Love Me Again | The Smartest Fashion Label In Town!

UK independent Love Me Again, is set to change how we think about fashion, based in Manchester with an online shop, for just £30.00 you can buy one of their bright jigsaw puzzle designs, custom made to your exact measurements for as little as £30.00 ! These talented fashion magpies take unwanted sweatshirts and woollens and upcycle them into their own contemporary  designs, so each is unique and who every buys one of the pieces from their collection, can be sure they are also buying a into a greener planet! I love these Sonia Rykiel inspired pieces  and the sporty attitude created from using sweat shirts in their designs. You can even recycle old treasured clothing items, by having them incorporated into a design of your choice, fashion does not get more bespoke than this! Watch this space when I will be back to flaunt my own personal mash up of colour and print courtesy of this Manchester fashion label! Vist http://www.lovemeagain.co.uk/  to check out more of their designs.

Meet Jaggy Nettle | Not A Rock Star Much Better!

Dear Gals,

Hope you have been enjoying some Fashionable Frolicking and all in all having a lovely time whatever your doing right now. 


Recently something pretty splendid happened to me now I know this word might seem a little OTT on a style blog, but really there is no other way to describe it.


I don't know if you have ever had one of those defining moments in life where it suddenly seems like the world has paused for a brief moment and you have caught a rare glimpse of something or someone that you discovered that is completely in sync with what your about! Well this happened to me when I came across independent UK clothing label Jaggy Nettle. After what seems like a lifetime of teasing from friends regarding my passion for natural fibres and their production, in particular my obsession for Harris Tweed. I finally have been introduced to the beautiful trilogy of woven fabric's that make up Jaggy Nettles designer collection, cashmere sweaters, Harris tweed high tops and blazers and denim that is pure genius as its designs are unisex, what a wonderful idea, we have unisex perfume so why not jeans?


Here are a few images and a copy of the statement from the about area on their website jaggynettle.com that I first fell in love with. All hail Jaggy Nettle for supporting the production of Harris Tweed and for elevating natural fabric production again, fighting against the tide of mass production and nylon, through their collaboration with masters in fabric production and then coming up with designs that lovingly showcase the weave of their golden trio to perfection. Don't know about you gals, but tweed high tops, beautiful contempory cashmere and unisex jeans made by an artisan family in Japan are my idea of fashion nirvana.

                                         About Jaggy Nettle                                     

                                                                         

It’s about designing and refining a silhouette to perfection.

It’s not about seasonality or trends.


It’s about making the best jeans in the world.


It’s about Scottish Cashmere.


And Tweed.


And print.


It’s not about half V’s or tapered trousers.


Or beards.


Its about bespoke, hand made, heritage, 100%, tradition, ltd edition, Made in UK, Made in Japan, pure, hand stitched, hand signed, hand numbered.


Not about 40,000 of this and 70,000 of that at 80p a unit.


£28.99 retail on the High Street the following Wednesday.


Not about that. Super clones.


Not about morphing into a country gent over night.


It’s about perspective.


About keeping your head up.


Its not about what it’s about.


It’s about what it is.

                                                 

Meet The Talented Dress Designer Who Shares Her Fabric Supplier With Chanel

Some of you lovely readers may already know that my great grandmother was a member of the Royal academy of sewing and was one of a team of women who helped make the queen mothers wedding gown, my own mother had a real talent for pattern cutting, so I'm thrilled to be interviewing Ele Horsley a dress designer from the Lake District near to my home town in Lancashire in the UK with a passion for designing elegant vintage tea dresses.

Q- Sharon- Hi Ele, what first inspired you to start designing your own dresses?


Ele  – Well, in a similar way to you, I have been inspired by my own grandmothers and the dresses that they used to wear. I used to love playing dress-up in the attic where my mother stored some of the special silk tea dresses that my grandmothers owned. And to be completely honest, that desire to dress up never really wore off! And as I grew older and wanted to buy dresses of a similar elegance and style I realised that there was not a ready supply, and I decided that there was only one way to remedy that situation. So here I am!

Q -Sharon- Ele you create bespoke dresses as well as your own range , what was it like training to be a pattern cutter?

Ele – Pattern cutting is not a skill that everyone enjoys learning at fashion school as it's really quite technical and mathematical, but I was lucky enough to really enjoy it! Having decided that I wanted to run my own business at the beginning of my degree I realised that the skill of pattern cutting is a vital one, and after leaving uni I went on to do a postgraduate pattern cutting course at St Martins in London. Now, as a professional pattern cutter, I am in a very good position, able to see an idea through from concept to finished product without having to compromise on the cut of my garments.

