Natural High

By the late 18th century, The Romantics had  established a long love affair with the English Lake District and fashionable aficionados of the picturesque, who were looking for an alternative to the Grand Tour began to visit the region with great enthusiasm. Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge were some of the first to share their deepest moments of insight and only shortly after, Ruskin, tempered by his experiences, became part of a newer movement seeking a truer representation of nature. Ever since then, the Lake District has continued to capture our collective imagination and entices millions of visitors each year.  

Nature is at its most intriguing in the Lake District. Infamous changes in weather usher in strong yet subdued colours with the changing seasons while light and shadow play across the rugged landscapes. The wild grandeur of the mountains and wooded valleys are offset by the small world charm of white washed farms and purple heathered hillsides are punctuated by clear glassy streams, drystone walls and of course the omnipresent Herdwick sheep. 

While the landscapes are notoriously beautiful, they can, often, seem austere, even lonely. However, the freedom and solitude that you can find in the Lake District is still a rare luxury that truly resonates and gives us chance to pause, reconnect and have our senses put in order.

We recently spent a day shooting in some of the more remote valleys of the Lake District where the hills give way to muted scenery and an irresistible colour palette. It was pure luck that we were able to shoot on one of those rare days that dawned bright and clear and remained like that for the subsequent twelve hours. With reserved tones and beautiful light evoking a deep sense of place and vernacular details adding texture and integrity to the shots, the Lake District proved to be the ideal backdrop for showcasing our latest collection and brand imagery. That evening we worked until the last light slid off the hillside and eked out everything we could from the diffused light that lent a dreamy quality to the final shots. The campaign shoot, which we affectionately named 'The Lakelanders', celebrates that natural high and freedom of spirit that we find in nature. Without visiting, it is hard to get the true measure and tremendous sense of tranquility that you can find in the more remote areas of the Lake District but we hope that the imagery from this campaign will transport you and provide a little light escapism.

With gratitude to Photographer Laura Meek 

Clothing - Emporium, Oxford