As the year draws to a close and Christmas approaches, we wanted to take a quiet moment to say thank you and look back on what has been a really special year for us at Hume Sweet Hume.
One of the biggest changes this year has been introducing menswear. We’ve added the first samples of our own Hume Sweet Hume men’s jumpers in the shop – just in-store for now – and it’s been lovely to finally see them out in the world. We’re still working away behind the scenes on the full range, with hopes to launch properly in 2026. Alongside this, we’ve created a small men’s section in the side room, bringing in jumpers from Bill Baber and Norwool, which have already been very warmly received.
We also changed how we buy this year. With a little more space in our new shop, we made two trips down to Harrogate Fashion Week and came home full of inspiration. Wandering four halls of fashion is a bit overwhelming in the best way, and it’s allowed us to bring two new brands into the shop – Grace & Mila and YAYA. Both focus on timeless, well-made pieces that feel like the sort of things you’ll reach for year after year, which felt very “us”.
Summer was another highlight. It was our first summer in the shop and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Orkney was looking beautiful and it was such a pleasure meeting so many visitors who popped in while exploring the islands. Those conversations are one of the best parts of what we do.
Being in our new location also meant we had front-row seats to the Island Games opening ceremony, which was an evening we’ll never forget. Seeing the streets of Kirkwall lined with people was incredibly special. The whole week had such a buzz about it, with TV and radio interviews, and even the cycling event passing right by the front of the shop on the final day. It felt like a real celebration of Orkney.
And then there was a moment we really didn’t see coming. We were already excited to hear that Jimmy Perez was heading to Orkney, but even more so when we discovered that Lizza had been mentioned in Ann Cleeves’ latest book. Ann visited the shop while she was researching and had a lovely long chat with Lizza, and seeing the line “You know how Lizza likes to talk” in print gave us all a good laugh.
None of this would be possible without your support, whether you visit us in person, shop online, or simply follow along with what we’re doing. It truly means more than we can say.
From all of us at Hume Sweet Hume, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a warm, happy New Year. We can’t wait to see what 2026 brings.
