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Amelia’s Magazine | Vita Gottlieb: London Fashion Week Fashion Fringe S/S 2013 Catwalk Preview Interview

vita gottlieb by Alexa Coe
Vita Gottlieb A/W 2012 by Alexa Coe.

I’ve known of Vita Gottlieb through mutual friends for many years so when I bumped into her recently it was something of a surprise to hear of plans to launch herself as a fashion designer, having worked previously in fine art, film and textile design. I was then really happy to discover (via facebook, where else?) that she had been shortlisted as a finalist for this season’s Fashion Fringe. Here she describes the incredible journey she has made: inspiring stuff for all would be fashion designers!

Vita Gottlieb by Angela Lamb.

You are a textile designer by training – how difficult was it to become a fashion designer? Where did you learn to think in terms of putting your textiles on the body?
I actually trained in the more theoretical area of art history – then did an MA in Fine Art – it was here I started to experiment with my illustrative and graphical sketches, putting them into prints and wall hangings. It seemed natural to move into textiles from there and then translate these 2-D forms into 3-D with fashion. I’ve always needed to work with my hands and love the direct process of designing textile prints, then using these to design on the body. The prints inform the process and I absolutely love it. Finally I feel I can use and be inspired by all my passions – film, art, stories, travel and wilderness.

Vita Gottlieb AW 2012

Vita Gottlieb A/W 2012.

Prior to that you also worked in film and gained a degree in fine art. What do you think led you to fashion after so many years in other design disciplines?
I suppose I like to slow-cook things! Sometimes you need a bit of time to work through all the peripheral ambitions and come slowly into settling on something that feels right and at the right time. I don’t think I would have been good in the fashion industry in my early 20s – I was quite sensitive and volatile, and probably would have been swallowed up or waylaid by it all! I love film and always will but ultimately wanted to be in control of a more contained aesthetic, and with fashion, you really can make things happen in an exciting, organic way. It’s akin to being an artist – it’s your vision, your story, but you need to communicate this message clearly in order to make it happen. Art and film will always feed into my work though, through the creation of story and mood, the use of print and fabric manipulation. I’ve also always loved texture, the feel and emotion of strong colour, of materials themselves. Fashion seems to encapsulate all of these things in such a magical way.

Vita Gottlieb AW 2012

Vita Gottlieb A/W 2012.

What did you learn from your years working in interiors that you have been able to apply to your fashion designs?
For around 3 years I free-lanced as a textile designer in both the interiors market and also, I designed and made my own accessories for the body which sold at trade and public fairs. The biggest learning curve from that for me has been understanding how to translate ideas from the graphic ‘doodles’ I was making in textile print – which had a flat, albeit malleable substrate – into a conversation with construction, silhouette, movement. The amazing thing for me now is witnessing how much the 3-dimensional form in the movement of fabric can really alter my thinking on a design. It’s wonderful to watch it develop through sketches, into a pattern, all the protos and finally, to see a garment on a real body is just so exciting.

Vita Gottlieb AW 2012 scarf
What makes your scarf collection so unique?
I’d say my use of colour, graphic repeat prints and intricate detail. They’re trans-seasonal, so can be worn with anything and by anyone all year round.

Vita Gottlieb, Illustration by Rosa and Carlotta Crepax, Illustrated Moodboard
Vita Gottlieb S/S 2013 preview by Rosa and Carlotta Crepax, Illustrated Moodboard.

What was the inspiration behind your A/W 2012 collection?
AW12 was inspired by elements of the forest floor and the tactile quality of bark, moss, the underside of mushrooms. I had this image of a disenchanted forest filled with creeping lianas and the raw-edged, tactile textures of fallen leaves. Also, the colours of dusk. Dusk and moonlight, magic hour – I think these qualities of light will form a puncture through many collections to come.

Vita Gottlieb SS 2012 Nightbird (illustrated preview by Vita)
Vita Gottlieb S/S 2012 Nightbird (illustrated preview by Vita).

What was the process of being picked for Fashion Fringe? Where did it all start?!
It’s been an amazing journey so far! It started with a question – should I really apply? Do I have a chance? I thought it was a no until I woke up one day and just said to myself ‘there’s nothing to lose’ – classic, really. Something in the way the criteria for entry was written gave me hope as it seemed to me to encapsulate everything I wanted my label to be. It’s incredible to have got this far! I remember the day Christopher Bailey called, personally, to say I was a Semi-Finalist; I was in New York at the time and literally jumped around the room I was in. Being announced as a Finalist was one of those moments I won’t forget – the elation, nerves, and fear! I think I’m more afraid of success than I am of failure, much as I want and am working for it – but there’s no looking back now. The team at Fashion Fringe have been amazing and so supportive throughout, which amongst many other things has made the whole process such a joy and privilege.

Vita Gottlieb SS 2012 Tamsin (illustrated preview by Vita)q
Vita Gottlieb S/S 2012 Tamsin (illustrated preview by Vita)

I can’t wait to see your new collection: the description sounds incredibly romantic and dreamy – are you a dreamer? What’s the best dream you’ve ever had?
Oh, man, I am a consummate dreamer! Both day and night. Reverie is a favourite hobby of mine. Often I dream of flying through the universe, diving in and out of colours and natural patterns of movement – sometimes I go back in time and poke about cobbled alleys and strange places. Always there’s a lot of movement, colour and music. I wake up shaking from the images sometimes. But it’s so much a part of me.

Vita Gottlieb S/S 2013 preview by Catherine Moody.

The collection will layer eastern and western references – what motifs have you taken from each place, and how have you mixed them up?
SS13 is inspired in part by Paul Poiret‘s 1911 party ‘Thousand and Second Night‘, where guests were asked to wear Persian dress and indulge in dancing in the moonlight… I love the idea of layering Eastern influences into Western ideas; some of the prints are inspired by and use motifs from Georges Barbier‘s early twentieth century illustrations. I also thought about moonlight as a mood and infused some of the colours of that hour, just after dusk, in an imaginary city full of minarets and flickering lights. In terms of Western influences, I’ve tried to create a bit of a puncture through accessories and silhouettes.

You are an avid fan of Pinterest – how do you use it to collate and filter your ideas?
Yes, I love it as it’s such an easy way of keeping all your ideas and inspirations in once place. I’m a real sketchbook hoarder and keep everything I sketch or write in books at home or in the studio – but Pinterest I use more for general interest inspiration. And for food porn, it’s great for that!

