This week we are celebrating 5 years of Whale Of A Time! It all started with our first loungewear style, the Orca Sweatshirt and from there we have had quite an incredible journey to where the brand has grown to today.
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Take a scroll to see some behind the scenes pictures from the archives of our very first photo shoot in 2016, to our first ever country show at Sandringham Game & Country Fair to where the journey has led us to so far. We're proud to have not only grown the range significantly but to have grown such a great team who are all equally as passionate about sustainability & timeless British casual wear.
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To mark such a milestone we have launched some exciting treats for our lovely community of loyal customers & influencers this week, from birthday hampers, an exclusive 20% OFF for 24hrs only, a BIG giveaway on our Instagram & surprise treats in all orders.. make sure to keep a close eye on our social channels so that you don't miss out!
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In this special birthday blog, we will be looking back at some of our favourite memories from the past five years and we'll be giving you a sneak peak into the next exciting launches that we have lined up for the rest of the year.
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The Journey So Far
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Our very first shoot was kept pretty simple; in front of a cinema screen in a big barn close to home when the team of two started out in 2016. However since then we have shot at multiple stunning locations across Norfolk, including the very well known Wilderness Reserve in Suffolk, Gaddesden Estate in Hertfordshire & our most recent campaign which was shot close to home in the gorgeous Narborough Hall.. just to name a few!.
Our Very First Country Show
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As you can see from the pictures that we've dug out from the archive below, our very first trade stand vs. our most recent at the Suffolk Show, we have had quite a journey! We continue to grow our show stands year on year, ensuring they're always better than the last and have set up at new locations along the way. Our shows are one of our favourite highlights in the annual social calendar - we love seeing all of our customers there, old and new, and it's a great reminder to see just how loved the brand is.
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Sustainability: It's At The Heart Of What We Do
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Bringing all of our manufacturing back in to Britain from India in 2019 was a really proud moment for us. Not only were we thrilled to be producing our entire range sustainably from eco-friendly fabrics here in Britain, but it also allowed for a much quicker turnaround on best selling lines so that we were able to keep up with our ever growing customer demands! It also allowed for us to work much harder towards reaching our sustainability goals in reducing our air miles in which significantly lowered our carbon footprint.
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A Catch Up With Our Founder Ellie Wales
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Have you achieved everything you hoped you would in the past five years?
I am definitely very pleased with what the business has grown to be. Our product range and customers continue to grow season after season as well as the expansion of our team. I am so grateful for everyone who has been on this journey with us, whether they have been part of the team since the very beginning or have recently joined us, it's so great to work with a team that are all as equally passionate about growing Whale Of A Time as I am.
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What was your mission from the very start of the journey?
The aim has always been to create high-quality and sustainable clothing. We are not a business that has ever been interested in competing with and chasing fast fashion trends - sustainability and providing long lasting fashion has always been at the heart of what we do. Our goal is to create timeless, contemporary pieces that can be worn season after season.
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What is your current favourite item in the collection?
The pink Sennowe Quarter Zip has to be my current favourite from our latest AW21 range. It's so lovely & soft as it's made from the finest sourced merino wool & part cashmere with also being a new twist on our best selling quarter zip range.
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COMING SOON
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We have a really exciting new launch coming up within the next couple of weeks as we'll be introducing new styles to our latest knitwear range and we are sure you will love it just as much as we do! We can't give too much away but here's a little sneak peak of what's to come..
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Discover our full range of sustainable casual wear in unisex sizes www.whaleofatimeclothing.com