Meet the Maker - The Hampstead Smock Company

Bilal at work

Meet the Maker - The Hampstead Smock Company

I studied Fashion & Textile Design at St Martin’s School of Art in the 1980’s, I specialised in Interiors & Soft Furnishings and have worked all over the world doing this job.  My products are accessories for the home.  I’ve always worn an artists smock to work in, this was inspired by my mother who wore one around the house looking after 6 children.

 My favourite product is my ‘Smock’, although all the products I will be bringing to sell at ‘Homeworks’ give me great pleasure.

I truly find inspiration from within, I can walk into a home or space and immediately know how I’d enhance it with beautiful products, soft furnishings, lighting.  I frequent museums, we have so much wonderful free art to see in London, I go to new exhibitions and I often walk through London where I was told as a child by my father to look up and see the architecture around us, we can miss so much and so all of this inspires me.

The Hampstead Smock Company will be at Homeworks on 8th December

Meet the maker - Jackie Parsons

Meet the maker - Jackie Parsons

Scobel clothing makes pared Back considered women’s clothing and accessories made in south east London by Jackie Parsons using fabrics surplus to the trade.

Jackie's current favourite piece is thiscross back apron made from sanforised Irish Linen. It improves with washing and has a useful phone pocket on the bib so you can carry on chatting while stirring your risotto. 

Jackie used to work as a costumier so finds inspiration in any costume drama. She likes to keep the romance with out compromising the practicality.

Come and see Jackie at Homeworks on 1st December

Maker’s Choice – Scobel Clothing

Scobel Clothing is a carefully considered capsule wardrobe of versatile utility inspired items of clothing for women. Founder and creative director Jackie Parsons will be bringing her collection to Homeworks on Sunday 9 December.

Jackie explains in her own words the design philosophy behind her fashion label:
“I only wear clothes I have made. Inspiration comes from solving problems of wearability; tweaking the ‘cut’ so that each item is constantly evolving:

Where ever possible I strive to minimise pressure on the environment by using fabrics sourced from stock excess to the trade.

All items are designed, cut and sewn my myself in my studio in south east London. My favourite item is the cross back apron as it cam be worn by all members of the family in a number of situations:

Inspiration also comes from costume dramas which I can watch endlessly and visiting vintage markets and museums.”

Maker’s Choice – By Cecil

I started my weaving life during my Foundation year at Camberwell when we were asked to complete a weaving module. It felt like a lightbulb moment and the realisation that this is what I was supposed to be doing.

I went on to complete a degree in Textiles Design at Central Saint Martins specialising in weave. After a decade working for high street brands in product management, I missed the joy you feel when creating a product from scratch.

By Cecil was launched in January of this year and I haven't looked back. I mainly work with wool concentrating on techniques such as double cloth and twills with my main focus being on texture and colour. I have a collection of merino wool scarves and blankets created as a part of a limited edition run. There are between 5 and 18 of each design made as a reflection of my desire to create heirloom pieces.

I love nothing more than snuggling under one of my blankets on the sofa. You cannot beat a Sunday film session, fire crackling and tea on tap. I find that I wear the Heather scarf most as I love the combination of colours. The merino wool is so soft and comforting, and I love the way it holds the scent of my perfume.
 

I love a wander on the beach, particularly on a cold and blustery day. It blows away the cobwebs and leaves you feeling simultaneously fresh and exhausted. If I am feeling stuck creatively, then I usually take a day to go to the Tate. A trip into town tends to involve a walk along the Thames from Borough (and of course a trip to Borough Market for some brownies).

Come and meet Cecilia at our Homeworks Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 9 December.

Sally Hampson

Weaver Sally Hampson is passionate about pure British wool and sheep breeds such as Shetland, Welsh Black Mountain and Jacob and has spent time with shepherds in the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border:

This wild and rugged landscape is an important part of what inspires her weaving and this is evident in her blankets, wraps and scarves – Sally is always close to the colours and textures of natural materials and the simplest way of combining them together: 

The Connemara Banket or the Family Blanket as Sally calls it, was a wool blanket her parents brought over from Ireland when they came to settle in London. The blanket became a very special object, almost like another family member and it was well used for picnics and holidays.

