Anne Furbank - Spring 2024

Spring News 2024

New Romantics Harness your inner Downton Abbey and embrace the romance this season.

Animal instinct Marc Cain have given the classic animal print a modern twist.

Spring Fashion Week 19th – 23rd March

Live fashion shows in store on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, at 11am.

Editor's Letter

Welcome to spring 2024 and the joy that brings. Even the season’s name ‘spring’ conjures up energy, moving forwards and upwards. In the magazine we not only look at the spring fashions but also the positives that the spring season brings.

It’s also the wedding season and boy do I wish I had a wedding, or two, to go to this year. The choice is fabulous and with some new occasion wear labels there is a real buzz on our first floor. The wedding season kicked off early for us this year with many of you coming in as soon as the New Year hit us. Don’t panic if you haven’t paid us a visit yet there is still plenty of time and we have a few tips to help you be fully prepared for your visit.

Check out our Mother of the Bride Blog on our website for some more helpful tips and ideas.

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What has spring got in store for you?

5 Spring Fashion Week 6 Make a statement 7 New Romantics 8 Cherished classics 9 Animal instinct 10 New brands: Spring 2024 14 Brand profile: Marc Cain 16 Finishing touches 18 Mums get ready 19 New occasion wear 22 What fashions means to me 22 Delving into the archives 23 Dates for your diary

Despite no weddings in my diary, I am celebrating my 30th wedding anniversary so I have an excuse to buy something special to wear. And if you don’t have an occasion you could go by the saying ‘buy the outfit and the event will find you’!

With my 30th wedding anniversary coming up I realised that I have spent more than half my life working in the fashion industry – you can find out a little more about what fashion means to me later in the magazine.

We have a whole host of fashion shows planned in the coming months with some special guests so be sure to book your seats – you can find all the dates in the magazine.

In the meantime, enjoy our spring magazine and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Becky Rebecca Furbank Managing Director

Front cover: Kinross Editor: Rebecca Furbank Design & Print: clickcreative.co.uk Anne Furbank, 41 High Street, Buckden, St Neots, Cambs PE19 5WZ Shop: 01480 811333 Office: 01480 811321 annefurbank.co.uk 3

Anne Furbank Fashion

SPRING

WhAT HAS GOT IN STORE FOR YOU?

Spring is the most delightful season and while the other seasons have their fans, spring is clearly the most lovable. In spring the days get longer, and those extra hours of sunlight can be a major mood booster. Birds return from their winter vacations and sound of birds chirping outside your window brings joy. You get to spend more time outside; you get to enjoy flowers blooming and fresh food just seems tastier and more available.

Spring fashion collections take on all the positives of the season and 2024 is following this creative trend with collections that give you the choice to decide who you want to be by the clothes that you wear.

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If you like to make a statement, then the bold colours and expressive prints will work for you.

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New romantics will love the ruffles, pleats, and florals.

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Cherished classics, in gentler colours, will suit those that want to enjoy the feeling of something new, without the complication of being a fashion icon.

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A little more graceful? Then it’s all about the fabrics satins, metallics and chiffons are a must and choose the new cool colours of spearmint and peppermint.

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Animal lovers will enjoy the new take on animal print, with silhouettes of elephants and zebras working in tandem with the occasional swan!

Spring 2024

Spring Fashion Week

Live fashion shows in store on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, at 11am.

Tuesday 19th – Saturday 23rd March

This season we are doing things a little differently for our Spring Fashion Week. We start off the week on Tuesday 19th with our fashion show at 11am, which will highlight the very best of the new spring collections across the brands – from everyday casuals to holiday wardrobe ideas and finishing with something for a special occasion.

Wednesday is our Joseph Ribkoff Special. Mark and Monica will join us from Joseph Ribkoff. At 11am you can take your seats as they take you through the history of the brand and the inspiration for the current collection, followed by a fashion show covering the new Spring 24 collection from Joseph Ribkoff.

On Thursday the shop will be open as normal, without a fashion show, so you can browse at your leisure. Our team will be on hand to help with any specific wardrobe designs or dilemmas you have.

On Friday we are joined by the team from Marc Cain with a fashion show, at 11am, dedicated to the spring Marc Cain Collections, including the Sport stories. Sarah and Thomas, from Marc Cain, will talk to you about the trends that have inspired the collection this season.

Saturday, our final day, will showcase the breadth of the spring collections, covering fashions for work, rest and play. Our grand fashion show finale to the week is at 11am.

As normal, the bubbles will be flowing and there will be a gift with purchase throughout the week. To book your seat please call 01480 811333 or email shop@annefurbank.co.uk See page 23 for a special eat, sleep and shop offer at the George Hotel for Spring Week.

