Postcards from Positano
The Story of Our Summer Collection
Postcards from Positano
The inspiration for our Summer ‘24 collection first came to fruition when Hope & Ivy co-founder Beth visited the spellbinding stretch of Italy’s Campania region, known as the Amalfi Coast.
Immediately struck by the breathtaking scenery and beautiful landscape, where bougainvillea-lined terraces met flourishing lemon groves and sky-high coastal cliffs, it was love at first sight. As Beth sat enjoying food in a local ristorante, she watched the soft hues of the sunset turn from golden yellow to vibrant, brilliant pink, and knew immediately that it was time to create a collection that would perfectly encapsulate the joy of this summer holiday feeling.
Upon her return to H&I HQ, the design team set about drawing up motifs of ripe fruits, wine, sprawling florals, and the quintessential coastal towns this blissful corner of the Mediterranean is known for. Brought together through a hand-painted, sun-soaked colour palette, emblematic of summer evenings spent gazing out over pastel-coloured Positano and soaking up the exuberant culture this UNESCO World Heritage Site is brimming with, our summer collection is now here, ready to transform your season and bring the magic of one of the world’s most iconic destinations to your wardrobe.
La vita è bella – Life is Beautiful
Designing for summer is always an especially exciting project – creating signature Hope & Ivy silhouettes that our customers know and love, while dreaming of holiday season and the special occasions that make this time of year such a favourite.
Whether it’s getaways to far-flown lands, glorious wedding weekends with your loved ones, a girly day out at the races, or simply a beachside picnic, the summer season offers endless opportunities to head outside and wear pieces that make you feel your most beautiful. It’s a chance to go bold with colour and print, and experiment with shapes and materials, spurred on by the cheeriness of those first signs of summer sunshine.
As a boutique brand that specialises in bringing thoughtful, hand-painted prints to the forefront of all that we do, designing this collection in particular was a dream come true project for our in-house team. With the boundless inspiration of Amalfi Coast favourites including Ravello, Sorrento, and the iconic cliffside village of Positano at their fingertips, the collection first began to take shape as our print designers pored over vintage postcards, awash with deep blue waters, winding stretches of road, and delicate florals – a picture perfect escape to paradise.
Soon, our very own postcard-ready scenes were created – sweet sailboats, shady palms, striped umbrellas lining the sand, and rolling, floral-lined hills surrounding a rainbow of hand-drawn homes. With this iconic backdrop designed, the collection continued to grow, with blooming botanicals in shades of pink, yellow, and red interspersed with soft, sparkling embellishments, beachy beading and exotic, embroidered birds.
Capturing the Sense of Summer
Almost a year on from the creation of our first designs, the time finally arrived to head overseas and shoot the full collection with the brilliant John Lander and our beautiful model Charlotte. The team headed out to the beloved South of France region that has served as the backdrop to so many of our Hope & Ivy shoots across the years. With spectacular surroundings and an extraordinary French home to utilise, it was an early start for everyone, who made the most of those magical first hours of light, capturing that early summer glow as it flooded in through the open windows.
Charlotte looked incredible in each of the eye-catching designs, while the quintessential, rustic furnishings at the location provided a perfect holiday setting. As the afternoon brought further sunshine, it was the breathtaking gardens and sparkling pool that inspired us, perfectly highlighting the enchanting colours of the collection while those all-important Hope & Ivy details glittered in the sunshine.
We couldn’t be prouder of the final result – these images are a beautiful representation of what summer means to us and reflect the many months of hard work that went into creating our Postcards from Positano collection.
However you’re planning on spending your summer, we hope these brand-new Hope & Ivy designs evoke the same feelings of sweet nostalgia for you as they do for us.
That feeling as the heat first hits you as you step off the plane. Those long, leisurely lunches with family and friends. The infinite colours that spread across the sky during a sunset that only a warm summer day can bring.
This collection is a love letter to summer, and we are delighted to finally share it with you!
Inspired by the Amalfi Coast, and designed in London, especially for you,
Love,
Hope & Ivy xo