A Collection Fit For The Queen

With the Easter weekend approaching and the scent of spring in the air, florals (in all their many incarnations) come into their own and Hobbs's latest collection has something special to add to the offering. Working with Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that looks after royal residences including Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and the Tower of London, the British high-street retailer has created a collection inspired by the imperial gardens.

"Broadly it is inspired by the gardens at Hampton Court Palace and in particular by the tulip, which features heavily in our jacquards," Sandy Verdon, Hobbs's creative director told us. "The navy lace represents the Great Vine which is special because it is considered to be the largest in the world (and is over 240 years old) and the botanical print references the drawings of the Hampton Court Palace Florilegium society, whose beautifully detailed paintings both document and celebrate the flowers which grow in the palace grounds."

The collection, which is entitled Collection No 6, is the brand's sixth collaboration with the charity (the concept won the Innovation Award at the Licensing Awards last year) and this season features Vogue cover girl Arizona Muse as its campaign muse. As Verdon explained, the collection has grown (pun unintentional) in popularity with customers thanks not only to the flattering cuts and heritage references, but also because of the exclusive extras that have been thrown in to the mix.

"Since we've started, we've tried to make the collaboration more immersive for our customer and this year the head gardener at the palace has chosen an exclusive selection of flower seeds for us to give away with our pieces."

Whether or not, however, the pieces will be seen on her Majesty, or even another female member of the royal family, such as the Duchess of Cambridge(for whom the modest A-line hemlines would be perfect for when making public appearances), Verdon respectfully won't be drawn.

"We think they're fit for any woman who would like to own a piece of clothing which is really born out of an appreciation and fascination with British history, and the history of the Royal Palaces," she said.

Collection No 6 is available now at Hobbs stores and online at Hobbs.co.uk.