Other Oxford

We are delighted to welcome Eva London to the OUshop. After much debate in the office we have settled on the band #1 and signet ring to become stock items; both of which are now available to buy.  

Eva London was founded by Anna Jewsbury while she was an undergraduate at the University of Oxford. Having grown up wearing a Chicago class ring which belonged to her mother, Anna was struck by the significance and lasting charm that a ring can encapsulate. And it was with this in mind that she developed the graduation ring concept.

You can buy off the peg or have a ring made to order. After selecting a design, you can choose your metal, stone, finish and surface engraving (for example, your degree initials or year of graduation).

A proportion of the proceeds from each sale is endowed to the University of Oxford.

To be honest wool wasn't top of our product development list but when we heard about the sheep on the FAI Farm based on the University Estate in Wytham, we couldn't resist making a phone call to see if we could use the wool.  12months after the initial phone call our ‘UniversityWool’ is now available in the shop.  The yearling Coopworth sheep were shorn in June last yearand the fleeces sent to the Natural Fibre Company in Cornwall (www.thenaturalfibre.co.uk) where theywere washed, dyed and spun. The result is a luxurious wool, which comes in two colours – Natural (un-dyed) and Oxford Blue.  The blue dye is environmentally-friendly, mineral based and organically approved (Soil Association). The 50g balls of University of Oxford wool cost £4 each.          

We'd like to say a big thank you to David Crutchley at the University farm and to Sonja and Lauraat the Natural Fibre Company for all their help and advice. 

Are you a keen knitter? The University Shop would like to hear from avid knitters in the University who would be interested in knitting products to sell through the University Shop. All interested parties so far are meeting at the Oxford Limited Offices at 18b New Inn Hall Street at 4.30pm on Thursday 20^th March. Email emily@oxfordlimited.co.uk if you’re able to attend.

Back in July last year we blogged about  our trip to Isis ceramics Oxfordshire studio and showroom and promised to let you know when more pieces from the range

became available online.

Good news, as we are pleased to confirm that the following pieces are now live on the website for viewing and purchase:

Egg Cup
Large Mug
Cereal Bowl
Soap Dish

A pretty sugar bowl and a platter will also be uploaded soon. View Collection

Find everything you will need this term online, at OUShop.com!

Stock up on stationery, with our wide selection of products. Our classic ‘Logo Master Notebook’ has plenty of extra features, from an expandable pocket to hold papers, to a page marker ribbon, and stickers, ideal for use in lectures. If you would prefer an Oxford theme, try the colourful ‘Fritillary', or ‘Striped’ notebooks, instead.

For your desk, pick up our ‘Scholar’s Stash, Office in a Jar’. This fun item is filled with accessories to help you study. Everything you need, stored in one place!

We also have a range of attractive bookmarks, for when you need to find a page quickly. My favourites are those that have been laser cut with Oxford landmarks, - the ‘Sheldonian’, ‘Radcliffe’ and ‘Bridge of Sighs’ are exclusive to OUShop.com.  

When you need a break from studying, relax with our popular ‘Scholars’ Brew’ tea.  Blended exclusively for us by Jeeves and Jericho, this tea is packed with flavour.  You can also choose from a selection of mugs, including those from the Cityscape range, and “This England of Ours” Oxford Mug. So why not drink your tea in style!

If you need a bag to carry shopping, or books, the cotton shopper bags are a perfect choice.  There is also the ‘Oxford Gym bag’ and ‘Sports Holdall’ for all your kit, if you want to take up a new sport this year.

So look no further than OUShop.com!

Happy New Year from the OUshop team!

With February just around the corner, we are starting to think about our gardens and what will be going into our veg beds this year. Last year I took the plunge and changed my flowerbeds into two long raised beds in which, amongst other things, I grew tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans and onions.

Because of this new passion, I was excited to discover that the shop had a gardening section when I joined the team last year. Inspired by the Botanic Garden, we have added more products to the site and created a capsule range that has some of the basics you need to get started, along with some fine finishes. I already have my eye on the pot tamper and the beautiful cane finial, as well as the ever essential seedling labels.

Keen to encourage the young gardener, we also have some products available for children here too.

I am now halfway through my planning, but I have added a new challenge to my garden  repertoire this year in the form of the elusive snake's head fritillary.

 All is quiet on that front so far, but I have high hopes for some  blooms in March.

In the meantime I will get back to planning the rest of my beds and coveting the items mentioned above.

If you have any suggestions for more essential items we should add then let us know. 

 

The University of Oxford Shop is stocking a great range of Christmas cards.

For the 2012 festive season both the HighStreet store and online shop (oushop.com) are stocking Christmas greetings cards from fourteen Colleges, plus designs from the Bodleian Library collection, and a selection from the Ashmolean Museum. The Christmas cards are sold in packs of 10 and are printed in the UK on card made from FSC approved stock. View Cards

Also on sale is our first advent calendar, with a design featuring many of the University’s most memorable buildings.

Bespoke Oxford is a collection of gift and homeware inspired by Oxford and commissioned exclusively by us for our high street and online shops.

  

During Freshers’ Fair we ran a prize draw to win one of our most popular products – the  Oxford Timeless Classic satchel.  Made in the UK and perfectly proportioned for books and a laptop, the bag attracted the admiration of over 500 students who happily signed up to receive our regular newsletter. 

Student No 124 turned out to be the winner – one Brett Rosenberg from New York.

The bag was handed over to a delighted Brett this morning at the University of Oxford Shop. Studying for an MPhil in International relations at Corpus Christi College, Brett has only been in Oxford for 3 weeks.  Carrying a stack of books and a full back pack, the leather satchel will no doubt be put to use immediately!

As someone who works in retail I spend an awful lot of time thinking about what people might like to buy, which leads to a lot of daydreaming about everything I’d like to buy if I could afford it! I attend several trade shows each year, where potential suppliers range from one-man-bands packing up orders in their kitchens to household names, and I also do quite a lot of research to see if ideas we’ve had in the office are viable in real life. Sadly, the great snowglobe experiment of 2011 didn’t work out! 

My absolute favourite from our current selection is the Sienna bag, made in England by Grafea. It’s a really well-made little classic in tan calfskin that smells divine and gives a nod to the fashion for satchels without the weight of a full-size one. It’s embossed with the Oxford crest just above the buckle; a subtle reminder of days in the Rad Cam and nights in the Turf as you go about your daily life. It may be a little on the early side to be thinking about Christmas, but it’s definitely going on my list!

Emily Withers graduated from Wadham in 2001. She buys and develops product for the University Shop and oushop.com. If you’ve got ideas for products you’d like to see she would love to hear about them.