In 1981, on a wet August day, the Chadwick family steps into a shop on Adelaide Street, Penzance. They are quite simply looking for a good pair of waterproof jackets for the three kids, but the end of the story is that they buy the whole store! The range consists of traditional workwear: fisherman’s flaps, Guernsey sweaters and striped tops. A few months later they move out of the Midlands but open a second store in St Ives, Cornwall. The name of the store remains the same: General Clothing Stores.
The customers at that time are the sailors, farmers and fishermen of the area, but what is striking is that the artists from the region also like to visit. These early days will have a lasting impact on what SEASALT CORNWALL products look like today.
The three Chadwick brothers, Leigh, David and Neil, had spent their entire lives working in and around the family business. When their father Don passed away in 2001, they decided to start their own clothing brand inspired by everything they loved about Cornwall and… SEASALT was born! Twenty years on, the three brothers are still involved on a daily basis, passionate about their product as ever and very proud to be one of Cornwall’s largest employers.
SOPHIE CHADWICK
In 2004, brother Neil met his future wife Sophie, a print designer by trade. Sophie’s creativity and involvement became the catalyst for the transformation from the solid family business to the more comprehensive one SEASALT CORNWALL. With her love for textile prints and Neil’s endless ideas and enthusiasm, the SEASALT adventure could begin.
However, simplicity has remained the first core value of SEASALT and this is reflected in their characteristic combination of the beautiful with the useful. The products have a utilitarian feel, but meanwhile only the softest, most comfortable and most beautiful fabrics are used. It’s as if the Chadwicks want to express in every detail their love for ‘the most wonderful place to live and work: Cornwall’. SEASALT has never made any concessions to quality and is increasingly promoting the importance of sustainable products at a good price. Read all about their second core value here: SUSTAINABILITY.
