Casgliadau Arlein

Photographer, Bronwydd Arms, Carmarthen

Jessica [Jessi] and James [Jamie] Seaton, founders of the fashion and lifestyle brand Toast, met in 1974 while studying archaeology at Birmingham University. In the late 1970s, they moved to west Wales to work on an archaeological dig. In 1978, using £700 given to them by Jessica's mother as a wedding gift, they purchased a knitting machine, a quantity of wool, and established Southernwood Woollens. The company later rebranded as Jamie & Jessi Seaton, and J&J Seaton. Within six months of establishing the company, the Seatons were taken-on by a Los Angeles based agent, and they subsequently supplied sweaters to shops across the west coast of America. From their home in Carmarthenshire, they employed freelance knitters from across the UK to make intarsia hand-knitted sweaters designed by James. From 1986 onwards, they exhibited each collection at London, New York, Milan and Paris fashion weeks. Through this, and other means, their knitwear was sold to many leading department stores worldwide – including Liberty London, Browns, Sacks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel, Barneys and Shiseido. They also worked freelance for other brands – such as Misaki Shoji, Conran, Mulberry, and Paul Smith. Following the successful launch of Toast in 1997, J&J Seaton produced its final collection in 1998.