The Godiva Guide to... the Best Cafés in Edinburgh

Living in Edinburgh, we're lucky to have so many wonderful cafés and coffee shops right on our doorstep. And obviously we like to avoid the big name chains (ahem, Starbucks...) whenever we can, and get our caffeine-and-cake fix from an independent instead. Here are our favourites (seems Lovecrumbs is a definite hit!):

(picture from Graham Pow, flickr)

Fleur
My favourite cafe is Lovecrumbs, not only because it's great to have such a fabulous business open on the West Port making the street more of a destination street, but their excellent baking skills and stylish decor has made it my favourite place to indulge in cake. If you're going to indulge you should always do it in the most stylish and distinguished way. Lovecrumbs most definitely caters for this with their vintage café style and unusual flavour combinations like chocolate and lavender or a peanut butter cake. If you haven't been, then go today!

Lovecrumbs
155 West Port
EH3 9DP

Rowan
My favourite cafe - the Fruitmarket Gallery Café. I'm not a coffee or tea drinker so a cafe that also sells wine and cakes is top of my list and the Fruitmarket Gallery does both of those. After having a wander round whichever exhibition is on (currently Jim Lambie, definitely worth a visit to be hypnotised by the floor alone) it's a great spot to sit and watch people go by on Market Street.

The Fruitmarket Gallery
45 Market Street
EH1 1DF

Jenny
My favourite cafe is Lovecrumbs. It's close to the shop, independent (which we always support!) and has the most fabulous selection of cakes, teas and coffees. The atmosphere is relaxed, with its eclectic selection of tables, chairs and sofas. The artworks and many cacti give a homey but arty feel that isn't pretentious.

Natasha

I can't stand coffee but I could drink tea by the bucketload. They don't advise drinking from buckets at Anteaques; instead, they serve up the biggest range of tea I've ever seen in beautiful antique china tea sets. I always think there's something special about drinking from a delicate tea set, and being in Anteaques is like stepping back in time. Plus the green tea cake is to die for!

Anteaques
17 Clerk Street
EH8 9JH

Edel
My favourite coffee house is Filament Coffee on Victoria Street. Robbie who runs it is incredibly friendly and extremely passionate about coffee. It's all about the coffee for me and every week his coffee blends are from somewhere new.

Filament Coffee
5 India Buildings, Victoria Street
EH1 2EX

Designer Q & A - Naromode

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The Glasgow duo Anna and Iain behind the label Naromode have taken the time to answer our designer Q & A. Please do take the time to read the Q & A for a little more insight to one of the most successful Scottish labels to launch in the last year.

 Naromode has taking the independent fashion market by storm with their beautiful whimsical narrative fashion creations which sold out within the first week at Godiva.
Their success is well deserved and long may it continue for this extremely talented duo.

We are currently stocking their first collection of tees and scarves based on the Fairytales Grimms which for me is both beautiful and macabre. We really love this label and we're looking forward to the launch tomorrow of their lookbook of their next collection, Snow White.

Hello, we are:

Anna & Iain, the duo behind Naromode, the illustrative fashion brand.

We design:

We create printed womesnwear clothing, designing all our printed fabrics, producing wearable garments with simple silhouettes. Our focus is on our textile creations.

When we are creating, our typical day involves:

A typical day when creating,  involves reading A Brothers Grimm tale, researching and picking our key parts of the story to design, sketch & illustrate our way through the story, recreating the story onto fabric for digital printing.

When we are not designing and creating, we are:

Working really hard to push Naromode as far as we can. 

We get inspiration from:

We find inspiration from our books, the stories by The Brothers Grimm give us a fantastic source of inspiration. Inspiration is all around and everyone feeds of each other, a lot has been done over and over and its great to be inspired by different talented designers.

 Being independent designers is important to us because:

It is important to us because we get to have complete control designing our own prints, create our own collections, always being original and innovative.

We knew we wanted to be designers when:

After a few internships and being able to create textile designs for different brands we knew we could do it ourselves.

