February with Fairfax & Favor

February with Fairfax & Favor

Christmas is now a distant memory, summer seems ages away, it’s probably raining and your 2023 New Year’s resolutions might have withered on the vine. Luckily, there’s plenty to look forward to, and you can make the most of this month of transition as the days gradually lengthen, the first flowers of the year start to bloom again, and we look forward to Spring

February is said to be a time of renewal and change (the month is named after a Roman festival of purification and cleansing), and it’s also a time where we look for inspiration to keep our new year dreams alive. And of course – it’s Valentine’s Day…

To celebrate, Fairfax & Favor decided to bring out two new additions to their collection for Valentine’s Day, which of course were designed with love, finished with a red leather and gold leaf embellishment. The Stratford purse and The Key Ring mirror are a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day or a must have addition to your collection (whilst stocks last). If the limited-edition red items are not a suitable gift for you or your loved one, Fairfax & Favor have curated a gift guide that is sure to have the perfect gift for your Valentine.

Our Marlow Store

Feeling inspired, I visited Marlow, Stow-on-the-Wold and Holt for a breath of fresh February air, and to find out more about who makes our stores tick and where they’d go on a date…

First, I visited Marlow – our newest store - to see what February holds. It was a mild, damp midweek morning in Marlow, the air was cool and fresh, and the atmosphere in the Fairfax and Favor store was warm and welcoming.

Roses are red, and February celebrates love with Valentine’s flowers – mostly roses for romance. We all enjoy the splash of colour that red tassels bring to our favourite boots and bags– the perfect accessory for a February date. I asked our Marlow team where they would go to feel the love in their town.

Michela, our store manager in Marlow, instantly said she’d go to The Ivy Marlow Garden for a romantic dinner – she loves the glamorous vibe and fantastic menu, whilst Tabetha likes the idea of a boat ride up the Thames to Windsor for a day trip. If that’s your thing, check out Salter’s Steamers who run the trips, wrap up warm and enjoy the adventure. For a touch of Fairfax & Favor glam for the occasion, Tabetha said she’d wear the amazing Frances trench and Octavia boots, along with a fedora to complete the outfit. I absolutely agree – the Frances can go anywhere – and I always love a fedora for a chic and quirky touch

Lauren wasn’t too sure where she’d go, but she did put together her favourite outfit which would absolutely impress on any date:

Lauren's ideal February Outfit

For another fun date in Marlow, you could try a Blue Plaque treasure hunt…

Marlow had its fair share of famous faces long before celebrity chefs became a thing. Head out on this blue plaque-hunting adventure and find the building where fantastically named 1930s jazz bandleader Ken ‘Snakehips’ Johnson studied, the place TS Eliot called home during WWI and the spot where Mary Shelley wrote ‘Frankenstein’. There’s more if you can find them! I think I could persuade Lauren to go on this adventurous date in her Explorers (with a red tassel) for style and comfort, along with the Charlotte Gilet and lovely bobble hat to stay cosy. And after that exercise she can pop into The Chequers for refreshments later – what could be better?

Our Stow-on-the-Wold Store

My next stop was a trip to Stow-on-the-Wold.

It was a cold and rainy day in Stow, but that didn’t detract from the Cotswolds magic touch that everybody loves. The atmosphere in the store was warm and friendly, with Pepper the spaniel pup there to greet me – looking very smart in her new collar. The shop looked amazing, with the inspiration behind the décor being the magical yew trees of St Edward’s church, said to be the inspiration for JRR Tolkein’s ‘Doors of Durin’ in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It’s a stunning backdrop for the beautiful displays in the store. I went to St Edward’s later to have a peep at the doors, and it really is a mystical and other-wordly sight – well worth a small detour.

Our lovely ladies at Stow – Alice, Sophie and Amelia

Hi Pepper

There’s lots of Valentine’s destinations to choose from in Stow. Alice said she’d head off to nearby Daylesford for her date – apparently it’s the place to be seen - and she would absolutely smash it in her sensational outfit: the Navy Elizabeth gilet, high heeled Reginas with red tassels, the black sennowe belt and a mini-Windsor in the glorious high-shine navy croc leather. Just …fabulous.

Alice showing off her new outfit

Amelia, the store manager, thinks that she’d rather go on a date with Pepper, so she’d take a walk to one of the prettiest villages in England, the honeypot that is Bourton-on-the-Water– and as it’s February she’ll probably need her L’Alliance wellies (and maybe an umbrella as well for any February showers). Honestly, if I had a dog like Pepper, she’d be my date any day; she’s a little beauty.

Sophie said she’d prefer a cosy lunch at ‘The Old Butchers’ right in the heart of Stow – and a bit of sparkle with the lovely Champagne croc leather Finsbury would really hit the spot (rather like the champagne itself…) As it’s a special occasion, she would look amazing in the navy velvet Blairs. They are jaw-droppingly gorgeous.

Our Holt Store

A few days later, I was in Norfolk to visit Holt – home of Fairfax and Favor’s very first store in the High Street. If you start in Feathers Yard, you can follow the quirky ‘Owl Trail’ to show you the best spots in this little Georgian town – just look out for the Owl plaques along the way and the trail will take you right past our store.

It was a very cold bright day in Holt, and the clear frosty air and low winter sun gave the town a touch of zest and sparkle. I’m very glad that I was wearing my Anglesey boots; they’re perfect for cold days. It was super to meet Kylie and Emma (they said they were twins…but they’re not, even though they have the same birthday). The store was busy, but I still found time for a glass of champagne and to admire the outfits. It seems there’s plenty of romance in Holt, and you’d be spoilt for choice if you want to choose a romantic rendezvous, although they did agree that historic Byfords, with its posh rooms and sophisticated vibe, would be their choice for a cosy date. It’s also a grade II listed building.

Kylie and Emma in Holt enjoying a glass of champagne – a great accessory for the mini Windsor and the Chiltern coin purse.

Kylie in her favourite February outfit – the Elizabeth gilet in tan, the mini Loxley and the Octavia boots.

For a February treat, an 11-minute drive from Holt is Walsingham Abbey and its delightful Snowdrop Walk. Carpets and carpets of snowdrops cast a pearly light on the crumbling stone walls of the old Abbey, and a fairytale stream winds through the woods, adding to the romance and beauty of this lovely spot. See glorious carpets of hellebores and aconites along with the snowdrops and enjoy the beauty of nature. This is open from the 23rd January, and your dog is welcome on a lead.

February is said to be the border between winter and spring – so make the most of these changeable days of sunshine, rain (and sometimes snow) – spring is just around the corner, and 2023 is just getting under way. Enjoy!

Thank you to Michela, Lauren, Tabetha, Amelia, Alice, Sophie, Kylie and Emma