Cath Kidston

Catherine Isabel "Cath" Kidston (born 6 November 1958)Companies House Annual Return for Cath Kidston Limited, 12th May 2010 is a British fashion designer, businesswoman and writer.

She owns the company Cath Kidston Limited. The company sells home furnishings and other goods. They sell in shops, online and by mail order. The company was valued at £75000000 in February 2010.

Kidston is known for designing floral patterns. She has written several books.

 Personal life 
Kidston grew up in Hampshire. She went to a boarding school. When she was 18, she moved to London. She worked for the socialite Nicky Haslam. She later set up an interior design business with a friend. Next, she opened her own shop.

Kidston is related to nobility. Her uncle is Charles Allsop, the 6th Baron Hindlip. He used to be chairman of Christie's. His daughters are The Honourable Kirstie Allsopp and The Hon. Sofie Allsopp. They work as television presenters. They are Kidston's cousins. Both of her parents died of cancer,. Kidston had breast cancer when she was 37 and has since recovered. Kidston's partner is record producer Hugh Padgham,. They met when she worked as his decorator. They have a home beside the Thames in West London and another home in Gloucestershire. She has a step-daughter. She is dyslexic.

 Shops 

Kidston opened her first shop after recovering from breast cancer. It was in London's Holland Park. It opened in 1993. The shop sold hand-embroidered teatowels and brightly renovated furniture. Kidston later described it as a "glorified junk shop". As of April 2011, she has 41 shops and concessions in the United Kingdom. There are two more in Ireland, eleven in Japan are three in Korea. More shops are due to open in Japan and Korea.

Kidston was on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs programme.

References

Other websites
 Cath Kidston Limited
 Flickr group with `pictures of Cath Kidston products

Category:British fashion designers
Category:English businesspeople
Category:Writers from Hampshire
Category:Writers from London
Category:1958 births
Category:Living people