Meet Kiya - The Face Behind The Camera
Tucked away in a rural corner of Sussex, we stole a moment with Kiya-Ellen Rose. The face of our latest Spring/Summer campaign, keen gardener, writer (Glamour, Town & Country), and content creator. Usually seen sharing her coastal and country adventures on her Instagram feed @Pipedream__.
Why Pipedream?
I’m a dreamer. And at the critical age when your teachers are telling you that you should pick one career and align your education to it, I had all these BIG ideas floating around my mind and I couldn’t pick just one. I went through many years of exploration and failure. And my Instagram channel was an outlet for that. It was where I began sharing my life adventures. Admittedly my Instagram is now centred around my rural adventures and not the existential ones *laughs*.
What is a motto you live by?
Nostalgie de la boue.
It’s French for ‘yearning for the mud’. There are varying meanings to this, but I read it as a desire for a simple life and finding beauty in the little things. I think it's a charming saying and in the midst of my fast-paced (sometimes glamorous life), I yearn for a quiet moment on a walk, with the sun on my skin and the wind in my hair. To me this motto is perfect daydream fodder, for when I am sat at my desk yearning for the mud.
What does the perfect day look like to you?
The perfect day to me is waking up in fresh sheets, a mug of herbal tea, and a magazine on my lap, whilst savouring an extra 10 minutes in bed. Its unbrushed hair, a cashmere jumper and jeans, destined for an adventure on the coast or inland in the country.
I have been spending a lot of time with my mum and her horses recently, which has only enhanced my affections for the countryside.
What is a favourite piece from Cashmere & Cotton?
Is this what choosing between children feels like? *laughs*
The beauty of cashmere is it makes you feel chic and effortlessly glam, which is perfect for me because I am low maintenance and love to spend extra time outside instead of in the mirror.
The beauty of your cashmere is, I WANT IT ALL.
I think my Cashmere & Cotton wardrobe staples are the Travel Wrap in chinchilla because it’s sumptuous and looks so elegant over dresses. And the Abigail Rib Jumper in the navy because not only did I wear this to Wimbledon, it's also perfect for those evenings at the allotment. These pieces can be dressed up or dressed down to really suit any lifestyle. I basically wear Cashmere & Cotton wherever possible.
After following your allotment progress last year, what are your plans for your patch this year?
I was gutted, but I failed miserably at growing brassicas last year. The cabbage white butterfly outsmarted me and my nets. So, I have decided to revise my vegetable growing desire in favour of flowers. I’m particularly interested in those with medicinal qualities that I can make tinctures from and steep in hot water to create herbal teas. I love how plants are not only beautiful to look at but also this life source. Every available windowsill space in my house is taken up with propagators as I begin to grow plants for my allotment. I’m just starting to see my Lupins, Lavender and Echinacea germinating. And I can’t wait to gift loved ones with cut flowers from my plot.
Tell us about any behind the scenes of creating the imagery for our most recent campaign?
It’s always lovely to be given the opportunity to work with talented people shooting a lovely product. And I was fortunate to be photographed by Scarlett (@eye_onthe_lens) whose work I am a huge fan of. However, it was no easy feat. We shot the images in the middle of winter in a fierce wind. We were hoping the weather would be kind, but England delivered with its changeable skies and unpredictable winds. My eyes and nose were streaming constantly and I can confess I didn’t feel at all glamorous. At one point Scarlett and I wrapped ourselves up in the cashmere in the hope to thaw out as we changed locations. But despite all of this, it’s such a pleasure to work in the midst of the elements. I feel it adds energy to the imagery and authenticity to the product. The cashmere came alive as it danced in the wind and it made me fall even more in love with it.
