150 series

strap details

Established in 2009 by British product designers Patrick Bek and Oliver Fowles, this stylish duo produce classic yet simplistic watches from their London base. With the interiors based on Japanese and Swiss methods, the exterior and packaging has a true Brit twist with simplicity and subtlety.

With designs for men and women and a choice of leather or rubber straps, the styling is workable for day, evening, dog walking or even cake eating.

Prices start at 110GBP to +400GBP, International shipping available.

Apolis Philanthropist tote

Apolis mens clothing and accessories….

“Apolis, which translates as “global citizen,” is a living and breathing social enterprise  that equips and empowers people through opportunity instead of charity.  Apolis co-creates products with manufacturers and directly allows the market to determine the future of each item we produce. It is a hands-on model to provide people access to opportunity. We call it “advocacy through industry.” “

and why I like it….

It works with NGO’s in Uganda, Bangladesh and Nepal and supports local industry creating  self-sufficient communities.

Products include outerwear, shirts, pants, accessories and bags… e.g.    Philanthropist tote

Through posting a discussion on LinkedIn.com to gain insider perspectives on a fashion industry conundrum, I discovered not 1 but 2 design initiatives.

Origami necklace

Peonyrice is an accessory brand sourced and produced responsibly in Asia through local communities. The project, an initiative of Pauline Cheung founder of Industria Collective (boutique design agency based in Hong Kong and Shanghai), is a brand of delicate head and neckwear aiming to benefit local artisans and in turn their communities.

Headwear - Peonyrice

With large-scale manufacturing units playing the lead in fashion production, its somewhat refreshing to hear that local si thriving amongst the giants of the East. Embracing traditional techniques and dying methods, this collection of headpieces, origami silk neck wear , and soft folded belts is updated weekly and shipped internationally.

It seems that an increase in China’s middle class has forced a higher demand of leather goods pushing up the prices of the raw materials in the US, China and also Brazil.

Couple this with the adverse weather in Australia hitting wool production and the increase of the price of cotton and you get serious implications on every level of the garment industry from high street to high-end.

Interesting times when you consider who is going to take the price increase – the customer or the company. It has to go somewhere..

However, rather than celebrating and glorifying their brand names in bigger and bolder print there has been a deliberate step back to their artisan roots to celebrate the craftsmanship and to show, by presentation, why the brand is an investment purchase.

According to the Toronto Globe and Mail, brands like Chanel, Gucci and Tods have begun presenting in key store locations around the world to demonstrate on a small-scale, exactly why their goods are luxury pieces and not mass-produced.

Chanel, for instance has around 10 female artisans in their company who add a wax seal to the Chanel no, 5 bottles of perfume. Once trained they can seal around 100 bottles an hour and to watch it being done in the slow, precise, methodical way is exactly why it’s marketed as a luxury product. In short, it’s done by hand, not a machine.

Gucci has demonstrations showing the formation of the strap of one of its newest bags and Tods, famous for its loafers, have craftsmen showing the make and construction of their moccasin shoe in London and Paris, with US and Asia to follow next year.

I like the concept. It’s old school artisan and teaches the customer to look at the smaller details, rather than the big tacky label, a concept, which has far-reaching implications not only for the bigger brands, but also smaller.

Example; take www.Etsy.com a website set up to push creativity and entrepreneurship is also about artisans and crafts. Established in the US, this company has millions of users, all creating and developing from their own home and all because they want to build a crafts or locally sustained business.

Personally, I think it’s the smaller business that challenges the bigger one on the ideas front, so the very fact that the large monsters are stepping back to an age where the label should be on the inside and discrete rather than large and vulgar should be welcomed.

It’s merely that I have seen a couple of funnies that show the more , how should I say, amusing side of the industry.

This time its the success of the Biba line which was taken over by House of Fraser in 2009. Making a profit under the leadership of the retailer, Biba has found a new customer base 35 years ater it first hit the scene.

However when pressed to explain the styling, the HOF spokesperson exclaimed it wasn’t a retro collection but merely celebrated the 70’s with jumpsuits, high waisted pants and maxi dresses. Not retro? really? um…….really?

OK!! – I have been told – so I will agree – 70’s is not retro.