Vita Gottlieb A/W 2012 by Lea Rimoux.

In fact you are quite internet savvy all around, why do you think (as an up and coming designer) it’s important to be so visible on social media networks? Do you plan to sell all your collections online?
Being social-media savvy doesn’t necessarily come naturally and I was definitely a Facebook/Twitter abstainer for a LONG time. But once I’d set up my business I recognised just how useful it can be and have become a lot more interactive now. It’s mainly for business but I try to pepper what I post with some personal and quirky content too. I think it’s important not to forget that there is a person behind the label and to inject some personality into it all. As an emerging designer I think it’s imperative to use social media to maximise your profile – and to keep in touch with what your potential customers want, that’s key too. Currently I sell my scarves online but yes, eventually I do plan on selling the collections too. It’s exciting to see what the internet can realise for my label – you can’t ignore it anymore!

Vita Gottlieb A/W 2012 by Lea Rimoux.

I believe you are a foodie – what is your must have edible delight whilst working on your new collection?
Ah, I am definitely a foodie! I’ve always loved food – eating, cooking, everything really. I read recipe books as pleasure. Hmm, must-have edible delight? Hard to say as I love so many things – Asian flavours, home-cooked, big, flavoursome dishes, vegetables from the garden (one radish, this year..no time to garden!), things like shepherd’s pie and fresh peas or glazed salmon in honey, mirin and lime. Don’t get me started! But it has to be savoury, I’m not really inclined toward sweet things.

Can you give us any hints as to what to expect in your Fashion Fringe catwalk show? (music… casting.. atmosphere etc)
I believe you’ll be there, so, you will have to wait and see, Amelia!

Vita Gottlieb A/W 2012 by Lea Rimoux.

What are your hopes for the future?
I’d like to build a successful, well-regarded and creative womenswear label, branching out with a diffusion line, travel lifestyle and perhaps lingerie. One day I’d love to open a kind of eco-lodge in a hot tropical country by the sea. You see, I am a dreamer! More locally, I’m interested in collaboration with other artists and creative professionals, making fashion films, happenings and shows, and see the future as a very exciting thing.

Vita Gottleib A/W 2012 by Gemma Sheldrake.

See more from Vita Gottlieb here… I can’t wait to see the entire collection on the catwalk! Vita Gottlieb shows alongside Haizhen Wang and Teija Eilola in the BFC Courtyard Show Space on Tuesday 18th September 2012.

vita-gottlieb by Melissa Angelik
Vita Gottlieb by Melissa Angelik.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday September 10th, 2012 10:30 am

Categories ,Alexa Coe, ,Angela Lamb, ,Catherine Moody, ,Christopher Bailey, ,Courtyard Show Space, ,Fashion Fringe, ,film, ,Fine Art, ,Gemma Sheldrake, ,Georges Barbier, ,Haizhen Wang, ,Illustrated Moodboard, ,Lea Rimoux, ,lfw, ,Melissa Angelik, ,Nightbird, ,Paul Poiret, ,Pinterest, ,Rosa and Carlotta Crepax, ,S/S 2013, ,Tamsin, ,Teija Eilola, ,Textile Design, ,Thousand and Second Night, ,Vita Gottlieb

Amelia’s Magazine | Pinned it! Made it! Pinterest Party Review: Create a Mexican Day of the Dead Flower Crown

If like me, you are a Pinterest fan, you no doubt spend more happy hours avidly collecting crafting ideas than actually creating them. Which is why the concept of Pinterest Parties have become all the rage in America, where crafting fanatics can meet up to bring their Pinterest lusts to life in the real world.

Over here in lil old London Sarah Waldie and Victoria Plum (above) are the two enterprising ladies behind Pinned it! Made it! Pinterest Parties, held in Hackney Downs Studios. I of course jumped at the chance to attend one of their events, where I could learn how to make my very own Day of the Dead style floral headband, ideal garb for festival goers this season. You can find all the aforementioned Pinterest inspiration for these floral crowns on the Pinned it! Made it! board here.

After a yummy Ilegal Mezcal cocktail (served up a jam jar by Qui Qui Ri Qui) we were given a brief demo by Marianne Johnson of Wild by Nature, a florist of some 15 years. She inducted us into the sticky ways of florist tape, a wonderful thing that enables spiky bits of wire to be glued together into one smooth mass. We were then directed to a table heaving with a colourful selection of fake flowers, and it was heads down all round, as we set about creating our floral crowns. As they began to take shape it became apparent that we were all creating very individual looks, and that is surely one of the best things about making something yourself: yes, you probably could buy something like this off the peg, but my creation will never look like yours. And I like that feeling!

At the end Anna Wild gave us a brief demonstration of how to create full on Day of the Dead make up. I’m not really the type to dress up all crazee for festivals, but in a light bulb moment I realised that I’m now sorted to go as Frida Kahlo to a big fancy dress party I have been worrying about. All I need for that is copious quantities of eyebrow pencil.

The Pinned it! Made it! ladies post all their events onto facebook, and of course, onto Pinterest. You can also find upcoming events on eventbrite. Find what tickles your creative fancy and then get your craft on by signing up for a Pinned it! Made it! party soon – the next one on June 18th will be blinging up sunglasses, inspiration here. It was a fab way to spend an otherwise ordinary weekday evening: I’ll leave you with some of the fab creations that the girls at my table made.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday May 23rd, 2013 11:39 am

Categories ,Anna Wild, ,Cocktails, ,craft, ,Day of the Dead, ,diy, ,Eventbrite, ,Fake flowers, ,Floral Crown, ,Floristry tape, ,Flower Crown, ,Frida Kahlo, ,Hackney Downs, ,Hackney Downs Studios, ,Headband, ,How to, ,Ilegal Mezcal, ,Marianne Johnson, ,Mescal, ,Mexican, ,Pinned it! Made it!, ,Pinterest, ,Pinterest Party, ,Qui Qui Ri Qui, ,Sarah Waldie, ,UK, ,Victoria Bell, ,Victoria Plum, ,Wild by Nature

Amelia’s Magazine | Pinterest Perfect! featuring Gemma Correll: A review of the new craft book by Walter Foster

Last week another book plopped into my post box: this time one inspired by the cult of Pinterest, where many creatives share and collect ideas for crafty projects to make at home. Pinterest Perfect! is an interesting beast – taking an online phenomenon and attempting to turn it back into a good old fashioned printed read. So we are introduced to 8 different artists who use Pinterest to promote their business, with each sharing some simple ideas for DIY projects, and ways to kick start creativity. Sidebars explain some basic tips for the best way to use Pinterest to inspire and build your own hobby or business.

