Knaresborough-based casual fashion brand Luce and Bear tells the powerful and magical story of sisters in style

“There's a flying carpet to transport you to your favourite place, a phone to remind you that there's always somebody to call, a lifebuoy as a reminder to always hold on, and we've even thrown in some magic beans,” says Lucy.

It’s the signature of their casual clothing brand Luce & Bear. “Our aim is to design products that are quirky, have strong meanings behind them, and hopefully raise a smile,” says Clare.

“Lucy has suffered with late-stage Lyme disease for many years, and her ongoing battle is the main inspiration behind our brand. Lyme symptoms can be completely debilitating, so we know how tough things can get and we know everybody has their own personal battle, especially since the pandemic.”

Lucy adds: “We also know how important true Yorkshire grit is and a good old sense of humour. Although our products may appear light-hearted, all our designs come from the heart.”

Lucy, 43, and Clare, 46, spent their childhood in Exelby, a village near Bedale, North Yorkshire, and their teenage years in Maunby, between Northallerton and Thirsk. They went to school in Northallerton where their father and uncle had a car dealership called Smirthwaites. “Mum was an incredible teaching assistant at a special needs school, the Dales School, in Morton-on-Swale,” says Lucy, who is a qualified riding instructor and also trains horses.

Ponies and horses were a huge part of the sisters’ lives as they grew up, and both competed nationally in eventing.

After school, Lucy went to Germany to train horses, specialising in dressage. Clare, meanwhile, went to University College of Ripon and York St John, gaining a first class honours degree in maths, and then qualified as a primary school teacher.

Sadly, during this time, their father died of bowel cancer. “He always called us Luce and Bear as kids, which is how our business name came about,” says Clare.

The sisters also share a love of fashion and, as students, worked Saturdays and in the holidays at United Colors of Benetton.

A few years later, they became the proud owners of a Benetton franchise in the Montpellier Quarter of Harrogate, running it for 14 years.

“You can't help but be inspired by such a global fashion house, and we loved being part of it,” says Clare. "However, we always craved the freedom to design our own products and, after much soul searching during the pandemic, we decided it was the right time to finally start our own brand.”

Luce & Bear was born, based near Knaresborough, where Lucy now lives, while Clare now lives in Harrogate.

They chose manufacturers for their ethical and eco-credentials and sell via their online website and at pop-up shops and events, packing the orders themselves using eco-friendly and recyclable packaging, overseen by dogs Marley and Yogi, with friends and family helping out at busy times.

Clare says: “Every design has to be signed off by the powers at the top – our straight-talking mum.”

Most hoodies, sweatshirts and T-shirts are unisex and easy-fitting in sizes 8-22. Clare says: “Our customers are like us, looking for something a little different, comfy and cosy, and versatile enough to work from home, take the dog for a walk, pop out for lunch, throw on after a workout and do the school run.”

Lucy adds: “Word on the street is that most teenagers approve. We've even heard that daughters are stealing their mum's hoodies to wear, and vice versa.”

Popular designs include the Healing Hoodie and Power Panel Sweatshirt, sold with a leaflet explaining the SOS symbols (great as gifts).

The Lionheart T-shirt, created in response to the Ukraine crisis, has raised more than £1,000 for the Red Cross DEC.

“We also love our 'Ey Up, Chin Up, Bottoms Up' sweatshirts, as we're really proud of our Yorkshire heritage, and this sums up what we're about, really – to look out for each other, hold your head up when the going gets tough, and hopefully raise a smile (and glass) while doing it,” says Lucy.

For autumn, there are fleece-lined unisex shackets, and heavier-weight Power Cross Neck hoodies, plus fleece-lined hats and cashmere blend scarves.

The sisters are also designing a range of Letterbox T-shirts, which will incorporate wellbeing meanings and messages, and plan to extend their gift and homeware range.

Their toughest challenge, they agree, was creating an e-commerce website from scratch. “Also, from being extremely private and complete social media virgins to putting ourselves out there took a big mental shift,” says Clare. “We actually took our first post down twice, taking it in turns to freak out. We've now decided to embrace it, and we've always been able to laugh at ourselves, which has come in quite handy. We are decades too old, but have just joined TikTok. Who knew?”

Lucy adds: “Lockdown meant for us it was time to close one door but open another. Scary as hell, but we are loving the next chapter so far.”

On October 3, Luce & Bear will be at the Autumn Shopping Extravaganza at Rudding Park, Harrogate, and the Craft & Artisan Market at Farmer Copley’s, Pontefract, on November 5 and 6. Once a month, they will be at the Pop Up Shop in Yarm. See luceandbear.co.uk and Instagram and Facebook @luceandbear