Let there be Gin…. Your complimentary Spring Fashion Week gift Whether your favourite spring tipple is a botanical gin, an Aperol Spritz or an elderflower presse we have the perfect vessel for you.

Complimentary

gift

From the Bernie Parker collection, this fabulous stemmed balloon glass, with the joyous artwork from Bernie Parker in its own cylinder box to keep it safe.

This is your gift from us, with purchase, during our Spring Fashion Week.

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Anne Furbank Fashion

Make a Statement We’ve been blessed with plenty of colour in the last few years of fashion and that continues into Spring 2024.

If it’s colour you want, then take it one step further with a bold print to really make a statement.

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Joseph Ribkoff is a brand that has always liked punchy colours and, with their collection now offering everything from summer knits to summer dresses, you can pick pieces that are workable every day, or will turn heads at a summer event. Hot pink, turquoise, sunset orange, and bright green feature across their collection. And the best thing? With Joseph Ribkoff you know it will fit!

Spring 2024

New Romantics Harness your inner Downton Abbey and embrace the romance this season with truly feminine styles. Ruffles, pleats, and all things floral on everything from blouses to dresses and full flowing skirts. To avoid looking too frilly, team with a classic denim jacket or blazer and our new Victoria pumps to just take the edge off the flounce.

Dea Kudibal with their washable silks are masters at adding a touch of romance, without overpowering the wearer.

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Anne Furbank Fashion

Cherished classics Classic pieces make up the staples that are essential in all our wardrobes. They are called classic for a reason – they are always in fashion, they won’t let you down, they don’t need consideration before wearing and they serve a multitude of purposes.

Brands recognise that we can’t be on holiday all the time or have a neverending social calendar. Everyday life takes up most of our time and therefore we should never dismiss the cherished classics. Blazers, t-shirts, striped sweaters, cotton chinos and denims all play their part in our wardrobe. Brax is a master at the cherished classics and with over 100 years’ experience they will not let you down on quality.

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Spring 2024

Animal print has survived decades of fashion. This season however, the leopard may well have changed its spots or certainly been replaced by zebras and elephants!

Marc Cain’s black, white, and teal story has taken two of the big five and given them a silhouetted home on their designs. So cleverly done, as only Marc Cain can do, with their innovative flair in fashion. It’s punchy and joyous at the same time. You might also want to look out for the animal print in a feathered variety, with swans and flamingos making an appearance.

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Anne Furbank Fashion

New brands: Spring 2024

Tanta Rainwear We have around 150 days of rain a year in the UK, so it made sense for us to source a fantastic new rainwear collection for you.

Introducing Tanta, a family business based in the Basque region of Spain. Yes, it may be Spain but believe it or not the Basque region is not far behind the UK when it comes to rainy days with an average of 140 days a year.

Tanta was launched in 2018 with the mission to design and supply high quality 100% waterproof and colourful rainwear at a great price.

Their mission completed and we are delighted to have the coats here at Anne Furbank.

Great colours to bring some joy on those rainy days and at such a great price of £119. They are lightweight, so will pack brilliantly and are easy wearing, comfortable and waterproof.

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Spring 2024

Villagallo Also from Spain, we are delighted to welcome back Villagallo. This is a brand that is full of originals. Each piece is like a work of art. Shirts and summer dresses full of quirky abstract prints, vibrant colours and beautifully crafted embroidery. Natural fabrics of cotton and silk create the base and then the designers go to work.

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Anne Furbank Fashion

Herzen’s Angelegenheit

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Founded in 2009 by Alcidia and Michael Kramer. They are passionate about creating long-lasting, favourite pieces for women. They want women to feel confident and at ease in what they wear, and their luxurious garments go one step towards that. The collection includes printed silk blouses and the softest cashmere wraps in gentle pastel shades.

Spring 2024

Victoria This is a brand that began as a love story over 100 years ago, in 1915, in northern Spain when Gregorio came up with the idea of creating shoes named after his wife Victoria. In the 1950s their signature rubber and cotton model was born, and the model still performs today. They pioneered the use of discarded rubber tyres being recycled and given new life. It has stayed true to its heritage, still manufacturing in Spain and still dedicating that same love into their product.

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Anne Furbank Fashion

Brand profile Marc Cain celebrated 50 years in the fashion industry last year with a spectacular fashion show at their headquarters in Bodelhausen, Germany.

Sixty top models celebrated the incredible achievement of the brand in front of an audience of celebrities and fashionistas. We have been privileged to have the brand in the shop for nearly 20 of those years and it continues to be one of your favourite brands in the shop today.

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Spring 2024

Thomas Herter, head of distribution, joined Marc Cain in 2003 and we caught up with him earlier this year.

Marc Cain has a unique handwriting, is this also part of the success?

