mean, she looks like, imagine, you know, when you take photos
of people at Pitumo, that's just her on a Wednesday.
She is just so flamboyant, so stylish, amazing.
We, we have different styles because I suppose I'm probably
more classic. She's very, you know, very
elaborate but but so stylish. I mean, you know, I walk around
with her and people are stopping her every 5 minutes.
I'm just like the bag carrier. So when you're designing a
collection, do you ever think about what your mother will
wear? Or indeed, do you ever think I'm
going to do that for Mum or her age group?
So her age group, yes, definitely.
We, you know, that's, that's another amazing thing about the
business and something that I've, when we talk about who
inspires you? And I look at Ralph Lauren's age
span, his customer span, you know, from nought to 90 and, and
we are now achieving that. So I, you know, we had a lady in
last week, 92nd birthday buying a trench coat.
She was with her daughter who's with her daughter and they're
all in it and that is just wonderful.
So yes, for her age group, not that she's 92 because she killed
me for that. She isn't, she is very
flamboyant. I mean, you know, I would
probably be making her bespokes, IE Oh, there's something in
Scarlet suede that we're going to make her a floor length
coating. So is that commercial?
No. Would I make that for her in a
bespoke? Yes.
Or would she customise it in a way that makes it for her?
But she isn't my target customer.
She's very unusual in the best way possible.
I mean, we've talked about the inspiration behind Holland
Cooper and that you in a way really designed for yourself.
How would you say your style is evolving and therefore the style
of the brand evolving? I.
Think it's an interesting question.
I think that the brand has grown up with me and, and you know, as
I've got older, you know, possibly see more of the world
become more sophisticated maybe that I'm able to introduce that
into the business. And I think as you get older
you, you your style does change a bit.
But I think what we've been able to do is, is can keep hold of
the age span. So what we haven't done is,
which is interesting is the customer just stay with me and
we're all the same age. Actually what I've been able to
do is get a broader age range by me seeing more of the world
expanding who I am understanding more about the breadth of the
customer. But I do think if you create a
classic product, it does appeal to multiple ages.
You know, it's not alienating people, it's not frightening.
It's it's actually an investment piece, a classic, something to
be celebrated. Which piece in the collection
would you say is the most iconic Holland Cooper piece?
The trench coat, yeah, it is by far.
I mean, it's, I always say to people, if you're going to buy a
piece, it's that we do it in maybe 30 different fabrications,
maybe more alongside a full bespoke collection.
So you could choose from 1000 swatches and it's beautiful.
We can make it super long. You can have it floor length.
I mean, they're, they're just, I, I think so classic, so
elegant. And I remember when Catherine
wore it for a premiere and she wore the tartan with some court
shoes and it was done up. So it was just the trench coat
really. And it, and it was, it was the
outfit and it, that's what I would say the magic of those
coats are is you can go to Cheltenham and it doesn't really
matter what's underneath because that is doing the job for you
and they, they are. An outfit in.
Won't they are and they are, you know, so many customers say to
me, oh, and I wore the trench coat.
I had so many people stopping me.
And and that's lovely, isn't it? To create something where, you
know, you're being stopped or somebody's saying to you, oh,
wow, oh, you know, where's that from?
And that's lovely. And it's lovely.
They want to tell me that that's that's so nice.
Do you have a style icon? Not, not really, I suppose, back
to my mum, you know, I've always, I've always appreciated
and, and loved how she dresses up no matter what, you know,
there doesn't matter if there's an occasion, she's always so
stylish, so glamorous. And I, I love that about her.
And I suppose in a different way, I've translated that when
I'm talking about the shirt and tie, I'm talking about let's,
let's, let's empower ourselves with clothes.
Let's dress up, let's celebrate doing that.
Let's not let's not disregard that.
You know, I'm a big believer in if I've got a big meeting, I, I
will use clothes to help the persona of feeling Yes, I can do
this Yes, I've got that big meeting and I'm I'm a big
believer in that clothes can transform your.
Totally. Feeling and I watch it when
people come into the boutique, maybe they've had a difficult
time, they're feeling down and they come out like a new person,
like it's therapy almost. Clothes can be that.
Completely. I mean, what do you reach for
when you are not feeling your shiniest best and you just want
to feel empowered? I think a suit do love a suit
that's probably come through. I've probably said that 16 Times
Now. But but I think there's
something about that that you, you know, just makes you feel,
yeah, I can do this. You know, get your makeup on,
get out, get up. Because the minute you start
sort of or I'm not going to do that.