Our greatest achievement so far is:

Our greatest achievement includes being stocked in stores like ‘Godiva Boutique’ in Edinburgh and ‘Kirsteen Stewart’s’ Store in Orkney, which are great platforms to introduce Naromode to more consumers around the UK.

We cannot live without:

Our social networking feeds, keeping everyone up to date with what we get up too.

Our favourite things we have ever bought or found are:

Our vintage Brothers Grimm original tales book collection. 

we currently have all thes following designs in stock 

                                                      Screenprinted fairtrade cotton tees 

                                                            Silk screen printed scarves

Monochrome: more than Black & White

There's no denying that monochrome trend is something that can't and won't phase out. It's a sophisticated minimalist look that everyone can wear and pull off. Chic and classic, monochrome made it's name in the 1960's during which a decade of art and fashion was influenced by the mod movement. n which it influences most of the art and fashion of that time. 

Black and white is easy to wear however you arrange it. It has an astute effect on every pattern and print, creating optical illusions that can be both flattering as well as fascinating and unique. It's on of your best fashion friends. Great example of this are the catwalk creations below from this years s/s14. I particularly love the Marc by Marc Jacobs jumpsuit and the Saint Laurent striped dress pictured. Additionally this year the Met Ball was dominated by Black & White gowns, reiterating mono's popularity and chicness. 

Monochrome is used time and time again, the most popular combination being the polkadot or stripe.  I have picked out some of our latest offering from the Godiva showroom for your Summer Monochrome fix that are available now. Goldie London has created a mini range of black and ivory striped pieces, pictured below and available online and in store. We found a gorgeous vintage polkadot skirt for you and a classic Mollie Brown pencil skirt. 

 It's great to accessorise monochrome with some colour and we have also picked out some Mono accompaniments from our online store that which we think you will love.We could resist adding the And Mary Zebra! Natures most amazing back and white wonder.

                                                                Marc by Marc Jacobs

                                                                     Saint Laurent

                                       Gowns of the Met Ball 2014 Hailee Steinfeld in Prabal Gurung,
                                  Charlize Theron in Dior & Sarah Jessica Parker in Oscar de la Renta.

Model Chanel Iman in J Mendel Striped asymmetric dress at Met Ball 2013

 

Beautiful lose fit black & ivory Camisole vest £37.50 by Goldie.  

                                       Open back black & Ivory stripe Blouse by Goldie £46.00

 

Mono stripe chiffon dress by Goldie £55 

 

Diamond Dot Maxi dress by Goldie with cut out back £68.00

 

Porcelain Bulldog Ring by And Mary £25  

 

Porcelain white Hippo Necklace by And Mary £20.00 

 

Porcelain Zebra Necklace by And Mary £22.50  

 

Vintage Polkadot Pleated skirt £15.00  

 

Mollie Brown Monochrome pencil skirt £48.00  

 

Emma O'Malley Carnival silk Scarf £120  

 

Emma o'Malley Dazzle zebra print scarf £120 

 

Emma O'Malley Lulu Elephant Silk Scarf £120  

Bright & bold *Conditions Apply arrive in store & online for S/S 2014

I love this time of year in Godiva shop as we introduce new independent labels to the Showroom and established sellers new collections for the Spring/Summer. 

It's also a great time of year as the shop shakes off the dark, warming colours of Winter and replaces them with fresh bold bright colours to welcome and salute the longer days, and hopefully the sunshine. 

This year our colour injection has begun with the arrival of Shoreditch, London-based designers, *Conditions Apply.  

These beautiful hand crafted designs focus on contemporary cuts and bold colours while taking  inspiration from around the globe. 

The hand-picked collection we have is made up of three versatile staement peices which  can be worn from day to night out.  Bright, bold colours combined with attention to detail and great finishing. We describe this collection as, bright colourful ultra-modern aztec prints design and futurist folklore.

We are in love this label and hope it to be the start of a long relationship with this fledging London brand.

The latest And Mary Bird Porcelain Necklaces go really well with these Conditions Apply garments. We have plenty more And Mary designs in store too.

