Recycle, rewear, reuse!

& Other Stories is one of my favourite stores to visit when taking a trip to central London. Since 2013, the store has had a policy whereby customers can return empty beauty containers/packaging to any store and get a 10% off voucher in return. As the fashion world is becoming more aware of the consequences of being unsustainable, this is a brilliant idea and it should be something every brand encourages. The majority of customers throw away their packaging, so trading it in for 10% off is a bonus! 

"We want to reduce the environmental footprint in the fashion world, and believe recycling is a big part of that. Since our launch in 2013." (& Other Stories)

The in-store recycling program has been a success and the company decided to expand the scheme and introduce in-store textile recycling. This includes textiles from any brand. The textiles then get passed on to the nearest recycling station and you will receive a 10% recycling treat. The textiles are then sorted into 4 categories:

1- Recycling =Textiles that aren't sustainable and cannot produce new garments are then converted into recycled fibres

2- Rewear = Anything that is still wearable is given to charity shops and are sold as second hand clothing

3- Reuse = Some textiles may be turned into other products such as cleaning cloths/tea towels

   

4- Upcycling = If there is potential, the product will be improved or turned into a product of higher quality

Another brand that has introduced garment collecting is H&M. They encourage customers to drop off unwanted clothing and home textiles (any brand) so they can be recycled, passed on or reused - similar to & Other Stories.

"No true fashion lover likes seeing clothes go to waste." (H&M)

Hopefully brands will continue to adopt this concept and gradually we will start to reduce waste within the fashion industry.

Photo Credit - Google Images

Celebrating Nottingham!

Sheena Holland, the artist behind Nottingham Night Market kindly agreed to speak to me about this concept coming to the Lace Market. On 7th July, the majority of the Lace Market will be supporting independent artists, makers, food producers etc and will form one huge Night Market. This is the second time that the Night Market has been based in Nottingham, and I wanted to discover more!?

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your background as an artist?

I was born in Camden, London and in my teens I worked for the fashion designer Katharine Hamnett in the late 1980's at Katharine's design studios as the design room assistant, working on sourcing and preparing fabrics for the catwalks. Katharine's designs and fabrics at the time were a statement both politically and creatively which influenced me. The fact that she used British made fabrics and British woollen designers plus natural non synthetic materials for her clothes greatly impacted my thinking and future designs. From 1990 until 2003, I went on to design large floral, wire and concrete sculptures in London. Whilst working for corporate florists she freelanced for private clients and one off events like The Queen Mother's 100th Birthday celebration, Elton John's 54th birthday at The Ritz, Michael Jacksons 'World' tour, Jeffrey Archers London and country homes, Films: The Mummy and Sense and Sensibility. Then, I started making one off Vintage feather and leather headbands in 2005 and was the first designer to create the feather 'side tiara'. I now creates headbands, bridal tiaras, jewellery and hats made from vintage materials using re-worked leather, antique, vintage jewellery and feathers combining fashion, shapes and colours from my training with Hamnetts and floristry. My designs have sold to many people, clients include singers Pink, Lily Allen and comedian Alan Carr.

2. Who/what are your biggest inspirations when it comes to your creative work?

 Fashion, nature, colour and watching people.

3. You've had some amazing celebrities wear your work - if you could pick one person to wear your designs who would it be?

Vivienne westwood, without a doubt!

4. Why did you start to introduce night markets?

I started because I had a shop on the cathedral quarter of Derby and the area had struggled with the new westfield being built over the other side of town, which meant that the old part of town had less footfall. I thought I would start a small market and as there was a courtyard outside my shop I decided to run it there. Once starting it, I realised lots of people loved markets and so I thought about a night market, and ran one in November in 2014 and 7,500 came to it with 52 stalls. I then decided another might be fun....and so on. This will be my 7^th night market.

5. What made you bring the night markets to Nottingham?

I had originally wanted my shop in Nottingham and what with applying for a shop on St. Mary’s Gate it never came about as the landlord stalled me for too long so I resorted to Derby, but I had always wanted to do work in the Lace Market but had never managed to achieve it.

6. What does the future hold for the night markets, do you plan to move to other cities?

Well, having brought the night market to Nottingham, I am now applying to other cities and towns with the recent possibility of it being accepted in a town in Derbyshire. 