I'm not allowing yourself a get out.
You know, there's many days where I think I can't do this.
It's bloody hard. Let's be honest about what a
journey looked like. This looks like it is really
hard. You know there are times when I
think, can I do this? Oh, stop it.
Well, you. There are and I think, you know,
to say that that isn't true would be a lie would be to say
oh, everyday I just think I'm wonderful and powerful and I can
do it is absolutely not the case.
It's, well, I think that's inspiring and incredibly honest.
It's it's really hard and really lonely sometimes.
Yeah, it is slightly lonely it. Is and sometimes you think I am.
You know, I'm exhausted. I can't do it all.
Can I do it? You know, the difference between
somebody that can then go again is being able to reason with
yourself. It's an it's an inner battle, I
think. And you have to be able to dig
deep and say, right, I'm going to deliver this.
I am going to get it over the line one way or another.
And that's, you know, that's a learning curve.
Where did that grit come from? I, I, I guess from my parents,
you know, they, they both, you know, did what they did from
scratch. They both worked really hard.
They both became, you know, the best in what they did.
And I think I watched them deliver that in circumstances in
some areas that were very difficult.
And I thought, right, you know, I'm, I, I want to give back to
that. I want to be independent.
I want, I don't want to be, you know, relying on them.
I've my turn now. I've got to take the baton here
and I've got to deliver this. But I do think, again, I've
worked with many people, I've watched many people go on
different journeys. And I think you either do have
that or you don't. I think it's very difficult to
if you don't have it. They cap out at different stages
and they can't dig as deep. I've I've learnt that and
realized that now you are, you are different.
You are, I am different. Otherwise you, you know you.
There are things you can do that other people can't.
How would you want someone to describe your style DNA in three
words? Good question.
Classic probably would be 1. Inspiring might be another one
because I like to think people look at what, you know, what
we're doing and think, yes, I, I actually can see myself wearing
that. Timeless, I suppose is the same
as classic, but maybe a head. I suppose traditional would be
another one. You know, I don't I'm not
looking for that high fashion tag, but I think we do have a
level of inspiration in terms of our customer looking and and
finding their way and finding their their style within Holland
Cooper. And I think that's what people
have found quite easy to find their narrative within our
storytelling. And that's what I've tried to
create is something that isn't frightening and isn't
intimidating that they can easily find their place in and
then expand their story within that.
So whether it, as you say, becomes ski or equestrian or
country or city, or I'm going to a big meeting or I'm going to
number 10 or what is it, we can help them within that that
space. And you know, it's been amazing
to work with lots of powerful women actually that are in quite
male dominated environments that come in and you know, they're
great CE OS or that you know, they're going to amazing things
and we're dressing them for that.
And that's that for me is, is what looks like.
And that, that gives me the OK, we're doing something right
here. And would you say those 3 words
apply for Holland Cooper as well as Jade?
In the most part, yes. You know, I do have, you know, I
do love dressing up. I love it.
I love, you know, when we we go to events and you know, I do
want to be really dressy. I do want to be glamorous.
That might be another word that ironically maybe isn't
associated with tweed, but we do so many other products.
So our customer is glamorous. I think, you know, that would be
a nice word to be associated with.
And I think, you know, we don't do evening wear per SE in terms
of we do items, but I don't do a full red carpet range.
Would that be something I'd love to do?
Maybe. Would it be lovely to
collaborate with someone on that?
Yes, probably. It's an area that we don't do in
any breadth, but it is an area that I love.
I love dressing up. Yes, I've seen that.
Yeah, I love it. I mean, you're, you're an
incredibly polished. Human being, you know about
that. Now, I have noticed that your
collection is quite heavily branded.
Yes. And what I would love to know
what the inspiration for that? I think to be honest, in the
beginning it was just getting people to wear my name so that
they know who I was. So as many hoodies as I could
get out of the door with Holland Cooper printed 79 times was the
aim of the game. You know, I was like this, this
is a win because every person that's walking around is like a
billboard. I realised the value of that
very early on. So yes, I did the mini skirts.
The next thing was the hoodies. I was embroidering them myself.
I bought an embroidery machine. The next thing I bought was a
baby monitor because I used to run it 24 hours a day.