Most of the featured artists are based in America, and seem to share a similar aesthetic, with easy to recreate projects that are most suitable for those new to the world of making. I particularly like Japanese inspired ideas by Marisa Edghill and beautiful typography by Molly Jacques. Also included are two illustrators, including our very own Gemma Correll, who shares her tips for creating self portraits and fun animal drawings: by far my favourite part of the book.

Does it work? Yes and no. The book is beautifully put together and I like the way that you are encouraged to use the book like a notebook, taking the online into the real world and allowing you to add your own ideas after each project. However, Pinterest itself is an almost endless source of inspiration, and a book can only ever present a tiny fraction of the potential discoveries to be made online. Having said this I find that sometimes you just can’t beat an actual book to get the creative juices flowing, and this is a great volume to peruse if you are of a similar persuasion and fancy discovering some interesting new artists along the way.

Pinterest Perfect! is available from Walter Foster now, priced £12.99

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday May 7th, 2014 10:45 am

Categories ,craft, ,diy, ,Gemma Correll, ,Marisa Edghill, ,Pinterest, ,Pinterest Perfect!, ,typography, ,Walter Foster, ,Washi tape

Amelia’s Magazine | Great ideas for homemade Christmas Decorations for 2013

Christmas snowflake ornament polymer clay cane blue

I’ve been collecting Christmas decorations for as long as I can remember, so it’s not like there is a shortage of baubles and other pretty objects with which to decorate the house: in fact this year we’ve been quite minimal since we only have a small oriental fir tree in a pot (hopeful that it won’t drop, and that we can pot it out in my parent’s garden and use it again next year) and the house is full to bursting with colourful things against which decorations must compete. And yet, I would like to make some decorations: for in my mind nothing can beat that handmade touch in the home, and Christmas is the perfect time to make something frivolous and pretty for no reason other than it looks good.

Christmas tree

It is at this time of year especially that I really feel the lack of my own creativity, having spent the rest of the year discovering, marvelling over and writing about others who are busy designing and making. And all the time I mourn the lack of making in my own life, and determine to do something about it. I’ve always been more of a maker than a shopper (and having Snarfle makes me even less inclined to join the masses in a frenzy of consumerism) but this year I have had better intentions than usual to make my own Christmas decorations and gifts. Maybe it’s having a toddler with burgeoning creative talents to entertain and remembering that some of the best moments in my childhood were when I made things with my parents, which always seemed to reach a frenzied height at yuletide. Or maybe it’s my constant aspirational trawling of Pinterest. Like so many pinners, I spend an inordinate amount of time looking for ideas rather than actually getting on with anything: the act of pinning being so much more simple to organise than gathering crafty bits together in one place to embark on a project.

Spicy christmas biscuits

A lot of ideas on Pinterest are unbearably naff, but the gems really are worth stumbling upon. So far we have managed to make some snowflake decorations out of polymer clay (at the top of this post) and some spicy Christmas biscuits, both of which were inspired by things I found online, but actually made in my own style (the decorations) and to a recipe from a good old-fashioned book (the biscuits). And yes, Snarfle did ‘help’, though he’s probably still a bit young to be very involved. But I have plans to do much more in the next week, so here is my wish list of things to make for Christmas. And if I don’t manage them this year, one year, I hope, some of these will happen.

Paper Stars
We lived in Sweden when I was a small child and my family retained many Swedish Christmas traditions as I grew up, so naturally I am drawn to Scandinavian style decorations, particularly those involving candles, paper stars, hearts and Dala horses. There are loads and loads of great paper star tutorials on the internet, so picking out the best is no easy trick. This woven star on House Revivals is very similar to the wooden one my parents hang in our window during the festive season: a bare bulb in the middle gives it a super cosy glow in the winter. I think you could adapt this tutorial to any foldable medium so I might just give it a go one year.

Here is another version of a paper star: this one created in pretty decorated origami papers by Whimsy Lane.

danish-paperstar wreath

Another way to use folded origami stars would be in a wreath. I’ve never got into these, my mother having associated them with funerals and thus instilled in me a distance from their Christmas potential. But I think looking at this beauty (found on the Hello Lucky blog) I may just have to reconsider. There is a very comprehensive tutorial on how to make German paper stars here.

pompom garland in the trees

Christmas tree pom poms tutorial from Creativity and Chocolate

Pom Poms
Pom poms may be frivolous but they are mighty fun and bang on trend this year, especially if they are oversized, colourful and abundant. I don’t think I’d have the patience to make anything as extravagant as this garland without one of the special pom pom making machines you can buy, but if you fancy turning your hand to something simple then these big wool beauties from Creativity and Chocolate would be perfect.

Christmas pompom wreath, photo by Danielle Thompson

Once you’ve got your pom pom mojo on you might venture further into the land of woolly balls: how about this wreath as found on Design Sponge, for a cheery look on a winter’s door?

Pom-Pom-Wreath for Christmas by Nest of Posies

Over on Nest of Posies this pretty pom pom wreath features the addition of pompom ricrac and flowers.

Wooden clothes pegs stars for Christmas from Shirley Goode

Wooden Clothes Pegs
I have fond memories of making a rocking chair pincushion with wooden pegs at infant school: in fact I bet my mother still has it somewhere. On my hunt for Christmassy things to do with pegs (the ones with the springs, since they are cheap and easily available) I have found that very chair on a blog by Shirley Goode, where she reminisces about crafting with clothespins. I love her scanned photographs, which were obviously taken a good few decades ago; wouldn’t these wooden clothes pegs stars be a great place to start?

Lilla a Design clothespeg christmas tree decorations

Elsewhere I have yet to discover anything which comes close to these little brightly painted wooden men, complete with squiggly faces. Aren’t these just the best? You can discover how to make these on Lilla a Design: definitely something to knock up in the future with Snarfle.

corrugated-cardboard-reindeer-craft-lgn

Cardboard Reindeer Head
If we did not already have so many cut out reindeer heads in the house (my partner Tim simply cannot resist, apparently) then I would be very tempted to give this little chap a go: all made out of recycled cardboard, and with a cheery red nose. You can find a template for Recycling Meets Rudolph on the Good Housekeeping website.

