Cath Kidston
| Cath Kidston MBE |
|
|---|---|
| Born | Catherine Isabel Audrey Kidston 6 November 1958 Marylebone, London, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation |
|
| Organization | Cath Kidston Limited |
| Known for | Floral prints and patterns |
| Partner(s) | Hugh Padgham |
| Relatives | Kirstie Allsopp (cousin) |
Catherine Isabel Audrey "Cath" Kidston, MBE, (born 6 November 1958) is an English fashion designer, businesswoman and author whose company, Cath Kidston Limited sells home furnishings and related goods through shops, online and by mail order.[1] She is particularly known for her nostalgic floral patterns[1][2] and has also published a number of books.[2]
Contents
Family background and early life
Kidston's grandfather Glen Kidston was a successful racing driver for Bentley in the 1920s,[3] who was married to Nancie, Samantha Cameron's paternal grandmother.[4] Kidston's uncle is the former chairman of Christie's Charles Henry Allsopp, 6th Baron Hindlip and his daughters, television presenters, Kirstie Allsopp[5][6] and Sofie Allsopp her cousins.
Raised with three other siblings near Andover in Hampshire, Kidston was educated at a number of English boarding schools, before moving to London aged 18. She was employed by socialite Nicky Haslam[2] before setting up an interiors business with a friend,[2] then opening her own shop.[2]
Career
Kidston opened her first shop in London's Holland Park in 1993,[1] selling hand-embroidered tea-towels and brightly renovated furniture.[2] She later described it as a "glorified junk shop".[2] By the end of 2013, she had 136 outlets, including a flagship store on Piccadilly next to Fortnum & Mason and four stores in China.[7] Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs programme, Kidston described her shops as provoking a 'Marmite reaction': "People either love it and want a little bit of it very much, or want to stab us.".[3] In 2010, she sold a majority stake of the company to private equity investors TA Associates,[8] retaining a minority stake and remaining the company's Creative Director.[8]
Prince George of Cambridge wore one of her outfits, which quickly sold out.[9]
Collaborations
Kidston has worked with Milletts to design tents (2005–6),[1] Nokia/ Carphone Warehouse mobile phones (2006),[1] and Roberts radios (2005 onwards).[1] In 2008, she collaborated with Tesco to produce shopping bags made from plastic bottles,[1] which were sold to raise almost £500,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care[1] and saved about six million plastic bottles from landfill.[1]
Personal life
Kidston's partner is record producer Hugh Padgham,[2] whom she met as his decorator.[2] They have homes beside the Thames in West London,[2] and in Gloucestershire.[2] She has a step-daughter.[2] Her pets, a Sealyham terrier named and a Lakeland terrier named Stanley, Billie, who features in her designs.[10][11] Kidston is dyslexic.[2] Both her parents died of cancer,[2] and she was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 37.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/royalbaby/pretty-in-pink-princess-is-good-for-nation-of-shopkeepers/ar-BBj7tSp
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