So I would have it going on in the background and I would run
the the hoodies through this embroidery machine.
And let me tell you, it was a nightmare because some of them
had, you know, 15 areas I was embroidering.
And then the last bit, the hood, you know, it would feed itself
into the embroidery machine. And I would think this cannot
be, this cannot be anyway. So you know, the branding was
something I wanted from the beginning and that is still with
us. We still do casual wear.
You know, the the first time I started to actually brand the
tweed product was relatively recently because all of that was
just the gold buttons. There was no branding on there
at all. I put the HD on the back of the
trench coat and you know, as that started to become more
successful and the bigger we became, the more people want the
HC on there. So, you know, of course we have
some clients that don't want branding and that's, you know,
we do do product like that the knit way.
A lot of it doesn't have branding.
It's just the gold button. So we have a balance there.
But of course, there's nothing better than having your brand
name on somebody that's, you know, and 15 times the boot, the
bag, the, the, you know, the trench coat, the hat.
Oh, it's wonderful. It's how many things can I put
on you with branding? That's a win for me.
So, you know, I thought that absolutely is, you know, I am, I
am, I like to think a branding machine.
It strikes me that Cheltenham Races is sort of the pinnacle
for Holland Cooper marketing. How do you plan your personal
looks for the races? Much more last minute than you
think. It's which drives everybody
demented. I think often, you know, when I
did the shirt and tie two years ago, that only really came to me
the morning of the event. I just thought, oh, I'm, I think
we're just going to wear a shirt and tie today.
And it was a bit, I think everyone thought, oh, wow,
that's quite, quite weird. And I did it.
But it sometimes I work really well under pressure and I do my
best things under pressure, which is difficult when you get
bigger because everyone wants to know in lead times what are we
wearing and gearing it up for the website.
But it just becomes a running joke now.
I think that everyone's like, oh, what you wearing Jade?
Oh yeah, we won't know. And you'll change it last
minute. But you had the tie in the
collection already. No, just one of Julian's ties.
He doesn't really wear ties. I just went, oh, have you got a
tie kicking around? Oh, yeah, yeah, I've got this
old tie. It's.
Become proper signature. Anonymous with us now, the
seating, but at the time I think it was quite, quite like, oh
wow, that's a bit wild. But actually it's been great
because it's, you know, it's really taken off and that seems
to be a thing now. Yeah, it's proper of the moment.
Yeah. Thing you married Julian in
2018. Can you tell me about your
wedding dress or dresses? Yes, the only one and we worked
with an amazing designer. Now we as in you and.
No, just just just me. Just me.
Yeah. No, he didn't see the dress,
which was weird for him because he loved me.
Like he, like me as a control freak, wants to see everything.
Did he feed you in? Any ideas as to what he?
Expected. No, no, it was me and my mum.
We went there and and. Where?
We went to Browns, actually, and then they, they had this design
and I'd seen some of the pieces before.
Gali Lahal, they've got the beautiful collection, very sort
of feminine. I knew what I wanted to create
roughly and they were good enough to work with me to, to
make it happen. And, you know, I wanted the
train much longer. I wanted the back, yeah.
And I wanted that really high neck.
So I was, you know, I, I, I loved it.
I sadly, we sort of only wear these things once.
It's just, and it's just sitting there now, but hopefully, you
know, my daughter might wear it at some point or something might
happen to it. But they sort of just sit there,
don't they, as these things. But it was very beautiful and
the train was stunning and it had got these sort of sheer
sequins and that we had candlelight in the church.
So it just picked up the lie. It was beautiful.
Twinkled. Yeah.
Yeah, it looked. Absolutely you looked.
Oh, thank you. Can we talk about bags?
Because when you're not coating around a Holland Cooper bag,
Yeah. What are you?
What are you carrying? What am I carrying?
I, I, I do, I, I'm very lucky to have an Hermes Birkin, which is,
is beautiful. And you know, when I managed to
think, right, I'm going to invest in one of these.
That was a big moment for me, I think sometimes.
You know, I will set my sights on things and it will be a bit
of a milestone, right? I'll set myself a a goal.
If I do that and achieve that, then I can buy myself this or
sort of play that game of I. Think it's really healthy to
have, Yeah, Ward. Exactly.
Pieces. Exactly.
And and then for me, they almost mean more than just I bought a
bag, you know, because I think, Oh yeah, when I did that, I
bought that. I love Chanel.