Wooden Stick Christmas Trees by Michele Made Me

Christmas Tree Decorations for the Tree
There are many different versions of tiered Christmas tree decorations, but I like these ones in wood by Michele Made Me. I am in awe of anyone who thinks about Christmas in July, though, well, come to think of it, the PRs are always plugging it my way at that time of year so maybe I could get into it in summer too? I will just have to remember to collect interesting sticks when we are out in the woods.

paper roll and bead Christmas tree shaped decoration by Crafts by Jen

This version, using rolled paper and beads, is also very cute. Pinned from Crafts by Jen.

Recycled paper and bead christmas tree ornaments by Thrifty Fun

This one from Thrifty Fun piles scrap paper into appealing staggered tiers, and is splashed with glitter for a festive touch.

Heart House Ornament matrix by Michele Made Me

Folded Cut Out Paper Decorations
I also love Michele Made Me‘s Heart House, a simple cut, fold and glue paper ornament, inspired by her feelings of love for her home and family. It’s a little house with a heart running through the middle, and can be made out of recycled Christmas cards, or in fact any oddments of pretty paper you have lying around the house. Yup, I’ve got plenty of that.

Recycled Christmas Card Garland by Freshy Hatched Studio

Another way to reuse old Christmas cards would be to turn them into this garland from Freshly Hatched Studio, which uses a simpler version of the technique above with a piece of brown string run through… I can already see this being pimped up with some glittery tinsel thread. I find it hard to stay too tasteful for long.

Felt Folk Christmas Decorations by McCalls

Felt Tree Ornaments
These pretty felt folk ornaments come in fab bright colours and are made by following a pattern from McCall’s, but I’m all for heading out on your own with things like this if you can.

Imagine Our Life polar bear felt christmas ornament

Stephanie from Imagine Our Life makes the best things out of felt, including these cute animal ornaments for Christmas – visit her blog for a free pattern if you like to have help in making your own felt designs. As well as an impressive creative output she home schools her little fella as well as continuing to freelance as a graphic designer. She’s an inspiration.

Felt heart cut out ornaments for Christmas

These stylish patterned felt hearts were found on the Better Homes and Gardens website: another thing to aspire to in future years, I feel.

Polymer clay fimo christmas ornament snowflake millefiori

Polymer clay ornaments
Finally, I don’t think I’ve touched polymer clay since the early 90s, but it turns out that things have come on in the world of Fimo since then, and I’ve suddenly discovered what fun ‘canes‘ are. Not that I have the patience to produce anything too complex and perfect, so mine are fairly chaotic. When I started reading about canes I discovered this tutorial on how to create snowflake canes: which I combined in a messy millefiori design to get the above results. I have realised that it is slightly hard to get a slick effect when you have a toddler crawling all over you but I kind of like it anyway.

Polymer Clay christmas ornament heart tutorial from The Crafty Network

Instead the image above is closest to what I was hoping to achieve, although this version employs the services of an extruder. The result is totally psychedelic, but the tutorial on The Crafty Network is very clear and you could definitely adapt it into something a bit more low key.

White clay embossed heart christmas tree ornament

Having introduced you to the most complex of polymer clay work I have to add that I think simple works best for most polymer clay ornaments. I need to buy some paper doilies so I can try embossing cut out shapes such as hearts, which can easily be made using cookie cutters.

Reindeer antler clay christmas ornaments from thistinder

These stylish reindeer antler white clay ornaments could easily be made out of polymer clay, coloured thread and wire. The photograph comes from This Tinder, but the original blog has vanished.

Christmas snowflake ornament polymer clay cane

Anyway, I could go on and on hunting down fun things to make, but now I want to go and do actual creative stuff myself. It’s unlikely I will get many of these ideas done this year, but maybe by Christmas 2014 I will have figured out a proper schedule like all those organised stay at home working and making mums (hmm, I fear this may go the way of my plans to get my taxes done well in advance). But I do really believe that a better balance between work and creativity is what makes us happy; that’s why we’re all rediscovering craft and baking with a vengeance – it’s the way we’ve always been. Using our hands to do so much more than just type.

You can follow me on Pinterest here, if you like that kind of thing.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday December 19th, 2013 3:10 pm

Categories ,Better Homes and Gardens, ,Cardboard Reindeer Head, ,Christmas biscuits, ,Christmas Tree Decorations, ,Crafts by Jen, ,Creativity and Chocolate, ,Cut Out, ,Dala horses, ,Design Sponge, ,Felt Tree Ornaments, ,Fimo, ,Folded, ,Freshly Hatched Studio, ,Garland, ,Good Housekeeping, ,Heart House, ,Hello Lucky, ,House Revivals, ,Imagine Our Life, ,Lilla a Design, ,McCall’s, ,Michele Made Me, ,millefiori, ,Nest of Posies, ,Paper Decorations, ,Paper Stars, ,Pinterest, ,Polymer Clay, ,pom-poms, ,recycled, ,Recycling Meets Rudolph, ,Scandinavian, ,Shirley Goode, ,Snarfle, ,Snowflake canes, ,sweden, ,Swedish Christmas, ,The Crafty Network, ,This Tinder, ,Thrifty Fun, ,Whimsy Lane, ,Wooden Clothes Pegs, ,Wreath

Amelia’s Magazine | Behind the Scenes at Print Club London: an interview with Kate Newbold Higginson

Print Club London interview-wall

I first met Kate Newbold Higginson when she was just setting up Print Club London and only had a pop-up shop on Brick Lane. Since then, the collective have gone on to great things, with a huge screen printing workshop in East London as well as their new gallery and workspace, Millers Junction. Artists like Bob Gill, Kate Moross and James Joyce call the studio home, and every year the fantastic Blisters exhibition showcases their talents alongside that of unknown newcomers. I caught up with Kate to look back at the studio’s success story, and to find out what it’s like screenprinting bags for Stella McCartney and throwing parties for Pinterest.

Print Club London interview-Fred Higginson, Rose Stallard, Kate Newbold

Fred Higginson, Rose Stallard, Kate Newbold

Tell us about how you and your husband Fred set up Print Club London; artist Rose Stallard is involved too, isn’t she?

About 10 years ago Fred set up Absorb Arts which is a fine art charity based initially in a church in Norwich that he converted into studios. Then he came to London and we did the same in London. Rose Stallard, our Creative Director, knew Fred from Norwich University of the Arts and rented space from us. One day she asked Fred if he would consider setting up some screenprinting studios as she couldn’t find anywhere suitable and thought that lots of other people would want space too. She wanted it to be like a gym with open access where you could rock up on your BMX (this was Rose’s main aim, there had to be BMXs!) and screenprint all night and day. And so Print Club was born; Fred set it up with Rose’s creative help and screenprinting know-how and it went from there. I joined a year into the saga after leaving my job in film. Fred and Rose were great at the creative side of things, producing amazing artwork and getting artists on board, but they were pretty bad at actually managing a business, so I set about ensuring we had clients, members and could feasibly run as a studios. The fun stuff, no less!

