Young North Yorkshire designer Charlotte Hazell makes clothes to cherish. MAXINE GORDON reports on her new collection

ONLY the softest silk, the finest wool and most crisp cotton will suffice for Charlotte Hazell.

Under her label, Charlotte Lucy, the young designer is cutting a name for herself in the world of fashion for classic pieces that combine elegance, style and quality.

New for 2014 is her Core Collection, so called because it seeks to provide key pieces for a woman's wardrobe that can be worn all year round.

As such, it's a move away from the frantic turnaround of most fashion brands that release new collections seasonally.

Charlotte, 27, of Norton, near Malton, said: "I realised that people don't tend to buy new clothes every season and people wear boots in summer and jackets all year round. I was interested in doing a collection full of investment pieces that transcend season to season - and people can justify the cost of it more."

Charlotte's pieces are handmade from quality fabrics so it's no surprise they are pitched at the top end of the price spectrum.

Items in her new Core Collection range from a silk vest for £98 to the best selling Sophia Blazer, hand-made in three different coloured wools, for £255. Pieces are made to order and take at least a week to turn around, advises Charlotte.

"These garments are pieces to invest in," says Charlotte, who runs her design business alongside working for an interiors shop in Malton.

Charlotte set up her label three years ago, and makes all the pieces herself in a studio she has set up in her spare room at the family home she shares with husband Wayne.

She's a Yorkshire lass through and through and is determined to build her fashion business from her Ryedale home. She is the daughter of former jockey Richard Barker, aka "Dickie Mint", and learned her craft at York College, where she specialised in tailoring.

"I like to work with really nice, luxurious fabrics, such as wool, silk and cotton. I like the fabric to almost speak for itself rather than use cheaper fabrics that your have to do loads with to get it to look really good.

"I like to create simple, classic pieces that you come back to time and again."

Charlotte says her design style is evolving: "I am finding my own identity as a designer and that type of thing takes time."

Highlights of the new Core Collection include the fitted wool Sophia Blazer (£255); the silk Bow Maxi Dress (£230) with an open back and a tie around the neck; the midi-length Full Skirt (£210) made from silk and wool and the Keeper Shirt (£130), in a classic cut made from 100 per cent cotton.

Charlotte will be taking part in Fashion City York next month, when she will be showcasing her latest collection at The Pitcher & Piano, York on Saturday, May 17. For a full programme of events, or to find out how to take part, visit Fashion City York on Facebook.