Our collaboration with Ben Fogle – The Fogle & Pole Collection

The Fogle & Pole Collection – what exactly is it?

It is a collaboration between me, Creature Clothes founder Cosima Pole, and the adventurer, TV presenter and author, and style supremo, Ben Fogle.  Ben and I met after he was castaway on Taransay for the millennium.  His luxury on the island was his beloved Labrador puppy Inca.  I had just started Creature Clothes around my obsession with my beloved Labrador Vodka.  Vodka sent Inca one of my collars and Ben called me to say thank you.  We all became friends, bonding over our love of all things Labrador.

Ben’s Dad is the Best Vet In The World (I have given him that title myself, but it is entirely true) Bruce Fogle, who has looked after all of my dogs and cats, and like Ben, writes beautiful books about dogs.  Ben’s sister Tamara made handbags at the time we met and we share a fond love of making things.  It’s fair to say that I immediately fell in love with Bens whole family and have been their number 1 fan ever since meeting them.

We have now known each other for over 20 years.  The course of our friendship has seen our weddings to wonderful people, the birth of our amazing children and the heartbreaking loss of our beautiful children too.  Many labradors and creatures have filled our lives.  I added some crazy cats to my pack of labs, while Ben has recently discovered a fond love of Guinea Pigs.

After Ben and I met it was pretty obvious to us that we had to make a little side project together, pouring our mutual love of Labradors into some cool dog products.  Tamara was making handbags out of Vintage Welsh blankets at the time, and we completely pinched her idea and thought they would make beautiful dog beds.  Ben funded the first purchase of blankets, we designed our little logo, and The Fogle & Pole Vintage Collection was born.

Initially we sold the beds exclusively in The Conran Shop.  Now we have very select stockists in the UK, but they are mainly sold on the Creature Clothes website.  We do 2 stock updates a year and keep the range very small and special.  This is mainly because of the reverence we hold for the blankets we make the beds out of.  You can feel the years of love and life that have gone into the blankets – it radiates out of them.  Sourced in Cwamarthenshire in Wales, the blankets date from the 1920’s.  Any little holes in the blankets are patched with a criss cross of applique velvet ribbon, making a feature out of their history.

I am very happy to say that The Fogle & Pole Dog Beds page has just been updated – the beds shown are only available in 1’s and 2’s.  When they are gone they are truly gone.  You have to be quick!