Print Club London interview-joanna ham

You have lots of other established artists under your roof, like Bob Gill, Kate Moross, James Joyce and Margot Bowman. Who are the rising stars whose work we should be snapping up now?
Joanna Ham (above) works on these amazing fashion pictograms! And her bunnies are uber cool and popular. She produces two very different styles, both incredibly successful Rosie Emerson works with very interesting techniques, and again, is often influences by the fashion world.

Print Club London interview-EGG-AND-SOLDIERS

Claudia Borfiga is one of my techncians and a genius! She’s very witty and that comes through in her illustrations: the one above is titled Egg and Soldiers.

Print Club London interview-MEOW Cassandra Yap

Cassandra Yap draws lots of naked women and has a taste for fetish; her work sells very well!

Print Club London-Reiner

Johnathan Reiner is a doctor by day and print maker by night!

Print Club London interview-Desk-space-London-Millers-Junction-01 (1)

As well as screenprinters, you have lots of illustrators working in Millers Junction- can you tell us a bit about this space?
This space is our most recent addition to the print club warehouse. I was actually renting office space with a previous company in Shoreditch and it was pretty basic, all in separate rooms. There was no camaraderie, no tea meetings and most importantly no shared jobs or feedback on work which is hugely important when you are freelance and work alone or in small teams. You really want to talk about your work, pass jobs around and get ideas from others. I noticed how many people in Dalston sat in cafes with laptops so when we took over the final space it seemed obvious to me to set up an open plan deskspace for creatives.

The idea is 39 desks are rented out and we provide you with all you internet needs, tea, coffee, bike storage, dog storage (we have a few hounds here) cake, meeting room, gallery hire, free use of the print club and a workshop. Plus lovely extras like events – in December Jameson Whiskey came in to give everyone a whiskey tasting event, Gü Puds brought in cakes and then there are less exciting but useful events like a VAT talk for small businesses from our accountants. The idea is that we support small businesses and individuals so that they look from the outside to their client like a bigger more professional company. We also do stuff like sign for courier deliveries – it’s a basic thing but in my old office nobody would do it! When you work alone it’s a basic requirement that someone can sign for your deliveries. And we try to achieve these little details in everything we offer at Millers Junction, it’s important to us that people here love it and we provide one of the best and more affordable deskspaces in east London. You can find out more about our studio space here.

Print Club London interview-Blisters 2

You also print for clients like Stella McCartney and even Facebook and Twitter- do you think screenprinting has become ‘cool’ again because of the backlash against the digital age? I suppose this could apply to the rise in popularity of illustrations over photographs too…
Yes, we are super lucky. We print beautiful bags for Stella McCartney, her ethos is very green and ethical which makes us a good fit. Everything here is waterbased and the energy costs for manufacture are low as its hand made. So we can produce bespoke initial bags easily and very well- it’s a lovely commission. Likewise we have been doing workshops and events for Pinterest to get bloggers into the studios with some great people like Jo Robinson and Hattie Stewart. Facebook invited us in to give a screenprinting workshop too.

People want to manufacture again, it’s what Britain was so great at and I guess people are realising that not only is digital not always so exciting but that we are brilliant at making things. And screenprinting is just one of the products we are fortunate in the UK to have not only great artists to produce work but also now great facilities like ours. We bought our warehouse two years ago so luckily we won’t be priced out of Dalston! Its one of the few remaining commercial factories in the area, lots are now flats so it was important to us and the previous owner, whose father ran it as a sewing factory, that it stayed commercial and a manufacturing hub- which it most certainly is. We have 50 fine artists upstairs, 70 print makers a month in print club and 39 designers and illustrators in Millers Junction. We are literally churning out work. Although I’m sure much less than the sewing factory did in 1910! But we will get there.

Print Club London-WORKSHOP

How can people get involved with Print Club London?
Do a workshop and join up! It’s easy. You don’t need to know how to print, we can teach you everything in our workshop, and then you can become a member. We assist you in learning the ropes and producing new work and once it’s up to a level thats sellable- and this can take time for some and not for others- then we sell the work online in our gallery.

Or you can join our deskspace in Millers Junction – its £220pcm and you get free use of print club in that so its really cost effective for designers who want to do a little print making on the side.

Print Club London interview-Blisters

And lastly you can be part of our shows. Every year we commission artists to take part in BLISTERS our annual screenprint event. Its open submission so anyone can take part. Previous shows have included Eine, Jamie Reid, Kate Moross, Mr Bingo, lots of well known people! But also newbies or people still in college. We choose work based on merit not who you are.

Written by Katie Antoniou on Tuesday March 11th, 2014 11:12 am

Categories ,Absorb Arts, ,Blisters, ,BMX, ,Bob Gill, ,Brick Lane, ,Cassandra Yap, ,Claudia Borfiga, ,dalston, ,East London, ,Egg and Soldiers, ,Eine, ,Fred Higginson, ,Gü Puds, ,Hattie Stewart, ,interview, ,James Joyce, ,Jameson Whiskey, ,Jamie Reid, ,Jo Robinson, ,Joanna Ham, ,Johnathan Reiner, ,Kate Moross, ,Kate Newbold Higginson, ,Meow, ,Millers Junction, ,Mr Bingo, ,Norwich University of the Arts, ,Pinterest, ,Print Club London, ,Rose Stallard, ,Rosie Emerson, ,shoreditch, ,Stella McCartney, ,VAT talk

Amelia’s Magazine | Biscuiteers Iced Baby Biscuits & The Great Biscuiteers Ice-Off! Illustrated Biscuit Competition

Snarfle Monkey biscuiteers newborn baby
A few weeks ago I was sent some celebratory newborn baby biscuits by my good friends at the Biscuiteers. They arrived in a lovely decorated tin with one very special biscuit on the top layer bearing my boy’s name in delicate iced whirls. Underneath there were three more trays of yummy baby themed biscuits – woollen booties, rattles, babygros, building blocks, a teddy or two and a pram. For a good few weeks I daren’t touch the biscuits… they just looked too pretty to snaffle down in one fell swoop, but in the past few days – short of other snacks in the house – I have succumbed to their crisp sugary goodness. I haven’t yet tackled the very special named pram but I do baulk at preserving it as one other Biscuiteers fan has done. Given my hoarding tendencies I’ll be saving enough baby paraphernalia as it is!