Being the weaver in the family, Sally inherited this precious heirloom from her parents. She decided to replicate it, counting the threads of the faded check and softening the colours slightly to reflect the surrounding landscape along the Connemara shore line, with pools of water and light against the peaty, heathery earth:

These simple aesthetics continue to influence Sally’s artistic career, from working in the theatre on costumes and sets, to travelling to Egypt, Ethiopia and Kenya, to work with artisan weavers, potters and basket makers.

Sally Hampson will be back at Homeworks on both Sunday 3 & 10 December.

Longstaff Longstaff

London brand Longstaff Longstaff has brought together a beautiful collection of silk loungewear using fresh and original, hand painted prints. Designer and founder Sophie Barnard has an aesthetic that is freshly feminine and elegant and her brand has an artisan feel with a commitment to British craftsmanship and luxury finishes:

This is their first year at Homeworks and the print-led collection includes chemises, camisoles and shorts, pyjamas, tunics and a unique wrap around robe. The fabric is printed in Worcestershire and the garments are made in one of London’s premiere production studios:

Homeworks will be one of the first places to see new lines ready for Christmas – including men’s pocket squares and silk bound notebooks and silk sleep masks. These are made in India by a family firm who specialise in using offcuts – bringing sustainability to the front of our minds:

The hero of the loungewear collection is the kimono robe- it is effortlessly glamorous but we have fallen for our note book too. They look beautiful but feel beautiful too:

Sophie is hugely influenced by the decorative arts- particularly folk embroidery so the V&A is a fantastic resource and inspiration.

Come and see Sophie on Sunday 10 December.

Vevian

Vevian’s range of children’s shoes and accessories are designed and handcrafted in London from high quality supple leather. Founder and designer Vivienne Lopez sources materials from local suppliers, makes all her products locally, and recycles material where ever possible:

“I’ve always loved shoes. The right pair of shoes not only add a finishing touch to an outfit, they also create a unique expression of the wearer's personality and individuality – I think they’re a little piece of art. My passion for footwear led me to study shoe design.
It was my daughter’s first birthday where the story of Vevian began. I made her shoes that were not only worthy of her first birthday but would be a beautiful memento that we could both treasure when she was older. I made pink shoes with beautiful ribbons, which attracted a lot of attention from our family and friends. It became clear other people wanted shoes made to be treasured forever and my business was born.

Always knowing I would expand to this collection, when I was designing gifts for my four fabulous fashion-conscious sisters, I put my leatherwork skills to good use and created a beautiful handbag:

It was important to create a handbag that would suit a busy lifestyle. Keeping size and ease of use in mind, this particular accessory needed to tick all boxes: sizeable enough to carry all you need, a long strap that is versatile enough to be worn on the shoulder or cross-body, and most importantly beautiful enough that you’ll never want to take it off when your day turned into an evening outing”.

From the original handbag, aptly named ‘sister’, a whole range was born; functional yet beautiful accessories to suit men and women:

Vevian will be at Homeworks on Sunday 10 December.

Spry Workwear

Daisy Bridgewater will be bringing her distinctive and stylish utility wear to Homeworks on Sunday 3 December. Here’s a bit about Spry Workwear, in her own words:

So, I am a writer and journalist turned workwear designer, based in beautiful and remote East Suffolk. I began thinking about practical, stylish clothing as a response to my environment, and as a response various plates that modern, working women like me keep spinning every day. As an active creative person, I need clothes that will take a beating but will not make me look like life has beaten any sense of style out of me. This is my studio in Suffolk:

Boiler suits are very much at the core of my brand, which I first launched, rather tentatively, last year at Homeworks. I have been thrilled with the response from like-minded, stylish women, working in all sorts of creative industries. Others have bought a boiler purely for its fashion credentials:

I sell navy blue twill boiler suits, denim boiler suits, navy blue and denim work shirts, sail cloth and linen aprons, work trousers and dresses (although the last 2 are in very limited supply):

My favourite product is the new washed denim boiler suit (the one I am wearing in the photo below):

It does everything that I want it to, looking super stylish and sexy, but never stopping me doing anything. I can wear it from the chicken run to the office party (although I might change my shoes). My navy blue boiler suit has been featured in Red Magazine and The Times.

