Sue Longmore of Maude & Fox: Modernizing Dorset Tweed

Sue Longmore, the creative force behind Maude & Fox, has reimagined traditional British tweed for the modern woman. From the rolling fields of Dorset to country events and city streets, her designs blend heritage craftsmanship with contemporary flair. Practical yet playful, each piece reflects Sue’s commitment to quality, local production, and a distinctly feminine twist on a classic fabric.

“I wanted women to feel stylish and comfortable in tweed, with clothes that flatter and have personality.”

What first made you realise that women’s tweed needed a more modern, flattering twist?

When we moved to Dorset as a family in the early 2000’s we started to be asked to country events – shooting and Point to Pointing. I was flabbergasted that so many women were effectively wearing men’s tweed coats which were really shapeless and also had no individuality.

When you started Maude & Fox, what was the gap you were trying to fill in everyday women’s outerwear?

When we first started it was specifically for country and shooting wear with a bit of panache, a feminine shape as well as being practical which is so important with clothing that is properly put to the test. As well as being worn in the field our clothes are now worn for sporting use as well as social. 

How do you take something as traditional as British tweed and turn it into something fresh and fashion-forward?

It is important for us that our brand is recognisable – our loyal customers have come to recognise a new Maude and Fox item at a glance. The idea is that we always use tweed that is so classic and we always give it a contemporary edge using cut (we make all our own patterns), colour and detail – for example sometimes a hidden pattern under a pocket flap, a flash of colour in a back pleat or more obvious details like the patriot appliqué or the stripe skirt. Our womenswear is cut to flatter often with shaped panels and a dip at the back.  

Why is it important to you to source tweed from UK mills and keep production local in Dorset?

It is really important to us and is a major part of our USP – our garments are crafted to last. Our primary aim, at Maude & Fox, is to produce clothing that brings a great deal of joy and we want that joy to last as long as possible. How we make means our profit margins are minimal compared to companies that import. 

It really comes down to value:

• We select the finest tweed from Yorkshire and Scottish mills – the value of quality fabrics (and a low carbon footprint)
• Each item is individually cut and hand-crafted – the value of clothing that won’t fall apart
• We employ skilled UK artisans – the value of supporting British workers and maintaining traditional techniques

We waste almost nothing in manufacturing.

What does the relationship between your makers, local mills, and the Dorset community mean for the brand?

Our brand has a very personal feel and has great loyalty from our makers who all have a positive input to Maude and Fox and are like an extended family. 

We have developed great relationships with the Mills in Scotland and Yorkshire who both go above and beyond to meet our requirements. We are always on the lookout for other mills in the UK. 

I was recently walking around in one of our local towns and someone came up to me and said ‘are you the tweed lady?’  It made me realise after speaking with her that there is a local pride in what we do. As well as our Dorset community we feel that our loyal customers have become a major part of our community as many have come to know each other by being fans of Maude and Fox and genuinely feel like friends when they come to see us on our stands at events. 

Tweed is a heritage craft under pressure – how do you see Maude & Fox helping keep it alive?

By continuing to order from the Mills we currently use rather than swapping to somewhere cheaper. Some of the tweeds we buy have seriously gone up in price over the last 2 years.

Also, I feel we are keeping it alive in our own small way by creating designs that our customers want to wear and converting some people to wearing tweed that they had previously viewed as ‘stuffy’.

What part of countryside living has influenced your design style or the practicality of your pieces?

Everything to do with the countryside – The Gamefair at Ragley Hall is one of our most successful events and the customers there are 99% country dwellers and are really interested in proper quality clothing that works. 

’Practical with flair’ is one of our straplines and it is what underlines all our designs – they must work – this is so important, for example many of our clothes have a dipped back and a high neck or hood to keep out the draughts.

We have different ranges that interact with each other – the shooting range obviously has specific considerations such as shoulder protection, weather resistance, warmth. The Patriot Range has many of those considerations too and some of our Country range such as the ladies Mallard and Finch tweed hoodies are deliberately made with a soft tweed and satin lining to be worn every day – walking, shopping, meeting friends. 

Can you share a design detail or piece you’re especially proud of that really shows your modern approach?

Our most recent coat The Spectator for ladies and gents was launched at Cheltenham Races this November. It has a great cut – fairly straight rather than voluminous like many coats – it also has an unexpected flash of orange in the back split pleat and under the collar. 

Another fairly recent item is the Oat tweed shacket (this also comes in brown) – it is soft, comfortable and stylish and comes with an unexpected fuchsia pink satin lining and a pink stripe down the back and is so distinctly Maude and Fox.

Our patriot range has also become synonymous with Maude and Fox – all hand appliquéd. We actually brought out the range as a bit of fun as we started when the Olympics were on in London. It is now boldly featured on the back of our tweed gilets as well as in more subtle details on the Nosy Tweed Parka and The Doris tweed Coat. 

You’re working on lighter-weight tweeds and new seasonal colours – what inspired these next steps?

This was really just a natural development so that our clothes can be worn all day and throughout the year – for example the Oat and the Fresh Green tweed gilets are beautifully soft and lightweight with a stain lining. Also the Mallard and Finch tweed hoodies are soft enough to be worn inside and out. 
The Fiery Fox rusty orange tweed hoodie is a fabulous Autumn and Winter pop of colour and is fun to wear. 

When you think about the future of Maude & Fox, what do you hope people will associate the brand with?

Fun and feeling fabulous – as a brand that uses a classic material and gives it a modern twist.