The original founder is however less than impressed saying that this collection is too expensive and plans to launch her own label in conjunction with Asda ( for non brits see Target or Walmart as a reference.)

I feel a fashion fight brewing.

1) Waiting in a queue

2) Dry sense of humour

3) Binge drinking.

All agree? – OK!

Think of another….craftsmanship? YES! I shout!

The Brits have been doing this for years, centuries even. The heritage we have huge when it comes to pottery, ceramics, leather-ware, even fabric manufacturing but what with the desire for the Swedish blue and yellow giants of this world, the local and unique arts and crafts communities have been disappearing for years. Quite simply there is no mainstream demand for it anymore and there is a real lack of appreciation when it comes to locally crafted pieces; unique pieces that are collectible.

But I’m not ruling myself out in this demographic. I’m completely guilty of buying cheap-er rather than getting bespoke because my financial situation is pitched at this level but it doesn’t stop me from buying the occasional collectible from a small artist to support their business and the country’s legacy.

So reading in the Guardian yesterday filled me with a sense of pride and hope for an industry that shouldn’t be allowed to die out.

Crafted is an organisation set up to mentor new craftsmen and women in their chosen area.

Through business workshops and mentoring (a word I love at the moment) 12 artists a year are selected (by a panel of industry craftsmen) for this development program and are given advise on business and networking to help them propel their business from a fledgling one to a fledgling few in the space of a year.

With so many heritage craft industries waiting for a helping hand and with a demand out their for the product a concept like this is not rocket science, it’s logical and it’s brilliant.

The book is a guide to how the industry works and is, or should be, a hands on, practical approach to creating a fashion collection.

All well and good I hear you say… well actually yes because the focus of this book is not to fund retirement in a dream house at Big Sur, spending my days making jam and walking the dog (although that WOULD be nice), more that it will enable me teach and pass on my knowledge to others who need a helping hand, who have the dream but not the knowledge. So please bear this in mind when you read the next ditty of the story….

I was on holiday in Texas over Christmas. It was my first time there and the primary reason was that of a family visit. One evening my boyfriend and I went for dinner with some friends and one of the other guests was a lady who works in water parks ( the giant water slide places that scare the s*it out of me but are loved by many). An Interesting lady, my age I think, maybe a tad younger but a serious career women with a strong voice.

We chatted about our jobs and careers and  it turned out she had just returned from Central America where she had met a small community of women who wanted to set up a business making handbags from locally sourced materials but they were missing a designer to lead them and also some production knowledge. They had the resources, the enthusiasm, the workforce but were missing the design and the production guidance.

Immediately this struck a chord with me – what can I do to help on this? I thought..

Before the words came out of my mouth she offered up that she already had a bag designer in Vancouver BC who was keen to pass on designs and creative know-how but that they were missing out of the process knowledge.

Now – how is it possible that a random meeting like this at a house in Austin TX can result in a possible connection such as this.?

This to me is a perfect example of random coincidence. How cool would it be to pass on from my side, basic information, to a group of women who are desperate to have a creative voice on the other side of the world.?

Nothing is in work yet but from my side the interest is there and I am pursuing it avidly.

Talk about championing the underdog…. I’ll keep you updated.

I’ve worked with many a Chinese manufacturer and whilst it is possible to get the ‘pile it high’,’ sell it cheap’ variety, the factories that I’ve worked with have produced superb workmanship, have a detailed eye for quality and can accommodate the smaller business as well as the high street multiple. Think of it as a European source but with a long haul flight.

Monocle Magazine’s Feb issue focuses on a few of the new design teams trying to push forward items which wouldn’t seem out-of-place in a minimalist Japanese design store. Jia-inc is one that caught my eye with beautiful interior pieces from bamboo and porcelain.

Think of it as a grown up Muji, simple lines, simple shapes but complex materials.

Available internationally.

Moving from large totes that contain a little less than the kitchen sink I have moved recently towards clutches and have around 15 or so which are alternated on a semi regular basis.

The latest object of my affections is a cheeky little madam from Royal Republiq is simple and unassuming, can be used for day – or – evening and has colour options. Certainly not too blingy but merely simple and stylish…

Birthday coming up – mmmm – personal present me thinks?