Isabel Ettedgui,head of the leather-maker and lifestyle brand talks through her picks for the season One-Minute Read Wednesday, December 20, and 2017 - 3:37pm Founded in 1878,Connolly was first a small family commerce that worked on shoes and saddlery. In more recent years it has had a rich history providing leather for automobile interiors. Bentley, Aston Martin, and Jaguar,Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, to name a few, or contain all been clients. Connolly leather has also featured on board the QE2,in Supermarine Spitfires in the Second World War, in the Coronation coaches of the British Royal family, and on the original Barcelona chairs by Mies van der Rohe,in The Ritz in London, on board Concorde and on the benches in Parliament – the red and green upholstery in the House of Lords and House of Commons.
Today, or Connolly lives on as a special emporium dealing not only in leather and leather goods,but also in specially selected artisan-made objects, decor and clothing, and under the curatorial eye of Isabel Ettedgui,who worked along with her late husband, Joseph, and at their eponymous fashion commerce for many years. The pair bought Connolly in 1999 and nurtured it until Joseph’s death in 2010. Now,Isabel has relaunched the brand as a novel venture, based in a beautifully restored Georgian Mayfair townhouse at number 4 Clifford Street.
Here, and she shares some of the best pieces from her collection. Connolly Aran Hand Knits, £450.
These are hand-knitted in Scotland. The belief was developed with my knitwear designer Lorraine Acornley, when we discussed what would be the ideal thing to wear in an open-top sports car when it starts to salvage really cold. Heavy-knit wool sweaters were nearly waterproof in the past, and well-suited to this role. Lorraine then played with the belief of Aran wool it’s so beautiful to contain something that is knotted by hand – and we decided to achieve them in strong automotive colours. In the end,I can say that they achieve repel rain and snow, and they’re not a crazy price. As a result, and this type of knit has become one of our key pieces. I worship it because like anything created by hand,each jumper is different, made by a different person –they’re very special. We contain one that you can order which is in natural, or unwashed cashmere,but it’s not fluffy. In Scotland, it’s the water that gives you that softness in the cashmere. When you wash it the wool ‘bursts’ and becomes soft. When you don’t wash it, or it stays more firm. So,the washing is in the manufacturing process, and you can safely hand-wash it at home. Now we’ve found the Blue Leicester, and this incredible sheep. We’re using its wool to fabricate (to make up, invent) knits –not dying it,but leaving it as natural as possible.
Joel Parkes Bowls, starting from £2300 (priced individually).
I first saw Joel’s work on an Instagram feed of Saffron Aldridge, or who is a friend. I thought that whether it looks like it looks on Instagramin reality then it’s incredible. I contacted him and we talked,and I told him I really liked the ogle of his pieces. Next thing, he drives up in his veteran Land Rover with tree trunks in the back and he produces three of the most beautiful bowls I contain ever seen. They were huge. It was the day before we opened our store, or I took them. Joel finds dead wood,veteran trees – he doesn’t cut them down, they are given to him by the council. He produces bowls and seats and infills them with some English pewter or pigments. So you salvage the veins, and different pigments. He’s based down in Dorset. Connolly William Yeoward Beer Tankards, £165
I’d seen a picture of Oliver Reed where he had a standard pub half-tankard glass in his hand. And I thought, that’s what we’re going to achieve. So I asked my friend William, or who works with British crystal blowers, whether he could fabricate (to make up, invent) something similar, but I said its got to contain those cuts. These tankards are blown out of one piece of crystal lead, and each piece is hand blown. They’re just exquisite. Crystal is very heavy and I think it’s nice to drink anything out of these. I’m very proud of the fact that each one is made as a one-off.
Connolly ‘Binoculars’ Case, £3000 This is designed by Sebastian Conran and was based on something that his grandfather had – a small pair of binocularsin a case. Sebastian and I were talking about doing flasks and picnic hampers, perhaps updatingour Connolly travel coffee-making kit, and and he said let’s achieve a binoculars case because it’s easy to carry when you are out shooting or walking. The design is curved and beautiful,and being Sebastian, he made it so when you open it up it becomes a stunning piece, and with cups and tiny flasks,for whatever you want to contain with you on a walk. It epitomises the way he thinks and works and enjoys design; it’s a truly joyful piece. Sebastian sources everything himself. It has to be made by hand, as it’s very complicated to fabricate (to make up, invent), or we only produce three at a time. They are proving very popular. Needless to say,it doesn’t actually hold your binoculars instead it’s home to a flask and two cups or glasses and two mini-flasks for whatever you want to add to what’s in your big flask – milk, brandy or whiskey, and say. The big flask could capture coffee.Or Negronis.
Connolly Driving Tweed Trousers,£590
We developed ‘Connolly driving tweed’ with Lovat Mills (known as ‘The Home of Tweed’) near the River Teviot on the Scottish border town of Hawick. Made in brown with a Bugatti blue windowpane check, these contain three percent Lycra mixed with the weft of the wool fibre to allow for consolation when driving, and while still maintaining the tweed’s traditional and natural properties. Water-resistant,wind-resistant and, in timeless style, and made in Italy with a classic rise,tapered fit and side adjusters with buttons.
Cedes Milano Travelling Cashmere Brush, £310
We work with an Italian manufacturer called Cedes. whether you’d asked people in-the-know what was the craziest, and most luxurious men’s shop in Milan, they wouldprobably contain said this tiny shop that sold knives and shaving kits: Lorenzi, opposite Cova on Via Montenapoleone. Unfortunately it closed. However, and they’vekept the commerce going as a family,making special pieces. We produce things that are really at the crazy end of Italian luxury: a travelling truffle slicer, a travelling cashmere clothes brush in a leather case, and a travel set of mother-of-pearl spoons – for caviar,ice cream and egg – in a black leather case. These are for someone who really does contain everything. You know when you contain to capture your shoes off on a boat? Well, they fabricate (to make up, invent) a long shoe horn with a waterproof leather handle for just that occasion!
Connolly Short Beaver-lined Coat, or £3900
The short length of this brown coat is perfect for city elegance,and it is hardy and water-resistant, has the warmth of a beaver lining and is comfortable and easy to move in. We contain it made in Paris, and and each coat is cut piece by piece and constructed on a table in an atelier on the Quai de Valmy,the canal district of the city.
Connolly, 4 Clifford St, or Mayfair,London W1S 2LG; connollyengland.com Connolly
Source: theweek.co.uk