Head of design, Karen Veit was with the company for 40 years and the colourful and exclusive prints started with her. Again, the investment in technology enabled us to print designs in house and develop a technique where the inkjet print colour stays on every type of fabric and no matter how many times you wash it, it does not fade.

Karen brought on a team of designers who know the philosophy of the company and have carried on since her retirement in 2018.

How did your journey with Marc Cain begin?

I joined the company in 2003 in charge of the export side of the business covering France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and the UK. My family had a textile business near Bodelhausen (the home of Marc Cain HQ) as that area of Germany, particularly in the 70s and 80s, was the textile area of Germany. We had our own knitwear collection and I often say I was born under a knitting machine. I haven’t known anything else. The family business closed in 2002 and I joined Marc Cain in 2003.

What do you put the success of Marc Cain down to?

It is an extraordinary success story. When I joined, the company had a 60m euro turnover and by 2019 that had increased to 276m euro. The product is at the heart of it - the reason for that success. The quality and sustainability of each garment is a priority. It is also the re-investment into the company. Helmut Schlotterer, who founded the brand, has always invested in technology. That technology has helped us produce many of our products in our own factory. The knitting machines are just one example of that.

Animal print features quite a lot in Marc Cain designs, is this a passion of Helmut?

Again, it was symptomatic of the inkjet technology with animal print coming out strong on the finished garments. But we also took notice that our customers love animal print whether it is a leopard, zebra, elephant or bird. It is a fun, feel good factor.

Sustainability is a big topic, is Marc Cain investing in this area as well?

We are a responsible brand, and the raw material is carefully sourced using organic cottons and recycled polyesters and ethically and sustainably sourced linens and leathers. But the best argument we have is on our energy saving. Because we have our own production, we avoid the huge energy associated with transportation.

20 years on, is your passion for the brand still strong?

I am happy and lucky to be part of the success story of Marc Cain. The textile business is competitive and to be part of this successful business brings its own motivation. I am also very lucky to work with a fabulous UK partner in Sarah Morgan who has lots of passion for the brand and looks after the UK very well.

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Anne Furbank Fashion

Finishing touches Don’t forget those finishing touches to your spring and summer wardrobe. Costume jewellery, naturally woven hats and bags, functional bags with colour and of course the footwear.

New brands to look out for include Pranella Jewellery, Carmela Shoes, Victoria Pumps and Ellya Bags.

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Spring 2024

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Anne Furbank Fashion

Mums get ready A new year brings the thought of weddings and occasions to the fore. As soon as Christmas ends and the planning and socialising associated with that abates, we yearn for those spring, summer and early autumn events.

It’s an exciting time of year. The first floor in the shop is a heavenly delight, filled with stunning dresses and outfits.

Weddings are still the top of the pile when it comes to special occasions, with around 250,000 taking place in the UK each year. Having said that the variety of weddings has dramatically increased over the years. While traditional church and marquee weddings are still popular, civil ceremonies have increased and that doesn’t just mean a registry office. Barns, gardens, boats are all included. And, of course, there are the weddings abroad, which can now consist of multi-day events.

With this change it has meant there is a world of possibilities when it comes to mothers of the bride or groom outfits. ‘It makes my job exciting,’ said Rebecca Furbank, ‘sourcing new brands and designs to make sure we can cover all sorts of events.’

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However, the variety of options can be a little overwhelming, so, our experienced team are always on hand to help you find something that is not only suitable for the occasion, but something you feel comfortable and special in.

Spring 2024

New occasion wear Couture Club This Spanish brand is part of the Rosa Clara group.

Rosa Clara launched her first collection in 1995 in her home city of Barcelona. This was a wedding dress collection and like so many occasion wear brands she moved into designing outfits for the whole bridal party.

Over the years she has collaborated with designers Karl Lagerfeld and Christian Lacroix and has dressed several famous ladies including Mary Perello (Rafael Nadal’s wife) and Antonela Roccuzzo, who married Lionel Messi. She was also given, as she describes, ‘the most important job of my career’ designing her daughter-in-law’s wedding dress.

All of us at Anne Furbank are delighted to welcome the brand into our stable.

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Anne Furbank Fashion

Linea Raffaelli Linea Raffaelli was a very popular brand at Anne Furbank until a change in direction and Brexit put paid to them showing in the UK. ‘It was a brand that I always loved,’ said Rebecca Furbank. ‘We had great success with it but circumstances meant we had a break from stocking it in the shop. I always kept an eye on it and it felt that now was the right time to head to Belgium (their home) to view the collection.’

‘I was thrilled and now it is in the shop I am even more excited. It offers something a little different, something that will look amazing but is designed to be worn for more than one season and more than one occasion.’

Linea Raffaelli was established in 1952 and is still a family owned business.

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Spring 2024

Six tips for occasion wear shopping 1. Wear the right underwear – what you wear under your outfit can make a big difference particularly if you need a little more support!

