ON COMMON GROUND PART II
In this second installment of On Common Ground, Chloe Frost Smith, Cecilia Volpi, and I continue our journey, retracing our route back over Kirkstone Pass. Part II explores how creativity often begins not in the studio, but in the company of those who see the world through a similar lens.
On the journey back from Ambleside, we stopped midway up the steep, narrow road known locally as The Struggle, a name that hints at its history and its challenge. Horse-drawn carts once laboured up its gradient, hauling supplies, and even today, the climb demands respect. Cars make it manageable, but cyclists continue to pit themselves against it, inching upward in quiet determination. Halfway up, a small layby opens onto the fells while Lake Windermere rests calmly below. The view more than justifies the climb.
As the mist folded in over the fells and lake below, we pulled into the quiet layby and poured coffee from our flasks. Conversation turned, as it often does, to the work we do -how we shape it, and how it, in turn, shapes us. Chloe, Cecilia, and I each bring a distinct approach, yet the same careful attention runs through everything we do, whether in writing, photography, or design. Having the chance to discuss ideas and collaborate with other creatives in these rare, unhurried moments does more than sharpen perspective; it can open directions we hadn’t expected and allow our work to deepen in ways the day-to-day rarely permits.
In many ways, this kind of collaborative creativity serves the same purpose in our work as the view does to the climb: it offsets the effort, restores clarity, and reminds us why the challenge is so worthwhile.
At RUSKIN, design ideas typically take shape long before pencil meets paper in the studio. They emerge and evolve over time through observation, listening, and the gradual unfolding of concepts, quietly informed by feedback and insight along the way. By the time the first sketch appears on paper, the concept is already grounded in thought, experience, and a sense of how it will be used and appreciated.
Set against the northern fells, this quiet corner of northern England continues to shape our work, guiding our choices in colour, texture, and form. Deep greens, brackens, and layered browns anchor the signature palette, and in the studio we seek these out in our swatches—subtle, nuanced tones that work across the seasons. The textures of nature are distilled into our custom tweed, woven from locally sourced Herdwick wool, conveying soft resilience and refined tactility. In these considered details, we hope the ethos of RUSKIN is made tangible: a quiet, assured approach to material and design that endures.
With the weather threatening, we pressed on, aiming to clear Kirkstone Pass in the last of the light. As we descended to the valley floor, the Lake District’s mood had darkened but it didn’t matter as I was struck by how this latest visit to the north had become as much about connecting with creative friends as about where we had chosen to roam.
With our greatest appreciation to @chloe_ frostsmith and to our brand photographer @ceciliaavolpi_ph for capturing this special trip so beautifully.
Words: Designer Alli Abdelal