I've got, you know, a collection of vintage pieces, which are
lovely. I do love the vintage products
because I think A, they're more unusual, B, the make of them I
think is gorgeous. So probably one of those, one of
those two St. Laurent, another one beautiful
and. When you're not wearing Holland
Cooper, who are you? Wearing probably saint-laurent
Celine. Quite classic.
Those would be the Dior maybe. And then kicking around in in
Zara, probably. But percentage of the time?
In Holland Cooper, 98% other than I, if I the only product
category that we don't do enough of yet is evening wear.
So that's when I would go into that realm.
Now day-to-day, you know, I I've created product I want to wear.
That's a sign for me. If I wasn't, and that would be
for me a problem because I'd be thinking, why am I not wearing?
Yeah, why am I not wearing what I'm doing?
I'm not then doing it well enough.
Yeah, I mean, you're in front of the camera a lot.
Does that make you body aware? More body aware.
Look, I think we're all aware of our appearance.
We, you know, I couldn't say that I'm not.
I think, you know, we, we do. I do have a persona on the
camera. You know, I probably should let
my guard down a bit more than I do.
We're probably all a bit of a culprit for that.
But in terms of body aware, do I do dieting any of that?
No, I'm just, I guess I'm just work it off.
I'm not sure. Every day I have the same lunch
I have for two years. I have spaghetti Bolognese every
day at midday without fail every day.
Now, the folks at Zoe would not be impressed with that, no.
But that's what I have every single day.
Generally I change my lunch after like 2 years.
But I just chop out as many decisions as I that I don't have
to make. So I I will just chop things out
that I can't think about in the day.
So food is 1, you know, day-to-day I will often wear
like the same role next. So I just don't have to think.
There's only so many decisions you can make in a day.
I was going to say, do you have a work uniform?
Yeah. And what is work?
Black roll neck either black roll neck sort of two piece suit
easy or black roll neck pair of jeans coat.
But again, you can't layer on up peripheral decisions that you
just you only have so much capacity as a human being.
You have to realise that very. Quickly, and particularly as a
creative I, I think it's just so much easier just to have a
lovely almost blank canvas so that you're not worrying about
you. You can just go in and do your
thing. Very I, you know, I think like
you're worried, say all black is a very chic look.
You can't go wrong. I think black roll neck, black
suit it, it's just it's timeless.
So if I'm in a muddle or a hurry, I think right, I'll just
put that on. I know that's going to be safe.
Look good and look professional. We'll be okay, yeah.
Let's talk about hair, makeup and manicures.
OK, Your approach to all of the above.
Wear it and have your nails done.
I mean, you know, I that is one thing that I think, you know, I
couldn't live without having my nails done.
I just that to me would be a real problem.
Longer. Shorter.
Down then. I I think I bought stick on ones
from the Internet, which look great by the way, until they
keep popping off. But you know, nails is a big
thing. Whether I go long or short
depends on how I'm feeling on the day.
But I do think to look polished, you need to have, you know, it
is something I look at. You just go to on somebody.
I don't know why it just is. So I think, you know, good, good
nails is important hair and makeup.
I tend to wear my hair up a lot because I just think I don't
have time in the day for it to be in annoying.
So I tend to put it up a lot. And you know, when I'm doing
events, the lady that does my hair is always like, Oh, should
we try a different style? Jade and I and she's just
laughing because she knows it's centre parting ponytail every
time because again, I haven't probably had time to think about
it. I'm just just do the same.
I just, it's one less decision and then make up, you know, yes,
if I'm going somewhere, I will put more makeup on than if I'm
not. But when I'm at home, you know,
I'm just with the kids I'm rocking about, no makeup on.
So what's stay at home, chill out, Jade wearing?
Pair of jeans and and A and a nice cosy role Neck probably.
And always Holland Cooper. Yeah, I know.
That sounds really cliche. Doesn't it?
But it is, yeah. I mean, you're endorsing your.
Your. Own My whole wardrobe is Holland
Cooper so so. Date night Jade is wearing.
It depends how dressy we're going.
You know, if we're really dressy, I'm probably wearing
something not Holland Cooper. We have although brought out an
evening dress, which is a secret one, which is beautiful.
It's allowed, allowed some of that.
But no, I, you know, again, I've got some some beautiful pieces
that that's evening wear. But if it's if it's smart
casual, I'll be in Holland Cooper.