Snarfle Monkey biscuiteers newborn baby
Cassie at Biscuiteers explained to me what brought about this New Baby biscuit range:
When the Biscuiteers began in 2007, we planned our launch collections around the big gifting occasions, and found that the birth of a new baby was one of the most important and significant reasons for people to gift. Our new baby biscuit tins ‘New Kid on the Block’, ‘Baby Girl’ and ‘Baby Boy’ are some of our most popular collections. We find people want to send something that will make the new parents smile, but also act as a keepsake for the child’s birth. In 2009 we launched personalised versions of our baby range, and often get lovely feedback from recipients who have kept the biscuits, most recently from a new Dad who varnished them to display in a photo frame! Last year we launched a new range of Baby chocolates and cakes which also offer a personalised element for the sender.

New Kid on the Block biscuiteers
New Kid on the Block biscuit tin.

In other Biscuiteers related news: I am one of the judges for their brand new icing competition! Are you an avid biscuit icer? Then you need to be involved in The Great Biscuiteers Ice-Off! Inspired by all the photos sent in by readers of their Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits, Biscuiteers are offering three winners the chance to visit the Biscuiteers Bakery for an exclusive icing session. The best images will be uploaded onto their website gallery and entering is super easy, via everyone’s favourite social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, of course. Find out all the information you need to know here. I’ll be judging the entries alongside an esteemed panel of judges. And I really want to see some exciting illustrated biscuits that break away from iced norms!

biscuiteers

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday June 1st, 2012 8:59 am

Categories ,Baby, ,Biscuiteers, ,Biscuiteers Bakery, ,Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits, ,competition, ,Facebook, ,Gift, ,New Kid on the Block, ,Newborn, ,Pinterest, ,Snarfle Monkey, ,The Great Biscuiteers Ice-Off!, ,twitter

Amelia’s Magazine | Alfred & Wilde: an interview with designer Simon Mitchell

Heart London lifestyle -Alfred&Wilde
I have had my eye on the Alfred & Wilde brand since I first discovered the bold graphic designs of founder Simon Mitchell at the 2014 Tent London exhibition in September last year, and I then convinced him to contribute a special piece about the Platonic Solids for That Which We Do Not Understand, my 10th anniversary book. I caught up with Simon again at the recent Top Drawer at Olympia, and marvelled at the latest additions to his collection: bespoke jewellery created in collaboration with the Wolf & Moon jewellery brand. Here’s the low down on his wonderful style.

Simon Mitchell - Alfred & Wilde
What inspired you to turn from fine art to graphic design?
My fine art practice at university tended to use a lot of graphic design – I created advertising-style posters and lightboxes for my degree show – but the art world never appealed long-term. However, after a few years with an office job I realised I needed a creative outlet, and figured that designing cards and prints might provide this, while also potentially providing a more steady income than being an artist.

Yeshen Venema Photography
How long have you lived in Hackney and how does the area affect your work ethos and design?
I have lived in the area for nearly 7 years now, having lived in North London for four years before that. Both areas – like most of London – have a brilliant mix of people from all over the world, with all the variation in food, music and culture that goes with that. But you really can’t beat Hackney for arts and culture. Hackney Wick is home to the largest community of artists in Europe and Clapton and London Fields are full of the world’s fashion crowd. The city provides constant mental and creative stimulation and is always pushing you to up your game and be better than your peers. I’m not sure how I’d manage if I moved somewhere quieter!

Plywood (black and white) print-Alfred&Wilde
Yeshen Venema Photography Icosahedron-tea-towel-AlfredWilde
Why are you so enamoured of the Platonic Solids?
I’ve always been a bit of a science geek – I studied natural sciences before fine art – so was keen to reference this in my designs. I was drawn to the Platonic Solids because they have a historical and mathematical significance that is intricately linked to what they look like. The geometric shapes were studied by the ancient Greeks but still manage to look like contemporary graphic designs when printed today.

Platonic-Solid-mugs-AlfredWildePlatonic-Solid-mugs-AlfredWilde
What is the process of creating your designs?
I’ve got a box full of cuttings and postcards and bit and pieces, plus Pinterest boards, that I use for ideas. But most of my designs are sketched out on my Mac using an open source version of Illustrator called Inkscape. The software can be a bit limiting which has probably helped shape the style Alfred & Wilde style – less is more!

Cube Brooch-Alfred Wilde
How did the collaboration with Wolf and Moon come about?
I thought the Platonic Solids designs would be perfect for jewellery so was on the look out for someone to collaborate with. Luckily a friend of a friend put me in touch with Hannah from Wolf & Moon who loved the idea. It has been great to team up with a fellow Hackney brand with such a strong focus on geometric shapes. They’ve been amazing to work with.

London notebook-Alfred&Wilde
What was the highlight of your recent Top Drawer outing? Any exciting new retail outlets you can share?
Top Drawer was a great platform for Alfred & Wilde and I had interest from some really well respected retailers. I’m particularly pleased about getting new stockists outside of London in places like Brighton. And I’ll soon be stocked in the Southbank Centre shop in London – that’s pretty exciting!

Gold-Power-Station-lifestyle-AlfredWilde
How hard is it to run a business alongside another job, and do you have any tips for other designers in a similar situation?
I never seem to have enough time for Alfred & Wilde which is difficult, and my to-do list seems endless. But keeping my job on a part-time basis has given me an invaluable financial safety net and I couldn’t have started Alfred & Wilde without it. I think its important to have a job that can be really flexible. I’ve been really lucky that if I have an important event or need to wait in for a delivery I can change my days I’m in the office.

Home-Is-Where-The-Heart-Is-lifestyle-AlfredWilde
What do you hope for the future of Alfred & Wilde?
Whenever I am asked this question I always give the same answer: my dream is to have an Alfred & Wilde HQ in a canalside warehouse in Hackney Wick, with studio space, print facilities, and a cafe, bar and gallery. From there I can run the global design empire!

I wish Simon the best of luck with his plans for the future: let’s hope they happen!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday January 28th, 2015 10:40 am

Categories ,2014, ,Alfred & Wilde, ,hackney, ,Hackney Wick, ,Inkscape, ,Pinterest, ,Platonic Solids, ,Simon Mitchell, ,Southbank centre, ,Tent London, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,Top Drawer, ,Wolf & Moon

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Cat of Howkapow!

Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

Amelia met a whole load of creatives during her recent ACOFI book tour – illustrators, web designers and makers. It was at Soma in Bristol that she met Cat and Rog from Howkapow – a wonderful website selling allsorts of wonderful items made by new designers all under one metaphorical roof.

Howkapow began only eight months ago but already features over 50 unique designers selling their wares – from brooches to lamps, drug you’ll find an array of interesting and vibrant objects here. I managed to have a chit-chat with Cat about their company, young creatives and self promotion. Here goes:

Cat and Rog of Howkapow, illustrated by Natsuki Otani

Oh hai Cat, how are you?
Ooo in spirits I’m feeling dandy actually Matt, thanks for asking! In body I’m suffering a little – just back from the hospital after an X-ray on my knee… fell off me bike! Wine + cycling = Cat in ditch.

Oh gawd! Well, tell us a bit about Howkapow – when did it start and why?
We opened in December 2010, after we moved from London back to Bristol where Rog (my husband and business partner) and I met at university almost, err, 10 years ago. I had just finished my MA at Saint Martins and we wanted to work together on something that supported creative people and built a community. We had peddled my jewellery at markets in Melbourne and Brick Lane and had met many wonderful people who made beautiful things. But a lot of them either didn’t have a website or any means of self-promotion (like an agency) and so Howkapow was born…

Oh! Howkapow’s an interesting name… where’s it from?
Ah! We merged our second name – ‘How’ – with the fact that all our products are bright, loud and in-yer-face, so… ‘kapow‘!

So do you and Rog split the work equally? How is it – y’know – working with your husband?
It’s bloomin’ brilliant! Nice coffee breaks, decadent lunches and business meetings in the garden, arguments over how to load the printer paper… No, in all seriousness although it was a bit strange at first as we’d only worked for other people before (Rog for the BBC and I was a journo before Saint Martins).
It works really well because we have well defined roles. I split my time between designing and acting as creative director so have (somewhat) complete control over the look of the site as well as stock purchases and sourcing new people. I always ask Rog what he thinks about a certain product but ultimately I RULE! He deals with all the accounts, legal tings, backend web development, site maintenance… y’know the really fun stuff.

Illustration by Claire Kearns

How do you select the designers that you feature and support?
There are around 50 designers and illustrators on the site at any given time, and we’ve been releasing a new designer a week since we opened. Honestly we could release many, many more! But our criteria for choosing them is simple. They have to be a new and / or an independent designer or illustrator and their work has to fit at least two (although ideally all) of our brand values of quality, colour, humour and fun.

Home products available on Howkapow (images courtesy of Howkapow, products selected by Matt Bramford)

How do you think young creatives can stand out in such a saturated environment? Everybody’s at it these days…
Very true! I think it’s a combination of a) doing something original b) doing something useful and ultimately commercial and c) being good at self promotion. Ideally young creatives need to know the market that they are going into. Whether this be design or illustration, you can have a great idea but if it’s not transferrable into a commercial product then it falters. Gosh that sounds a bit cold doesn’t it? But that’s how I choose new designers and illustrators at graduate shows. I was shocked by how many graduating product designers this year had no idea what their wholesale or retail price was for the work they were showcasing…

The flipside of it is, and this is a huge generalisation, but being very creative and original means you’re – more often than not – not massively great at self promotion or PR.

Illustration by Gabriel Ayala

That’s probably why you’re offering The Agency service – tell us a bit about that…?
Yes, the agency. It’s still in it’s infancy (the shop itself is only 8 months old) so we’re currently building up our base of creatives. Instead of it being based on static image-based portfolios, we want to develop it more as a ‘product’ agency where we manufacture a range of products from creatives. There’s the commercial / useful thing again… We can then use these products as a showcase for our illustrators / designers alongside their other work. It means they can be approached by shops as well as ad agencies or whatnot.

What do you offer young designers that they don’t get from websites like Etsy where they flog their own stuff?
Well, the main thing is we hand-pick all our designers to match our brand values so people know exactly what sort of work to expect from our store. As opposed to a web resource which is open-to-all, we ‘curate’ our shop with exactly what we want which enables us to have a really strong brand and identity. We employ a PR company to help promote the shop and our designers; and we’ve also started to collaborate with some of our illustrators on products to then sell on the shop (and to wholesale to other shops). When the agency emerges it’ll be there to help promote our designers even further.

Illustration by Sandra Contreras

Tell us a bit about some of your favourite products or designers… if you’re allowed, that is:
Oooo! Well obviously we LOVE it all (otherwise it wouldn’t be on the shop), but we’ve always greatly admired the work of Scottish illustrator Eleanor Meredith. We’ve recently designed a Tea Tiger and Coffee Chimp mug and a Gin Slug Tea Towel with her.

Illustration by Jenny Robins

What role do you think tools like social media plays in the way we promote ourselves?
HUGE! Never underestimate the power of social media. Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest (recommended to us by Amelia when we went to a talk of hers recently and to which we are now totally addicted) are one of the main ways I find new designers and illustrators. You’ve got to be in it AND on it to win it.

There’s a million different websites for creative people these days. It’s exhausting. What are you favourites and why? Are there any you’d advise against or avoid? MySpace is awful, isn’t it?
Hmmm, yes I have to say Myspace is a bit of a dead duck, isn’t it? We’re literally never on there. It’s true – there are lots of different websites, and actually being on too many can dilute the perceived brand values of your label / work. If I see someone on lots of different open-to-all sites, as a buyer it actually puts me off. Choosing your outlets carefully can really help your brand. Again it’s about knowing your market and where you think your work would suit. There are one or two sites we would advise against, but we’re all about the non-negative vibes here at Howkapow, maaaaan.

What else is on the Howkapow agenda? Do you have sights on a real shop?
Yes indeed! We’re planning to open up a shop in Bath (20 mins down the road from Bristol) early next year. In the meantime we’re working on more collaborations with illustrators on our own Howkapow range. We’ve started to build our selection of jewellery, mugs and tea towels but want to look into other products like trays, ipad / iphone cases, ceramics, cushions and even deck chairs!

