CONDE NAST TRAVELLER

June 2007

Word of mouth
KEEP ON THE GRASS
'We've been all over Europe and the USA,' says Lizzie Grant who, along with Amber Galloway, runs the Hampshire-based Global and Gorgeous, which seeks out sumptuous luxury items and accessories. 'We buy things that we love; things that are exclusive, but not big brand names.' Their latest discovery is this picnic kit in tactile mohair, wool, canvas and soft calfskin, made by Hidden Cabin, a company based near Carcassonne in the South of France. 'It's owned by a couple called Jamie and Diane Welstead; he's Scottish, she's American, and he deals with cloth and patterns for some of the big French fashion houses,' she explains. 'I don't know if the French are more into picnics than us, but they do love the outdoor life. The cushions, for example, have got handles, so you can grab and plonk them outside. That's what they're meant for.' Global and Gorgeous (01256 701913; www.globalandgorgeous.com)