The four iconic stripes on the HBC Point Blankets have become a quintessentially Canadian design and household staple - and one that is highly coveted by nearly everyone I know. These wool blankets are something I usually have on my mind in September/October when the weather is cooling, but warmer weather won't exactly be coming my way any time soon so my thoughts are still straying towards things that are warm and cozy.
I went searching for HBC-inspired wares after coming across this chair (also below) in the online magazine rue. The chair is actually upholstered using a vintage Witney Point Blanket (Earley's of Witney wool blankets and the original HBC blankets were manufactured in the same factory in England, hence the similarity). It reminded me of these two coats (also below) that were on display during the Olympics in Vancouver last winter. The HBC blanket coat by Smythe was one of the most coveted items to come out of the Olympic fervour (FTV's Jeanne Beker and actress Rachel Bilson both were spotted around town wearing them).
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| Image created using Polyvore |
The Point blankets are definitely an investment piece (ranging from $300-$500) so, sadly, it is unlikely that one will be coming my way any time soon. But I do love the various incarnations that I've found online made from vintage blankets - the trapper bag below, for instance.
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| Vintage HBC blanket Trapper Bag by Rebecca Ray image source |