Q-Sharon- I adore the beauty of natural fabrics and would love to see a return to the use of natural fibres by clothing labels in the UK, You use silk in many of your dress designs, is it difficult to work with and what is the attraction of using it in your work?

Ele – Yes, silk is really difficult to work with. Especially when it is cut on the bias as many of my styles are! I often question my sanity, choosing to work with a fabric as slippery and impossible as silk, but when the dress is finished and floats and falls so beautifully I forgive myself! There is something about natural fibres that you just can't replicate with a synthetic fibre - the fall, the subtle sheen, the coolness/warmness.

Q- Sharon- You produce elegant short tweed capes, I'm aware the production of tweed is dying out, so it's great to see small companies such as yourself using the fabric in your work and keeping the industry going, where do you source your tweed from?

Ele – As a student I discovered a cumbrian tweed manufacturer called Linton Tweeds, who are based up in Carlisle and produce the most fabulous range of fancy tweeds. In fact, they are the tweed supplier to Chanel, so I'm in good company! They have a fantastic mill shop – I'm always like a kid in a sweet shop when I visit. I just love using local tweed to make my jackets and capes – there's a real sense of satisfaction to be gained from creating products from such local sources.

Q-Sharon-Would you say you are influenced much by fashion trends for each season?


Ele – Really honestly, I wouldn't say that my work is based too much on trends. I keep abreast of fashion and what's going on on the catwalks, but my work has a more timeless feel to it, influenced more by the past than the present. I always look to the 1930s ad 40s for inspiration as well as choosing another thread to follow, such as butterflies, nepalese sherpas, and most recently, deckchairs! Having said that though, I have had some funny moments when things that I have recently designed turned up on the catwalks completely independently!


Q-Sharon- What do you like most about being a independent clothing label?




Ele – The thing I appreciate most about being independent is that I can work on garments that I really believe in and actually like. I spent years as pattern cutter working on other people's designs, trying to channel their ideas, which was interesting and exciting at times but I always longed to be cutting patterns for something more pretty and feminine. As you an imagine, working alone has it's own drawbacks and can be really tough, especially in the current climate, but the benefits for me outweigh all of that (most of the time!)


Q-Sharon- You also produce a range of handbags, what do you hope that your accessories say about you as a designer and your brand?

Ele – Yes, I have recently expanded my range to incorporate accessories – clutch bags, shoulder bags and silk scarves. I wanted to be able to offer my customers the whole 'look'. I research vintage handbags and add my own twist to keep things current. I am particularly fond of the tweed bags which add a little touch of colour or brightness to any outfit. I am in the process of introducing a selection of leather bags too.


Q-Sharon-Ooh great to hear that your expanding your range of bags to include leather! Since starting your own company, what has been your most exciting moment?


Ele – Ooh, that's a difficult one! I have had some really proud moments, such as making an evening dress out of Buffs (sport/outdoor neckwear) for the Keswick Mountain Festival that went down so well that the head office of Buff bought it to display in their spanish HQ! And the excitement and pride of watching a wedding dress that you have made being worn down the aisle never fails to bring a tear!


But actually the best thing is something that has happened very recently; I have been chosen to sell on notonthehighstreet.com, an opportunity that I think will take my business to the next level – something that I am really really excited about!






Q- Sharon-Good luck Ele, with your collaboration with notonthehighstreet.com, It has been a real highlight of my week, to discover more about you and what goes into your label, I hope Ele Horsley continues to go from strength to strength.  One word to sum up your sense of style?


Ele – Timeless!


                               

                                          

                                     

Surround Yourself With Colour, This Spring 2010! x

Hi gals you maybe wondering why I have suddenly become fasinated by sprinkles?!!! Well sometimes, I feel that fashion can get a little too serious, so to lighten the mood I am sharing a few of my favourite pieces from flamboyant  talented spanish designer Custos spring 2010 ready to wear collection!!He cleverly fuses hot colours with metalics, to create a playground of joyful colour and pattern!Enjoy!Sxx

metalic marble colours and clashing hot shades

Sweetie I love You!

You Need Your Greens Too!

Hi there gals, I decided to try and balance our Style diet with a few delicous green and ethical picks today, its a really great feeling buying clothes that don't compromise on Style, but enable the people who make them to live dignified lives, or keep our precious planet healthy, to pass on to future generations.My Dad is Nepalese and lives in his home country of Nepal (I was born in the UK), some of you may have heard of, home to the Himalayan mountains and one of the poorest countries in the world. Gradually things are improving in Nepal as more and more co-operatives are set up which ensure men and woman receive a fair days pay for making their beautiful handmade garments.Giving us all somthing to smile about.