7. Have you got any other creative plans up your sleeve?

 I am planning on doing a gallery exhibition of my past and present work, sculptures and fashion and headwear....but I’ve been saying that for 12 months now....hoping I’ll get the time and chance.

So, in or around Nottingham on the 7th July?? Pop down to the Lace Market and see what the Night Market has to offer! (The images from previous years in Derby look pretty impressive!)

To find out more about Sheena's creative work, visit: http://www.sheenaholland.com/index.htm

Photo Credit - Sheena Holland (all photos from Derby Night Market)

Annie the Illustrator

My next victim was Annie Dornan-Smith or shall I say Annie the Illustrator! She creates such simple, charming and beautiful designs that are fit for students and being a stationary freak, I was impressed by this and wanted to find out what was the inspiration behind her ideas?  

Photo Credit - Annie Dornan-Smith

So Annie, when did you first find out you had a passion for illustration?

I have blogged about this a lot, so I won't make the story too long, but it began at the end of my 1^st year, and into my 2nd year of University. I had chosen to take Graphic Design (I actively sought out courses that were ‘just’ graphic design and notIllustration!) because I felt like I couldn’t draw, so I wanted to do something creative that didn’t involve drawing. It wasn’t until I discovered what Illustration could be – it didn’t have to be realistic or lifelike, it could be squiggly and wibbly and weird and wonderful – I fell in love with the idea of making fun, beautiful things. I realised I was way more into making pretty lovely things, rather than agonising over typefaces or target markets.

What are the biggest inspirations behind your work?
I have a few Illustrators who I really admire – Anna Bond of Rifle Paper Co, Tuesday Bassen and Emma Block. There are tons of illustrators out there in the big wide pinterest-y world who do amazing things with shapes, colours, textures, etc, and it would honestly be easy to get sucked into comparing ourselves to them. I admire these illustrators because of the way they have built their ‘brand’ – not only do they make amazing work, they have created things ‘bigger than themselves’, which is something I really aspire to. As far as physical inspirations, I am very inspired by nature – I am a serious plant-lover and I love to draw them, but I also find nature’s colour palette to be super inspiring – the green and burgundys of certain leaves, or the soft pinks and orangey-ochres of blossom trees.

What made you decide that you wanted to focus on stationary and homeware?
I started my shop with the intention of selling prints of my work, and didn’t think much else beyond it. But once I sort of ‘entered that world’, I started discovering all these amazing illustrator-y people who were taking their designs beyond just a print, and onto an almost limitless amount of ‘stuff’. Once I realised that you could source someone to print anything you could imagine if you looked hard enough, it was really just a case of imagining the possibilities! That’s the direction I’ve taken my shop, Annie Dornan-Smith Design, but as far as I go as an illustrator, I’m also really excited to see where my degree will take me in terms of more traditional illustration subjects. 

Photo Credit - Annie Dornan-Smith (Illustrated Affirmations range)

What advice would you give to people entering their third year at university?
It is going to be hard. And it’s going to be stressful. It will feel like you are never going to be able to do it. But you can and you will – because you can’t not, really, can you? You’ll find yourself re-starting a project with two weeks to go until hand-in, but it will all happen. Trust me. I walked around the previous year’s Degree Show wondering how the hell we were all going to be ‘good enough’ to meet that standard in just 9 months, but we did, and our show looked great, and I’m really proud of myself and all of us.

What do you plan to do now that university is over?

Luckily, I was chosen to exhibit at New Designers, so in a week or so I’ll be taking this years’ projects down to London to hopefully schmooze some industry creatives. I’d love to be a freelance illustrator, and spend some more time growing my shop. I’m launching a kickstarter in a very short time, to hopefully publish one of my uni projects, House Jungle - an illustrated guide to indoor gardening, so if you’re interested in hearing more about that, you can join my newsletter!

What is next for your brand?

I just launched two new lines – Confetti’d and Illustrated Affirmations in my shop, so at the moment I’m working on bigging those up! But like I said, I’m working on a super exciting new Kickstarter, and I have an additional product in the works to add to my Confetti’d range. I’ll be sharing everything on social media and with my newsletter so do check it out if you’re interested!

Photo Credit - Annie Dornan-Smith (Confetti’d range)

To browse more of Annie's work, visit: http://www.anniedornansmith.co.uk

Instagram: @anniedornansmith