An Indian Summer

An Indian Summer was created 5 years ago by Nimy, inspired by a love of prints and textiles. An Indian Summer is characterised by a colourful melange of East-West aesthetic, eclectic prints, natural fibres and handcrafted artisan fabrics.

It is an affordable, artisanal lifestyle brand for the conscious woman who wants her wardrobe to reflect her sustainable lifestyle:

All garments are handcrafted by artisans in Rajasthan using the traditional techniques of hand block printing.

Working with small family businesses rather than large corporations to produce our range, An Indian Summer make sure that their production partners adhere to ethical employment practices:

Nimy will be bringing new hand block printed loungewear collection to Homeworks, comprising of kimono robes, kaftans, nighties, pyjama bottoms & boxer shorts – ideal for gifting friends and family:

We asked Nimy to choose some favourite products from her range and also tell us about what inspires her:

“ My Favourite garment is our hand block printed kimono robe – it’s very versatile can be used as light weight jacket, cover up and dressing gown; cool, comfortable, easy to pack for travel.

Major influences for the collection comes from art nouveau artist William Morris Inspiring places Liberty, V&A and Rajasthan.”

An Indian Summer will be at Homeworks on both days 3 & 10 December.

Kitty Clogs

Deep in the wintry wilds of Southern Sweden lives a family of master clog-makers. In a cosy cabin carpeted with wood shavings, hidden beneath a canopy of snow-topped evergreens, they work through the winter months and have been lovingly handcrafting the traditional Swedish träskor for over 50 years.

They combine their skill and traditional manufacturing methods with contemporary designs by Sacha Schwartz of Kitty Clogs Sweden to create distinctive, luxurious clogs and a touch of their earth origin to our urban jungle:

Each unique pair is hand-finished in natural Swedish alder and birch wood from the forest around their workshop, with individually dyed natural leathers:

We asked Sacha about her favourite products and where she finds her inspiration:

“I absolutely love the Bronze Low Aaliyah Träskor (below). The designs in our AW collection are fresh, and vibrant, and use gorgeous metallic leathers to give the clogs a really powerful and contemporary feel:

St Leonards on Sea is a stunning place. It’s a creative hub for many small businesses and start ups – a community that I love being a part of! Plus it’s right by the sea. I gain a great deal of inspiration from the colours of the sea and it’s natural beauty. Many of our photoshoots use the beach and sea as a striking back drop.”

 Kitty Clogs Sweden will be bringing their beautiful clogs to Homeworks on Sunday 10 December.

Save the Dates!

Here’s all the information for our two Christmas Bazaars for 2017. We’ll start sharing work from our fabulous designers and makers soon, you can see who’s coming by checking the sidebar for each date. Meanwhile here is everything you need to start planning your visit:

Meet the Maker - Spry Workwear

Today’s Meet the Maker is all about Spry Workwear, traditional clothing re-imagined for the modern woman. It’s a new venture from journalist Daisy Bridgewater, a long time supporter of Homeworks and small creative businesses.
We asked her a few questions about what inspired her to launch Spry Workwear:
When did you set up your company?

Spry Workwear is both a brand new venture and a response to the many years I have spent peering into other people’s lives as a journalist. I have worked as a freelance journalist for years, most recently as a columnist for the Telegraph Magazine (I used to have a weekly shopping page called Children’s Notebook). Before that I was the Telegraph’s Interiors Editor, and I continue to write about houses for glossy magazines. But whilst writing about other people’s creative endeavours is fascinating, I have long-harboured the dream to build my own business.