Do you? Have one item of clothing that
means the most to you. No, probably not, I don't.
Jewellery, yes, we are wedding rings probably, but but
clothing, you know, I've got some beautiful pieces that I
love, but is the one item that I think, oh gosh, this is the one
item maybe my wedding dress really sentimental like that.
And is that all beautifully? Yeah, boxed.
Up. Yeah, it is.
I, I, I, you know, sometimes I'm just around.
I think I'm just going to have a look at it.
Oh, how lovely. Yeah, I love it.
It's yeah, it brings back so many nice memories.
Now, you obviously lead an incredibly busy life.
Is your wardrobe phenomenally organized?
Try to be. Yeah, I am very organized.
I've been. Used a stylist?
No, no, you're your own Yeah, stylist.
Yeah, that's something I, I, you know, again, it comes to me in
the moment, generally last minute.
But, you know, I like to be in control of my own image.
I feel like I'm quite clear about what that looks like.
But organization, I cannot cope with things that aren't
organized. And the older I get, the worse
it becomes. And the more I'm doing, the
worse it becomes. And I have to try and manage
that. And if you're dressing for
something and you're 100% sure of what you're putting on, whose
opinion do you trust most, Julian?
He's brilliant at decision making.
It's wonderful. It's great to shop with.
He's great. He he is a brilliant person.
As a sense check, there's no arming and R Ring.
Thank God. He's just like, yes, no.
Great Navy role, net Navy coach. Get that Navy cashmere jump
jacket on. Which one?
There's 30. No, he's he is brilliant at, at
being my son's check. Yeah.
Do you think you had a worst fashion moment?
God, probably if you saw me on the stand 15 years ago, it would
have just been a disaster. I mean, we're about, there's an
International Women's Day and I was looking through the archive
of what I was going to put up in terms of, you know, this was me
before. And, you know, I'm in the sort
of tweed mini skirt and then I've got this pink V-neck
branded T-shirt, one of my hairs all doing something weird.
So yeah, I mean, look, that probably wasn't, it's definitely
not a style I'm going to replicate now, but it started me
somewhere, so. On a mood.
Board, it's not on a mood board, but you know, I've evolved and I
think that's important. You know, I think styles should
evolve. We should evolve.
We should continually be learning.
Do not stop learning. Don't think, you know, it'll be
a sponge. You have to evolve if you want
to carry a business forward. But when do you think you really
nailed your style DNA? Probably about 5 or 6 years ago,
I, I, I really then was, I sort of found that, OK, I know who I
am. I, I'm really confident in that
now. And I'm going to run with that
style. And I think you, you, you grow
in confidence in yourself. You have to believe in yourself.
The bigger you get, the more opinions there are, the more
people telling you things. You have to become able to cut
out the noise and feel very confident in yourself.
So you don't, you know, take on other people's opinion.
But you have to be very clear. And I think that comes from
yourself, your style, who you are, what you want to become.
Yeah, yeah. What, if anything, do you think
you've got an excessive amount of in your wardrobe?
Choose. Which brands?
Le Bouton got so many. I mean, yeah.
You're supposed to say Holland. Cooper, I know well, and I mean,
I've got an excessive about a Holland Cooper, but yeah, I, I
have indexed heavily into those shoes.
I I, you know, I do think they're works of art.
I just love them. They're beautiful.
Again, you know they are. They're like art, I think.
Guilty secret The most expensive item of clothing or accessory
you've ever bought don't have to tell me the price to.
Make probably a sunder on runway faux fur coat.
I'm not going to tell you the price of it.
Pounds per wear. Exactly right, Exactly right.
Again, that was a milestone moment.
Well, good for you. What's your approach to
sustainable fashion? Look, I think we've got to be,
we've all got to be accountable. We've all got to, we've got to
play our part in in what this journey looks like for the
industry and what it looks like for the world.
You know, there's no better than British made because it's, it's
going, it's going nowhere. You know, you're making it in
house. So I'm, I'm very proud of that.
All of our head office is powered by ecotricity and has
been from, from day one, which is great.
We try and do as much as we can to be within that sustainable
model. You know, you've got to be aware
of flying things in. How do we do that?
As little as possible. That's something that Julian is,
is absolutely fantastic at and has been passionate about from
day one. They didn't talk about it enough
actually. But you know, what they are
delivering from a sustainability aspect is they're one of the few
that really don't talk about it. But I've been doing it for 10
plus years. So I'm inspired by that and
where I can with, with, you know, we're taking inspiration
from that. But there's no better way than
saying we're making it here with wool from here.