I just had share some of these beautiful bags from ethical clothing company Hug, I think their silver wrapper bag is pure genuis (made from crisp packets) and metalics are set to stay. Next up is this sweet organic cotton dot bag, I love its mosaic like quality, followed by this stunning Peacock purse in shimmering turquoise which, would you believe it is under £6.00! I have a feeling Koralee might quite like this!Their felt Emily bag is so clever, it combines the structure of a leather bag with the softness of felt, it comes in chocolate also. Moving onto Autumn /Winter wear, hopefully by now, there is not a sniff of a candy/chocolate bar in sight, as you are feverishly fixated on my hot and healthy Style picks. Just think the extra pounds/dollars spent on chocolate/candy could mean that you could start to build up some juicy ethical buys.Ok starting with sweaters we have a hand knitted designer led, ink black tank and sweater with pretty embroidered detailing on the front of the tank and as a necklace feature on the sweater, made in Nepal, all by People Tree. Next I have a whole host of lip smacking lovelies for you, how about this hand woven dogtooth dress with contempory silk paneling on the shoulder or this handwoven rich magenta and orange totem dress ( one of my personal favourites). I was inspired by People Trees flamboyant beautifully made Kimono Style pieces, both the Kimono top and dress are made from organic cotton.The Kimono dress showcases, sections of striking red, black and white striped paneling and could be worn for either day or evening with the right accessories and the blouse is feminine but strong and as you can see works really well with black.  Im sure this will delight you gals who love black, Angela Henrie springs to mind! My finale pick is this stunning reycycled teardrop sari dress, in red black and grey.If all else fails and you simply couldn't resist the chocolate/candy, why not go for a Divine chocolate/Candy bar its fairtrade! Visit People Tree at http://www.peopletree.co.uk/ or Hug at http://www.hug.co.uk/

Just wanted to say a big thank-you to all of you who take the the time to read my Style posts and for following me, I really appreciate it and I enjoy reading all your comments, you are one Stylish bunch!  Sx   

My Passport To Style- Guest Interview With Ruby Rouge

Hi and Welcome to all my Fabulous Followers, for those of you who have not yet been exposed to the charms of Sarah Bratley from Ruby Rouge you are in for a huge sweet sticky ice-cream sundae, everything on it, all the toppings you could ever wish for treat!! Her jewellery, takes inspiration from mythical and fairy tale sources such as Alice in Wonderland and Pirates and has a vintage feel. She revels in  making jewellery that truly reflects the imagination and wonder of children (with the use of colourful buttons and fantasy images), whilst providing us jewellery starved ladies with a healthy dose of escapism! The quality of her pieces are superb. Hooray for Sarah for giving us an opportunity to be playful with our Style! I hope you enjoy my interview with her as much as I did. Sx

Q1.How did you become a jewellery designer?

A-This is a bit of a long story! Ready? I finished University last September after completing an MA in American Literature and Culture. At the time I thought I’d fall into editing or journalism but the recession had just hit and there were no jobs - ANYWHERE! I started volunteering at a couple of museums – I love history - to try and get a bit of experience and see if I liked the world of Curating. I soon realised that it wasn’t really quenching my creative thirst. One day after I’d finished volunteering I was walking through town and walked past a bead shop. I walked in and got a few bits to make some jewellery with. I’ve always had a need to make things, but had never really properly tried making jewellery before. I’d strung beads on a string, but I had never really progressed any further than that. I started making necklaces as soon as I got home and was really pleased with the results. I gave them to my best friends who seemed equally happy with them and it suddenly dawned on me that jewellery designing was what I should be doing. By November I had started buying supplies and making pieces I wanted to wear but could never find in shops. Then I set up an etsy shop and went to as many craft fairs as possible and Ruby Rouge Jewellery was born. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be a self-employed jewellery designer I wouldn’t have believed them, but I am so glad I am! The recession has actually benefited me in a positive way and allowed me to do something I love.

Q2.How would you describe your collection?
A-My collection is really varied and there’s not really one word that can be used to sum it up as a whole. My pieces range from the romantic and elegant to the cute and kitsch. Some are whimsical, some contain elements of fantasy or nostalgia, some are more modern and others are vintage in style. It’s such a mix, there’s definitely something for everyone!
 
Q3 Who or what do you draw your inspiration from?
A-I’m inspired by Alice in Wonderland, afternoon tea, the past, France, pirates, literature, children’s stories, all things nautical, nature and fantasy. One of the most amazing sources of inspiration for me was Sophia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette. The pastel colour palate she used was stunning and I fell in love with the romance and extravagance of everything. I often try to make my jewellery reflect the aesthetics of Marie Antoinette and when it does it makes me smile.