Spry Workwear is literally brand new - this will be my first selling experience and I am thrilled to be part of Homeworks.

What inspired you to start your company?
I am based in East Suffolk, quite near to the sea, and quite far from London.

The inspiration for Spry came whilst working as a freelance journalist. When home becomes workplace, it is easy to lose sight of the importance of putting yourself together for the day, even if it is just for yourself. How many of us have spent the day in baggy leggings and a favourite jumper - but what if a friend shows up, or you suddenly have to rush out to meet an editor/teacher/colleague? Fleeces do nothing for the self esteem!
This led me to think about all of the multi-functional, thoughtfully designed, practical but innately stylish clothes that were not in my wardrobe. And from this void, Spry Workwear was born.

At Homeworks, I will be selling my boiler suit, a re-working of a vintage mechanic's overall made in East Anglia from traditional navy blue sail cloth. I have 5 other pieces in the collection, all of which are in the sampling stage, but I should have my aprons with cross-over straps, deep pockets and a gentle, A-line cut, again made from traditional sailcloth fabrics.

I will have samples of the whole collection, ready to pre-order.

Come and meet Spry Workwear at Homeworks on Sunday 4 December, 10-2pm

Thank you!

A big thank you to everyone who made it along to our first Homeworks Christmas Bazaar yesterday. We couldn’t do it without you - and our lovely stallholders of course!

We’re back again next Sunday 13 December, 10am-2pm:

Our First Christmas Sale Preview

Not long now until our first Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 24 November. We have many returning stallholders this year and lots of new ones too. Here is a small selection of our stallholders coming along next Sunday. Keep checking back for more previews with more designers and makers over the next few weeks.

One of our Homeworks founders, Lou Rota is set to relaunch with brand new collections early in the New Year. She is having a big stock clear out and her Vintage Plate Art Kits, mugs, trays, platters and jugs will all be at bargain basement prices:

Ocabini is a small design company that create classic cashmere/silk garments with contemporary designs. Their children's range is colourful and cosy, whilst their adult range includes fresh individual prints and classic knits for women and men:

A Queen's Park local, Sasha Kamen makes all her jewellery by hand in her studio: 

Homeworks regular Somerville Scarves return with their trademark silk scarves, cosy hats and accessories:

Twisted Twee have been making and peddling cheerfully sardonic childrenswear and items of practical lunacy since 2003.
All their goods are manufactured and embellished in the UK and they work with people who put sustainability and good working practice at the heart of their business:

Soochi Ltd will be selling kids’ fashion from Bonnie Baby and Little Duckling:

Simone Selaib-Salandini will be selling the collections she supplies to galleries and her more funky street wear collections made of semi-precious stones:

Savile Rogue return with their unique cashmere football scarves and accessories:

Clara Francis is a bead weaver - each piece is made using Japanese glass seed beads sewn by hand one bead at a time. They are little pieces of art you can wear and keep forever:

Christa Davis returns with her distinctive and beautiful clothes for adults and kids, made by blending up-cycled cashmere and silks and vintage fabric:

Nicole from Barefoot Books will have a selection of christmas books and activity kits for children, perfect presents and stocking fillers:

Isolyn will be selling a selection of colourful felted wool bags & purses, slippers and brooches:

The winter chill is coming and Alpaca Pie is spinning more beautiful knitwear and accessories to keep your little ones and you toasty and warm:

Holistic Silk is committed to fair trade and ethical production and they return to Homeworks this year with a selection of their beautiful and therapeutic products: 

Celia Lindsell creates a stylish range of organic lavender accessories for you and the home including doorstops, gift sets, silk, French linen bed pillows and much more:  

Sirplus make all their clothes from offcuts and surplus fabric, or ‘cabbage’, you can find out more about it here: