The Locals
This autumn saw the opening of our first-ever RUSKIN store, nestled in the heart of the beautiful city of Oxford. Lovingly nicknamed “the city of dreaming spires”, Oxford is world-famous for being home to Britain’s oldest university. Its breathtaking, Gothic architecture attracts visitors from across the globe to marvel at its picturesque landscapes and golden-stone splendour.
To mark this occasion, we decided to localise our A/W21 campaign and situate our shoot just a stone’s throw away from our first bricks-and-mortar studio. This is Oxford, with a twist. Within the slightly retro-styled, whimsical series of images, we dive deeper in to the scenes that surround us to invite a little curiosity and wonder.
For some time now, we have longed to find a creative space for RUSKIN, to showcase our designs and to deepen our relationship with our customers. We really care about the hands-on experience and this seems particularly pertinent now when virtually everything can be bought online. We believe people will always want to explore and there is a luxury in discovering true artisanal products in a physical design studio. So when we happened to be strolling Oxford’s North Parade earlier this year, and stumbled on a beautiful storefront boasting four striking arched windows and an elegant spiral staircase leading to a mezzanine, we knew this was the place for us. Somewhat fortuitously, the space became available sooner than anticipated, and so we realised our dream of finding a new home for RUSKIN.
We are proud to present The Locals campaign, artistically captured in our neighborhood by Syl O’Jalla. This shoot embraces the seasonal shift as we transition from autumn to British wintertime, exploring the beauty of our artisanal RUSKIN designs amidst the backdrop of our local area. We were fortunate enough to capture November’s signature hues of red, burnt orange and yellow just as the final leaves tumbled from their branches and began to crunch underfoot; a warm colour palette that complements the soft, muted tones of our latest wardrobe must-have, The Kepler backpack.
This campaign injects a playful energy into Oxford’s surroundings, reinforcing how the human spirit is intrinsically connected with our local environment. Our artisans uphold uncompromising standards in modern design, innovation, and true craftsmanship within every RUSKIN piece; these fine details are expertly captured within each close shot. It’s only fitting that The Locals campaign aligns with changing of the seasons, as we’re beyond excited to embrace this next step on our journey at our new home in Oxford.
We hope you enjoy this enchanting series of images from The Locals campaign, there's lots more to come! If you find yourself wandering the streets of Oxford, head over to North Parade we would love you to pay our new studio a visit and discover our collection. You might even recognise some of our local surroundings...Shop our latest collection now
