Situated at the heart of a historic 850-acre estate, this new country house hotel is aptly described as a place of true wonderment. Its core is Georgian, with limestone buildings the colour of burnt honey, the main Hadspen House is a fine example of picturesque 18th Century architecture.
Hadspen and the farmyard, now crowned The Newt of Somerset, is nestled quietly amongst cider orchards, lakes, woodlands and 30-acres of formal gardens created by Franco-Italian Patrice Taravella. This working country estate off-sets heritage elements with contemporary design, styling and architecture brought by the owner, former editor of Elle Decoration South Africa.
Our concept is a re-imagination of the ‘Ivy League’ look, developing a uniform with a classic style of dress that retains heritage features, and sits well with the property. The uniform has been designed to focus on three main design tributes - Ivy Style, Artisan Craftsmanship and Stripe Revival.
An era known for its classic sensibilities, our designers have looked at the inception of ‘Ivy Style’ across college campuses in the early 1900’s, its evolution, and its prominence today. This preppy character of dress is iconic yet contemporary, aligning perfectly with The Newt’s prestigious setting and regal architecture.
In keeping with the idea of a working country estate, the uniform designs should also reflect ‘Artisan Craftsmanship’. Therefore, our product development team sourced iconic British cloth in earthy tones and a heritage look, to sit alongside a contemporary graphic stripe. The uniform suitably combines with the hotel’s distinct ethos, creating a unique and transformative experience for guests.
Preppy attire was intrinsically tied with sailing, fencing, lacrosse and rugby, and the stripe is a prominent characteristic in distinguishing tradition and social achievement. Our proposal sees a play on the use of the stripe through bold tailoring. This ‘Stripe Revival’ design attribute offers a striking and contemporary edge to the range, as well as retaining authenticity.
The uniform has been a resounding success and has helped the hotel achieve its cult status. It recently received a Condé Nast Traveller Gold Award (2023) on top of many others since it opened in 2020.
