where I live:
I’m sometimes asked as a British designer “why do you live in Bath not London?”
Bath is the sort of place you visit, fall in love with, and think “one day, when I can escape the rat race, I’ll live in a place like this”. My philosophy was, “why wait? life’s too short and Bath’s too beautiful!”
Bath is only an hour and a half away from London, and I have successfully managed to freelance and consult for both London and New York companies from here. It’s a wonderful place to live and work, and well worth a visit if you’ve never been before.
my design background:
My love for design and all things made with passion began early on.
With my father in the Diplomatic Service, my brothers and I had a fantastic childhood living all over the world, and I was inspired by the cultures and identities of those places. North Africa, Eastern Europe, Iraq, Brazil and Panama were some of his postings.
But Brazil in particular was special. The country and the people are blessed with bounteous personality, creativity and joie de vie, often making things from the most unlikely resources.
It fuelled my love for design that comes from the heart.
In 1989, following a degree in fashion and marketing at Newcastle Poly (now University of Northumbria) and a 6 month student placement in Mulberry’s ready-to-wear department, Roger Saul (the founder, who now runs a thriving organic farm) said, “how do you fancy designing all the bags?” And that’s how I started!
Following 9 years at Mulberry I went to work for Coach in New York. That was a great experience…I loved New York and made some wonderful friends but home was pulling my heart strings.
I then went on to work as a design consultant, freelancing for Tocca in New York and Asprey and Tanner Krolle in London.
where I’m going:
Taking some time out after the birth of our daughter, I realised just what an exciting and potential place the web world is. I went from someone who never bought anything by mail order into an Internet shopping guru. With a small babe in arms, to have virtually all of our shopping delivered to the door was a god-send.
And any free time I had I wanted to spend with family and friends, and indulge my new passion, gardening our organic allotment!
I saw some brands starting to sell luxury goods online very successfully to time-hungry people. And to those wanting simply to find something different.
I also realised the amount of useful and interesting information that it can provide and how good online service can surpass the usual run-of-the-mill retail experience.
So when I decided to start my own company, the Internet seemed to me the most natural and exciting way to go.
After a year designing both the company, the website and our first range, I’m eager to get cracking on the next collection of leather goods, which is, fundamentally, what it’s all about.
I hope you will join me to enjoy the journey!
(If you would like to be kept updated with the launch of our collections, please add your email details to our RSVP page.)
4 Comments
Dear Judy
WOW!
a friend told me about BOWN some time ago and I have just had a look through your web site, all I really wanted to say was how great it all looks…… I shall be adding it to my partners Christmas list of things I really would like!
Good luck.
Rachael
Dear Judy,
I am only an amateur leather worker, but I have done two courses with Valerie (wonderful person, so generous with her vast knowledge). But as I was dyeing, beveling and burnishing an edge, I wanted to ask, what exactly do you mean by an inked edge ?
Many Thanks
Richard Chandler
Hi Richard, yes those courses (and Valerie) are great.
“Inking” is used by manufacturers to build up a finished edge in a solid colour to contrast with or give a smooth and rounded definition to the edge. It is applied a bit like several layers of paint, and the heated tool seals it to give a glossy finish. This can be applied to all types of leather, whereas the method we learned with Valerie works best with veg-tanned and firmer leathers. If you look at the finishes at Hermes, Louis Vuitton etc you will see what I mean by the inking process. I have yet to find anyone who uses Valerie’s method in the industry, which is a shame as it is beautiful, and so simple.
I hope this helps… and maybe meet you one day on another course in Tetbury!
Judy
Dear Judy,
We met on the leather course – (the hand knitted bags!!) – well from time to time I look in on you to see how things are going and I was thrilled to see how well the ‘clutch’ is going especially as you were working on the sample (in yellow) when I sat next to you in the workshop. I am so pleased to see how you are going from strength to strength you deserve the recognition. Congratulations.
My life has taken a completely different direction for the time being – long story but the outcome is we have decided to home educate Samuel (5 years old )at least for the next two years. I am sure when I get to see them in ’store’ I will be even more excited than seeing the bags in print!
All the best
Judith
Dear Judy,
As a young designer I’m keen on getting in touch with designers out there that run there own blogs. This is due to how I’m in the process of having a debate on blogs themselves – are they good or bad?
Hopefully you would be able to spare a couple of minutes of your busy schedule to answer a few questions about blogs and your opinion on them, I will be most grateful for this.
1. Would you recommend that students produced a blog? If so why?
2. A lot of students aren’t safe with putting there designs up on blogs due to the idea getting stolen. What would your opinion be on this?
3. People see blogs as a way to publicize themselves and there work, but a lot of blogs don’t get a lot of hits, so what would the purpose of a blog be?
4. Finally what is one positive and one negative about having a blog?
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