All of these items are available online and in store. 

This May weekend we are offering FREE SHIPPING to UK with all online orders, use the code 'MAY' at the checkout,  offer ends midnight Monday 5th! 

Treat yourself this weekend to these limited edition designs. 

Happy Bank Holiday! 

 

Perjes Jacket £135

  

Ragusa Top £95

 

Leip Batwing Top £80 

                                           Kissing Flamingo Porcelain Necklace £30 

 

Porcelain Parrot Necklace £17.50  

Humming Bird Porcelain Necklace £20

Designer Q & A: Runaway Fox

 Poppy & Luis, the creative duo behind the Edinburgh based Jewellery label called Runaway Fox have taken the time to answer our 'Designer Q & A, here are their super sweet answers and a sneak preview pictures of their new Spring/Summer collection and some old favourite from last year. 

We are so pleased to continue to stock these really original and well crafted designs by Runaway Fox. 

Available in store now. 

Hello, we are:

Luis and Poppy, the creative partnership behind Runaway Fox.

We design:

Hand made laser cut jewellery.

When we are creating, our typical day involves:

There isn't really a typical day! Sometimes we might be at a craft fair, other days we could be up until the wee hours of the morning painting and glueing.

When we are not designing and creating, we are:

Collecting sheep skulls in the hills, performing comedy, drinking tea and eating cake, watching weird films by David Lynch and Lars Von Trier.

We get inspiration from:

All sorts: Finding out how people tick, a fascination with strange traditions, history, the natural world and how we interact with it. This is why Edinburgh was a great place for us to start Runaway Fox.

Being independent designers is important to us because:

As independent designers, we have autonomy. We can put real thought and emotion into our products, so for example we're currently designing for a local mental health charity- it's a cause we both believe in. Independent designers can put real character, personality and authenticity into their designs in a way that mass production can't ever match.

We knew we wanted to be designers when:

We never knew we wanted to be designers- we just pursued the projects we cared most about, and everyone else started calling us designers! Runaway Fox came about because we both wanted to go on an adventure and do something different and creative.

Our greatest achievement so far is:

There's no one particular achievement, just lots of things- like getting our first stockist, producing our first physical design, producing a complete collection and being welcomed into the design and fashion blogging community- there are so many lovely people around!

We cannot live without:

Cats. And tea. But mainly cats.

Our favourite things we have ever bought or found are:

The other day we found an amazing 1940s home knitting book, Luis particularly loved that- Poppy found a guitar floating down a river when she was young, that was pretty cool too!

 

Yoshi Leather Satchels

House Print Satchel £60.00

Brown real leather £50.00

 For years now I have been looking for a 70's saddle style satchel bag and was so pleased that years of hunting was rewarded when I found Yoshi Lichfield collection! Not only does their range come in excellent array of colours but they are all made from real leather and made in Britain! All at a very affordable price, coloured leather all £50 and the house print £60.00, resist the temptation to colour it in! 

These bags are an excellent investment, a timeless, well made classic hand bag with a modern twist. Here is a little background about the company & Brand. 

Yoshi was born from a fusion of Osaka inspired culture and a British penchant for quality and design. Behind the Yoshi brand is 40 years of experience in product design, manufacturing and more importantly hand crafting leather. 

All Yoshi products are crafted using the finest leather and unsurpassed production techniques with attention paid to every last feature, detail & stitch. 

In owning a Yoshi product you don't just become an owner of a beautiful leather product but you become part of history and the future of the Yoshi brand and a bag that will be in your life forever.

Now available online and in store! 

We love Yoshi! 

ASOS Marketplace

We are super pleased to finally have an ASOS Marketplace boutique!

It's a great platform to use and every week we will be posting up new vintage for you. 

We will only be selling vintage and reworked clothing on ASOS, hand picking some gems that we think you will love. 

So keep checking out boutique to grab yourself some stylish vintage clothing & accessories. 

 To shop even more vintage & our range of talented local & independent designer collection check out the main website http://www.godivaboutique.co.uk/

Happy Shopping!