Howkapow jewellery and gifts; pictures courtesy of Howkapow, products selected by Matt Bramford)

What else do you and Rog like to do when you’re not Howkapow-ing? (Keep it clean, purlease)
Drinking fine wine! And sharing it with friends, obviously. We’re really into our food so growing our own veg on the allotment and brewing our own selection of (questionable) booze is always high on our agenda. Oh, and cycling on our tandem… although given the state of my knee, maybe not for a while now.

Rog and Cat at Amelia’s book tour at Soma in Bristol; photograph by Amelia Gregory.

Written by Matt Bramford on Tuesday August 2nd, 2011 4:54 pm

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia, ,Bath, ,bristol, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Claire Kearns, ,designers, ,Eleanor Meredith, ,Facebook, ,Gabriel Ayala, ,Gareth A Hokpins, ,Howkapow, ,illustrators, ,Jenny Robins, ,Matt Bramford, ,Pinterest, ,Rog & Cat How, ,Sandra Contreras, ,shop, ,Social Media, ,Soma, ,twitter

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with illustrator, textile designer and author Jane Foster

Jane Foster toucan
Jane Foster is an illustrator, textile designer and author based in Devon. She and her husband run a studio in which she designs, prints and sells a range of products in her distinctive style. On top of all this, she has recently found time to share her talent through a series of craft book and help classic children’s book character Miffy celebrate her 60th birthday. Jane’s success as an illustrator is down to the unique, joyful style of her work. A mix of clean shapes and lines, bold colours and playful, charming characters makes each of her creations something truly special which you can’t help but smile at! With this being such a busy and exciting time for Jane, I couldn’t wait to find out more about her inspiration, process and plans for the future.

Jane Foster owl
Can you tell us a bit about you and your work?
I’m a self taught illustrator who also screen prints, sews and collects fabric. My initial career was in music – I studied the violin at music college for 5 years, followed that by a 1 year PGCE and then taught music for 15 years before changing my career.

Jane Foster mugs
Can you tell us about your creative process? How do you document ideas and then take them forward to end products?
I always carry a note book in my bag and usually sketch and think about future ideas when I’m in a cafe. I’m very good at going to cafes on my own in order to do this, and most of my designs would have been sketched in a cafe somewhere before I then return to my studio to work on a neater version on better paper. I work with fine black line pens and my designs are then scanned into a computer in order to then be transferred onto acetate and then exposed onto a silk screen for screen printing.

Jane Foster teapot
You choose to screen print your products by hand. Is there any reason you choose to produce them this way?
It might not necessarily be the most cost effective way, as owning all your own screens etc. can be very costly, but I love the whole process. I find it very satisfying and therapeutic. I love the way every print can be slightly different, I like the way the ink sits slightly proud on the paper and I like experimenting with short runs for prototypes. Doing all the processes here is very liberating as I can design something in the morning and in theory, have it exposed on to a screen within the same day to then screen print on to fabric or paper in the evening.

Jane Foster lion drawing
Jane Foster lions
You say your work is influenced by Scandanavian design. How did you come across this sort of design and what is it that appeals to you about it?
My parents loved Scandinavian design in the 70s so I think they were a huge influence. My mum loved bold designs in primary colours, even at a time when Laura Ashley flowers might have been the trend. She shopped in Habitat and Heals and had a few Marimekko duvet covers. I like the freshness and simplicity of Scandinavian design – it’s not overly fussy and it’s often geometric.

Jane Foster ABC
What else inspires you? Are there any artists, places or objects from which you draw a lot of inspiration?
Fabric from the 50s and 60s inspire me, especially those designed by Lucienne Day and early Heals designers. I draw inspiration from ceramics, vintage children’s illustrations, like the work of Alain Gree and Dick Bruna, and also from the internet – Pinterest!

Jane Foster miffy bag
What is your studio like?
We now have a studio at home in our garden that we have just spent the past 5 months building. It’s a wonderful light and airy space, white walls and floors and full of colourful fabrics, prints and handmade toys!

Jane Foster cat apple plush
If you could see into the studio of any artist (dead or alive) who would you choose and why?
Probably Henry Mattise – I love his use of colour, especially his huge collages like his famous ‘Snail’. I think he seemed like a wonderful, interesting character and I would love to have a snoop around his studio!

Jane Foster Miffy cushion
You have produced a few products using the classic children’s character Miffy. What appealed to you about this character? And why did you choose to use it in your designs?
I grew up with Miffy books and started to collect them. Over the last ten years, I was lucky enough to source several pairs of Miffy curtains from Holland dating from the 70s. I made some cushions and bags for my daughter and a few friends and more recently, started to sell some of these items on my Etsy shop. I have always loved the simplicity of Dick Bruna’s Miffy books and think he has a real skill at not making his work too complicated. I love his simple use of outline and colour and think he’s a genius to create a character who seems timeless and is still incredibly popular today all over the world. I really enjoy combining Miffy fabric with my own fabric and 70s vintage fabrics to create purses, bags and cushions. I’ve been fortunate to sign a contract with Miffy headquarters to allow me to sell handmade Miffy items. It’s Miffy’s 60th Birthday this year so I shall be making 60 limited edition items to sell in July!

Jane Foster creative craft with kids
You have recently released your second book Creative Craft With Kids. Can you tell us a bit more about it and what inspired you to write it?
I was fortunate enough to sign a 3 book deal and this was my second one. My first book Fun With Fabric was really for adults so I thought it would be great to make my second book dedicated to projects to make with and for kids. My daughter is now 7 so I’ve had plenty of experience being creative with her these past few years so wanted to share some of my enthusiasm and ideas with others.

Jane Foster 123
Finally, what is next for Jane Foster? Any creative projects or future goals you would like to mention?
I’ve the first of my 2 pre-school children’s books out this May which is very exciting. A 123 book and an ABC book. These are published by Templar. My designs are going to be added to kitchen textiles, placemats, coasters, fine bone china mugs and glasses. These are produced by the company Make International. I’m also working on some secret commissions for next Christmas which you will discover towards the end of the year.

Shop Jane Foster products here, and see more on her blog here.

Written by Greg McIndoe on Thursday April 9th, 2015 6:08 pm

Categories ,60th Birthday, ,Alain Gree, ,Author, ,Creative Craft With Kids, ,Devon, ,Dick Bruna, ,etsy, ,Fun With Fabric, ,Greg McIndoe, ,Habitat, ,Heals, ,Henry Mattise, ,illustrator, ,Jane Foster, ,laura ashley, ,Lucienne Day, ,Make International, ,Marimekko, ,Miffy, ,Pinterest, ,Scandinavian design, ,Templar, ,Textile Designer

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