2. Bring any items you want to wear with your outfit – it’s difficult to carry colours and styles in your head, so bring items with you.

3. Know the wedding colour scheme if there is one – make sure you have some idea of the style of wedding it is, as that could influence what you decide to wear.

4. Have an idea of what you would like but also be willing to try different styles – buying an outfit for a wedding is so different to your everyday wear so be willing to give things a go. You may be surprised!

5. Bring the right people with you – this is a tricky one.

Bringing a large party with you may seem like a good idea but it can be confusing. Make sure if you do want to bring someone that you feel supported by them.

6. Have fun and enjoy - getting your outfit is all part of the pleasure of a wedding. It may be daunting to start with but we will help you relax and enjoy the whole experience.

Remember we have years of experience in dressing mothers of the bride and groom and we want you to look and feel amazing. After all you are our advert!

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Anne Furbank Fashion

What fashion means to me...

Just before Christmas I sat on the train one Sunday heading to London to get my Christmas fix. I had a free afternoon and thought if I don’t go now, the festive season at home will take over and I won’t have had the chance to take in the joys of our capital city at Christmas time.

Becky with daughter Alex after meeting up with her in London

I got on the train at St Neots, and it was packed, people standing in the doorways. As the train pulled away, I started walking down the carriages to see if there was a seat.

Luckily a man got up and moved his enormous suitcase off the seat next to him, so I parked myself down.

Within minutes he started chatting. His opening line was ‘You look creative’. I don’t really think of myself as particularly creative but there must be some creative element to my nature as I work in fashion, and I had decided to wear strong colours! We talked a little about fashion, but I was drawn into his life story. He started out as a ballet dancer, turned theatre costume designer, and is now involved in some quite eclectic theatre productions. He was certainly the creative one!

The journey whizzed by and to be honest, if I had headed straight back home, my day would have been a success. He was full of life and courage and passed on that energy, so the rest of my day was spent with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

It was also this journey that got me thinking about my life in fashion and why I have spent 27 years in the industry. It is the creativity of fashion that inspires me. Creativity is the courage to innovate. Fashion thinks big, pushes the limits, and sometimes throws convention to the wind. It welcomes ideas, crazy or otherwise. It welcomes everyone no matter their size, colour, shape, or age. It lets us live life to the fullest.

Sonia - Oky Coky Bernie - Vera Mont

Delving into the archives We have always prided ourselves on offering quality clothing that will stand the test of time. Some of you who have been coming to the shop for many years have told stories of items that you bought 20 years ago that are still going strong. So we decided to delve into our own wardrobes and dig out the oldest piece we possess from Anne Furbank.

A piece that we just can’t part with (and quite possibly still wear!)

We would love to see some of the pieces you have in your wardrobe that have stood the test of time, so please do bring them in or send a photograph. In April we will do a window display featuring clothes from the archives. All the outfits here are between 10-20 years old. Can you do better?

Gill - Marc Cain

Clare - F&S

So, when the new collections arrive in the shop it is like a new lease of life.

A chance to have fun, put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

I thank Oscar (the man on the train) for making my day and I thank the fashion industry, and all those involved, for the energy and joy you bring.

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Becky

Debbie - Konlan

Spring 2024

Dates for your diary March Saturday 2nd Gerry Weber Fashion Show, 11am in store Saturday 16th Luisa Cerano Fashion Show, 11am in store Tuesday 19th – Saturday 23rd Spring Fashion Week Saturday 30th Repeat Fashion Show, 11am in store

April Saturday 13th Mother & Daughter Day Fashion Show, 11am in store Saturday 20th Keep it Casual Fashion Show, 11am in store

May Saturday 4th Summer Holiday Fashion Show, 11am in store Saturday 18th Summer Occasions Fashion Show, 11am in store

In order to hear about all our events sign up to our mailing list via our website:www.annefurbank.co.uk

Book one of their beautiful rooms including breakfast and enjoy a three-course dinner for just

£190 for two people

Eat, Sleep And Shop Take advantage of the wonderful offer from The George Hotel during our Spring Fashion Week.

A perfect chance to spoil yourself and be fully refreshed for a great days shopping.

To book your Eat, Sleep and Shop offer, quote ‘the shop’.

Offer valid from Monday 18th March – Saturday 22nd March 2024

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Meet the team

Debbie Daniels Sales Director

Bernadette Skerritt Accountant

Clare Jewers

Debbie Tomlin

Gill Hepworth

Hazel Gregory

Helen Currie

Jacqui Moore

Jane Harris

Sonia Beal Anne Furbank, 41 High Street, Buckden, St Neots, Cambs PE19 5WZ T: 01480 811333 E: shop@annefurbank.co.uk W: annefurbank.co.uk

Sophie Hampson