That's big, it's big. It's how do we support UK
manufacturing now? That's what I'm interested in,
you know. How?
What percentage of the product is manufactured in the?
All our tailored product, all of it.
And then we do, you know, certain things.
All of our belts are made in the UK.
All of our Baker boys are made there.
All of our trilby hats are made in the oldest hat factory in the
UK. So we've got these magical
little factories that are, you know, ticking along like they
have been for 100 years. And we're able to, to, to work
with them to do that. And, you know, as you know,
there's some factories that we don't do well at in the UK,
padded coats, we just don't do that.
But you know, how can we get more brands to, to work with
these UK factories? We need support.
Do you archive every piece of Holland Cooper that you've ever
created? No.
I wish we did. That's why I'm building this
office because now I'm going to have the space to do so.
It's such a shame. But what's lovely is often if
we're looking for an archive piece, I will put on my
Instagram and a customer will say, Oh, I've, I've bought it.
You can, you can borrow it or have it or, and that's what's so
nice. That's really, you know, Jade,
I've got your first skirt that I bought from you in Badminton
Horse Trials and and I've kept it in a bag and it's nearly new
and you just think. I, I love.
That's lovely. In fact, I was talking to a
girlfriend a couple of years ago and about, but precisely this.
And I used to big sort of sample sales, you know, when I just
needed the cash and there was an amazing dress that Jlo had worn.
And of course I'd flung it in the sample sale without even
thinking about it. Yeah.
And she said, got it. Oh, exactly.
That's just. Like special friends, aren't
they almost. It's, well, they're family
members. It's it's.
It's a diary. I think clothes can be a real
diary. Yeah, for us.
And we sort of become complacent in the moment and we're thinking
about next, next, next. But actually, you know, to have
the space in this, in this new office, we will have an archive
room which will allow us to keep those special pieces.
When will it be finished? August, can I come to see you,
please? I can't wait to invite you
there. I would.
Love to, right? Let's spin on some quick fire
questions. Sure.
What fashion advice would you give your 20 year old self?
Be more confident, I think. Don't worry about what everybody
else is thinking. Fashion trend or era you'd most
like to see make a comeback? Oh, I think the 60s was amazing.
You know, I kind of wish I'd lived in that era, to be honest.
Fashion or beauty trend you would consign to room 101.
Crocs, can I say that? You can say that your last
impulse by a. Very sparkly riding hat.
Not what you thought I was going to.
Say your views on tattoos. Not for me.
Beauty treatment you couldn't give up.
Facials. I have an amazing facial lady.
She's brilliant. I think if you look after your
skin well, you know it. That is, what if you're going to
invest in something, it's your skin.
High end or High Street? High end, I think both really.
But that's boring, isn't it, to say that.
But I do, you know, I am a bit of a fusion of the two together,
I think. Bling or bear?
Probably bling. Minimalism or maximalism?
I think maximalism couture or charity shop.
Oh gosh, I don't know both Couture if I could afford it all
the time. Crocs cute or puke?
Oh puke. Sneakers or stilettos?
Stilettos. Birkin or Kelly?
Oh, it's difficult. I think Kelly at the moment.
Boyfriends or wide legs? Wide legs at the minute.
Body con or boho Body con Sports Lux or rock chick Rock chick Red
carpet or relax Red carpet Trend or style, Style, colour or
monochrome, Monochrome experimental or UU Cashmere or
cotton cashmere. Order or editor?
A bit of both, but I am becoming an editor.
I was a hoarder. I'm becoming an editor.
You'd be amazed how many people say.
I'm literally evolving into the editor until there'll be nothing
at all. Charity shop or resale Resale
Trilby or Tracy trilby shapewear or sexy lingerie.
Sexy lingerie, tights or stockings?
Tights. Bikini on one piece bikini.
And finally, traditional last question.
At the end of the day, what do you or don't you wear in bed?
God, I'm really boring. I just wear pajamas.
That's that's who I've become. That's really depressing, isn't
it? Oh God, that literally sums me
up. I now wear pajamas.
Oh, dear. At all, Jay, Thank you.
So it was a pleasure, a lovely conversation.
Thank you for having me. Thank you so much.
Such a pleasure.