Charlotte and Jane: A perfect Duo

With four boutiques already established across Ireland, they are now expanding into the UK market, having set up an online boutique, and are also looking for stockists in France and Italy.

The sleek Valmont Catwalk show, in Chelsea (21st of January 2010) introduced Charlotte and Jane’s elegant Spring Collection.

This is the first time the UK has had a peek at their ‘perfect dresses’ – light, fresh, and chic designs glided through the Valmont Club matched with feathery netted fascinators and stylish hats echoing the 1950s.

The designers met ten years ago when Jane was Charlotte’s printing and drawing teacher.

But it was Jane’s wedding, three years ago, which put them back in touch. After designing and making Jane’s wedding dress together, the pair decided to create their own label, combining their design ideas and love for the 1950s fashions. The label was launched in 2009 and their first fashion show June 2009.

Specializing in dresses, they cater for every woman. The retro prints of their Summer Collection appeal to young vibrant women while the cosy woollen dresses of their Winter Collection are a hit with the older generation. Each dress is unique to each woman. Having selected the design, fabric and length the dress is made to your measurements and finished within four to six weeks.

This idea of custom-made dresses is at one with their aim of providing a high quality personal service. A special dress needs special attention. Charlotte and Jane not only take inspiration from 1950s styles for their designs but also admire the ethos behind the 1950s approach to shopping:

“Clothes were timeless, made to last, and boutiques gave a personal shopping experience to their clients…We hate how shops mass produce garments now.” says Charlotte.

The desire to bring back lasting-quality fashion and an exclusive shopping experience is key to ‘Charlotte and Jane’.  Their personal service isn’t limited to the customer’s choice of dress, but extends to the production of each dress. Based in Cork, Ireland, they employ local seamstresses working from home to manufacture the garments. The use of natural materials is equally a priority; Irish wools and tweeds prevailed in their Winter Collection and Irish linens take pride of place in their Spring Collection.

The classy hats and fascinators are also designed and made by them and to add an extra personal touch a name is given to each dress design.

With a clear creative vision in mind they have produced dresses to suit any woman and for any occasion, while also rekindling the idea of cherishing garments.

The present economic context has, contrary to what one would expect, helped their vision to grow and flourish:

“We started our label at the beginning of the recession, and because we use Irish materials and local seamstresses, our clients know that they are helping to support the local Irish economy…They are happy to pay extra for a dress made in Ireland and not one which is mass produced. Our dresses are timeless investments…” said Charlotte.

Their biggest difficulty so far has been in finding the local seamstresses “since it is a dying trade and we wanted highly-skilled workers”.

‘Charlotte and Jane’ is certainly a label with an edge.

A passion for dresses, the 1950s and lasting fashion is what makes it unique. It is all about ‘the perfect dress’:

“We don’t feel the need to branch into designing other forms of garments just for the sake of it. Dresses are what we specialize in and there is always a market for the perfect dress.” said Charlotte.

After meeting them and seeing their creations you walk away knowing their dresses are truly made with care, attention and with the conviction that a dress is something worth treasuring.

By Susannah Spring