THE STORY
Passion, hard graft and laughter led us here.
Born of a Sisterhood
Jumper 1234 was born from a 25 year friendship, a passion for knitwear in particular cashmere and a great big sprinkle of humour.
With a serious CV in fashion, meet our founders Jane and Denise.
Having known each other for over 25 years, Jane and Denise have been working together for the last 16. They embarked on creating Jumper 1234 through a shared passion for fashion, a keen eye for design and a genuine love of knitwear.
The brand reflects their playful, colourful sisterhood, supportive and sustainable at its core.
We thought you might like to get to know the women behind the jumpers a little better.
Tell us about your relationship
Jane: We’re like sisters, we’ve always got each others backs, the only difference is we don’t have to spend Christmas together!
Denise: We’ve morphed into the same person, answering emails at the same time with exactly the same answers (except mine are full of typos!). We have the ability to laugh at the ridiculous especially ourselves. Jane saved me when I was going through a horrible divorce, gallows humour goes a long way. We are a tight knit team (pardon the pun!).
How did you get into fashion?
Denise: I studied fashion and have over 30 years working in design and more latterly sales . It has been a joy to come full circle and be designing again.
Jane: I have worked in fashion since I left school, in retail and wholesale, I have always loved the design element and I am immensely proud and happy that we get to create new things all the time. Every time someone buys one of our pieces I almost do a little dance!
Why did you start a knitwear brand?
Jane: I worked for a Scottish cashmere company when I was very young, selling to high end stores and collaborating with young designers. I once got stuck in a revolving door at Christian Dior on Fifth Avenue trying to drag my enormous suitcase of wares in, and accidentally tipped a whole glass of water into the handbag of the really scary buyer from Burberry New York, not the most auspicious start. I spent a lot of time in the factory with the craftsmen and designers and have never lost that fascination and passion for the whole process.
Denise: I am always cold, it was my destiny to have a cashmere jumper for everyday of the year!
What aspect of Jumper 1234 is most important to you?
Denise: To keep the brand as sustainable as possible, and as reasonable in price as is humanly possible. Keeping it playful too, that’s a reflection of Jane and I’s nature - even though I mostly wear black, and sometimes navy!
Jane: Alongside the design – the customer service, we build really personal and meaningful relationships with our customers. I feel sick if I haven’t noticed an e mail and replied immediately. If things don’t go as planned we want our customers to still have an exceptional experience with us.
Favourite knitwear joke
Favourite quote
Passions (outside of knitwear)
Denise: Everyone that knows me will always find me in the kitchen, I love cooking and baking bread, drinking wine and hanging out in my static caravan. I also love swimming in the North Sea, a good jumper comes in handy after that. I recently started modelling again, after being scouted at the over 40's disco!
Jane: Wild swimming in the Serpentine Lido all year round, speaking Italian and just generally being in Italy, drinking tea – preferably that I haven’t made myself!