4.How does the designing process usually start for you?
I find this a really hard question to answer because it happens in so many different ways. Sometimes I’ll be thinking about jewellery designs and something will come to me and I’ll make it. Other times I’ll start with one thing I know I’d like to use and add components until I feel it works as a piece.







 
   
  




 








 







 

 



















 














    

Sew Stylish- Interview with Daisie Davies Designs

Hi everyone, Im soooo excited today to be interviewing Alex from Daisie Davies Designs, I love her really original, Stylish and practical pieces for mum and daughter. I hope you enjoy finding out more about the woman behind the talent. Please pay her a visit.My favourites are her gorgeous aprons, I love the cheese grater apron in pink, which is actually for younger girls and the unusual printed yummy mummy apron is so funky. The princess T is so melt in the mouth, she does another in this range featuring a girl on a swing with the wind blowing in her hair! Sharon x

Visit Alex at Daisie Davies Designs

Interview with Alex from Daisie Davies designs

Q1 -What inspired you to start making your unique designs?

A-Alex- I just really like to create, I sew, I make cards and other paper goods and I knit. I have always made cards and gifts for friends and family but recently have been making more and more. I am a stay at home Mummy who likes to make things and my poor hubby demanded that I sell some stuff as with three (soon to be four) children we are running out of space in our house!!



Q2.Is there any one or who inspires you to make the pieces you do?

A- Alex- Usually I am inspired by the materials I can find to work with. Like the princess t-shirts came about because of a small piece of damaged fabric. I really liked the images but the piece wasn't really big enough to make anything with so I chopped it up and hey presto; funky girl's t-shirts!



Q3.Whats been your most rewarding project?

A-Alex- I like to make things for my own children and friend's children as then you can really see how much they are loved. I have made a felt dinosaur for my son's second birthday that has already been loved to death (almost), I have knitted a pink horse for one of my daughters who was desperate for something pink and fluffy and made a custom fit shoulder bag for my elder daughter who is turning into a 'big girl'. I find it all rewarding and a pleasure to do and that's what keeps me creating!



Q4.What gives you the most satisfaction about creating individual designs?

A-Alex- I always hated it when we arrived at a party to find another little girl wearing the same outfit as my own. I think individuality is very important even from a young age. I know that when my children wear something I have made for them there is no other child anywhere wearing the same!



Q5.Proudest moment?

A-Alex-Most of the proudest moments I remember are to do with my children and family life but talking about making and selling the best memory I have is of a lovely lady who came to my stall at a fair several times to admire and try on the same bag. After a few visits she bought the bag. It really suited her. She then came back in and out and every time she passed me she did a quick twirl in her bag and smiled the biggest smile!





Q6.Any hot tip for aspiring crafters or dressmakers?



A-Alex-I think you have to make what makes you happy. Things that inspire you are easier than things that you think you should make.



Q7-How would you describe your attitude to sewing?

.A-Alex- I am very slap-dash, I have probably only followed a dress or knitting pattern a few times, I like to make things my own, and I don't like being told what to do ;-) None of my items are ever the same even though they may be similar, all my bags and clothes turn out differently because I like to chop and sew!



Q8-Funniest time?

A- Alex-Not related to sewing at all! My husband and I had been laying speaker cable under the floor with the help of our daughters, we taped the cable to a metal measuring tape to pass it under the floor more easily. When we had finished my husband asked our younger daughter to cut the tape from the end. She just cut the end two inches from the tape measure which then whirred round and round inside the case much to her shock. I think we would have been cross had it not been so very funny! You can read my blog post about it here http://daisiedavies.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-we-laughed.html



Q9-Favourite blogs?

.A-Alex- I really love Jennyflowerblue; http://jennyflowerblue.blogspot.com// we have lots in common and I always feel we are on the same wavelength!!

I am good 'real life' friends with Swirly; .chttp://swirlyarts.blogspotom/ who shares my passion for recycling.

Jackie is an amazing lady who make the most wonderful creations with felt and velvet; http://dogdaisychains.blogspot.com/

And Emma is a good read and inspiration too; http://emma-bagladee.blogspot.com/

I read many blogs but if I listed everyone we'd be here all day!!



Q10.Whats your current best selling item?

A- Bags! I sell most of them at fairs though, I think people like to try on and feel fabrics and see the fit for themselves. Oh and buttons! I have a huge stash of french reclaimed buttons that are great for all kinds of crafting projects (and stroking) that I sell in 100g grab bags.



Q11-Favourite food

A-. Marmite soldiers!