The Links That Join Us: Cath Kidston

Cath Kidston Padgham is a British designer, businesswoman, and author. In 2016 Cath stepped away from her eponymous brand, after years of commuting she found herself spending more time in her garden in the Cotswolds. She treated herself to a greenhouse and set about growing a collection of geraniums, a plant she had loved since childhood, thus, C.Atherley was born. C.Atherley specialises in authentic geranium fragrances, making a range of exquisite body care and home fragrance products, taking the customer on a journey from her greenhouse to bottle. We are delighted to be welcoming Cath and her magical geranium products to 201 Westbourne Grove from November 23rd-29th.

My earliest memory of a piece of jewellery having meaning to me was when I was given a small brooch, probably as a christening present. It was a little ring of pearls, and I would wear it on the sash of my party dress as a small child; it’s still in my jewellery box today. There is something so comforting about jewellery, with all of their memories. I would feel naked without wearing my favourite necklaces and rings, I am the sort of person who keeps my jewellery on and rarely changes it except for special occasions. 

When I was young, I wore lots of statement costume jewellery and dressed up much more than I do today. Now, I wear less things, but each are special and beautifully made, each piece has meaning to me. Recently I have been dreaming of pearls, perhaps this is an age thing.

I’ve been wearing Pippa pieces for a long time and I remember when she first started out. The first piece of jewellery I bought from Pippa was a multi-strand shell choker for my cousin as a gift and it looked wonderful on her. I admire Pippa so much for her values and ethos, it has been something she has always been clear about and sets her apart. When I started my C.Atherley business I was able to begin with a clean slate and set out to build a business that contributes in a positive way in all its processes. The joy of a collaboration like this one between me and Pippa is that there is a tremendous trust in innately sharing these values. I also love Pippa’s talent and work, so I am excited to put our products in her shop knowing we have both put so much love into what we do.

My initial love for geraniums was inherited from my mother and grandmother. When I was a child they taught me to rub the leaves to release their scent. I began to grow geraniums when I built a greenhouse about a decade ago, and I think it’s safe to say they are now rather an obsession. Pelargoniums are such a rare species, as they mimic so many different plant scents in their varieties. The idea formed to bring these magical plants into people’s lives, and I was lucky enough to be introduced to an apothecarist who was able to capture the fragrances for me directly from the leaves of my plants. I find myself reaching most often for the Attar of Roses pelargonium – it has the most delicate, pretty scent, without any sense of sweetness.

One of the joys of work is to be connected to the people who help to create a business. I love visiting the fragrance houses, working with my young team in the studio, and being close to the product. We know exactly how everything is made here, being close to the production process and seeing the care that goes into it. In order to replicate the natural fragrance of the plants authentically it is critical to use natural rather than synthetic fragrance. We have one tiny percentage of a synthetic fragrance in one of our products, as the legal requirements do not allow the use of a number of natural essential oils these days; but the standards are as high as is possible in our industry, which I am very proud of.

My creative process has always started with the plant. When I was beginning I selected my favourite scented geraniums to work from: classic, mint, lemon, and rose varieties. It has taken us four years to replicate them, which has been a painstaking process. Each formula has to be adjusted and stringently tested for each category. We then create artwork and drawings for the plants, and build collections from here. The goal is to offer our customers a sense of being in the greenhouse with these magical plants when they use our products.