Fluent in Fashion

Throughout her career journey, style writer-turned-knitwear designer Lynne Coleman had a front-row seat to some of British fashion’s most iconic moments. Speaking exclusively to Hand Picked Magazine, she shares her story of fashion, family, and finding her way back to the sea.

I remember sitting across from Janet Jackson and Courtney Love at a Pringle of Scotland presentation,” Lynne smiles. “It was almost as thrilling as the knitwear that followed.” Another standout? “Christopher Bailey’s Burberry show in 2015: there was pure joy on the faces of Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.”

But for Lynne, the magic was always in the story each garment told. “The night Karl Lagerfeld staged his Chanel show at Linlithgow Palace was unforgettable. It was a love letter to the British textile industry – each look swept over me like a wave of culture and heritage.” That love of storytelling stayed with her. As a teenager, Lynne took part in the 1999 Tall Ship Race, which began in St Malo and passed through the Channel Islands, before Lynne boarded in Greenock and sailed north to Lerwick. “It was life-changing,” she says.

Alongside her travels, textiles have remained a constant. As brand guardian of historic tartan mill DC Dalgliesh, Lynne has built the world’s largest personal tartan library – over 10,000 pieces, including swatches from Queen Elizabeth II. But cashmere sparked a new chapter – and a luxury knitwear brand inspired by Britain’s maritime past. I believe Scotland’s cashmere is the most luxurious — you have what I call Cashmere’s Holy Trinity: the goat, the water, the artisan.”

A move to Guernsey with her family brought a new focus, and Lynne fell in love with the Guernsey knit. She explains, from the shape and weight to the history in every stitch. From Fair Isle in the north to Guernsey in the south, Britain’s islands have long been home to iconic knitwear. “For hundreds of years, women were knitting for their families and trading with passing ships. Those patterns shaped global fashion as we know it.”

Now, Lynne is bringing those traditions back. Her new collection includes the first commercially available 100% Scottish cashmere Guernsey and Fair Isle knits. “Pulling together so many artisans across the country has been incredibly special – every piece is a collaboration rooted in craft and care.”