Dan and I were in Milan, by the way, for the Leather Fair, Anteprima, to see what was new for AW08 and to introduce Dan to some of the tanners I use. He asked, how, out of so many tanneries, do I choose which leathers are the best?
Here’s how I tried to explain the [...]
I’m delighted to announce that my brother, Dan, has recently joined me as Managing Director of Bown. (Here he is in Milan a few weeks ago, enjoying a piccolo and getting to know the business.)
Dan joins me after an illustrious career as Global Operations Director for DHL Express, a Sloane graduate of London Business School, [...]
Eating out in Bath is a bit of a mixed bag.
I have always found it difficult to recommend a restaurant here that isn’t overly expensive, grand, or just a bit, well, provincially stuffy. (I know, I probably don’t get out enough, so I am delighted to let you in on this little secret.)
The Bathwick Boatman [...]
Me hand-stitching with two needles, linen thread and veg-tanned leather…
… and not forgetting G, helping me out here with a men’s attache design…
I’ve just had another ‘fix’ at Val and Neil’s leather workshops up the road in Tetbury.
I’ve been working on some bag designs to go into my SS08 collection and, with the factory so [...]
I have to confess, although there are many moments when one needs a bag, if I can get away without one I feel kind of ‘liberated’. Maybe it’s a reaction to designing many of them for many years. It just makes me feel ‘lighter’ and, dare I say, a bit naughty?
Now, I know many [...]
Here’s a picture of a Norwegian jumper my dad bought for skiing in 1950-something.
Back in the 80’s, I whimsically added it to my ‘young fogey’ student wardrobe.
Now I’m getting closer towards becoming a genuine fogey, and into gardening, would you believe. So the jumper has recently been ‘retired’ into my ‘weekend-on-the-allotment’ collection.
Over time it’s become [...]
If you have noted the recent furore over Sainsburys “I’m Not A Plastic Bag [but not a particularly ethical bag either]” designer bag, then you might want to shimmy along to Sally Walton’s website instead. Made near Brighton from locally-sourced recycled and vintage cottons, these really are both ethical, low-mile, made by grown-ups, and genuinely [...]
The little-known Building of Bath Museum is my favourite place to take visitors who want to know more about the city but don’t want to spend too much beer time doing it.
Even though it has a city-centre location, few have heard of it and fewer-still find it.
Which is a pity.
So if you’re heading this way [...]
Years ago, when I was the designer at Mulberry, I remember showing some important customers around the factory in Somerset. One of them was fascinated by the fact that the leather wasn’t supplied on an endless roll, like fabric would be. Of course, she quickly realised the impossibility of this but, with the fashion industry [...]
I can’t quite believe it has been a couple of months since I last posted an entry into the Diary. Brought to my attention by an increasing number of queries as to where I’ve got to, and one yesterday that wondered if I was still in business!
Crikey. YES! YES! YES! I’ve just been so, well, [...]
