As a mad spell of summery weather hit London this week, I could not help to share the enthusiasm of the crowds heading down to East London’s large offering of street markets – there was nothing that could have kept me indoors this afternoon, anyway.
I needed a destination to push myself to pedal for a few miles, so I decided to head to London Fields. A new boutique market is now open alongside the regular Broadway Market, and I wanted to check it out. It’s Designers/Makers – and as the name suggests, it is a small gathering of stalls full of quality handmade pieces, from fashion through to stationery.
I heard about it from Francesca Warren, one of the designers who’s next going to come on board my Up-Wardrobe project, with her label Unbutton Fashion.
She masters the art of upcycling clothes with a quirkiness that really fits my taste, and I was eager to see some of her pieces. I tried to take some nice pictures of her stall, but the sunlight was so strong I couldn’t really shoot very nice images…
Unbutton Fashion at Designers/Makers Market
Walking around, I spotted two accessories designers I had noticed at the ‘Ethical Fashion in the Age of Austerity’ event organised by The Papered Parlour at the V&A Museum of Childhood about a month ago.
One is A Alicia – eco-ethical accessories, handmade in London using organic fairtrade textiles and vintage elements. Her plaited cotton necklaces, or the ones made of upcycled kimono fabrics and hand-crafted ceramic beads, are high on my wishlist.
A Alicia Accessories at Designers/Makers Market
The other one is the Japanese creative behind Miwary – an indie label crammed full of girly nostalgia in the form of cute handmade accessories, with a ‘found in Grandma’s attic’ vibe. She has an eclectic mix on her stall, but my favourite are the shirt-collar-shaped neckpieces she produces out of vintage or upcycled fabrics.
Miwary at Designers/Makers Market
I also really enjoyed the earthiness of the colours on Emily Bucknell‘s stall. From her lavender shachets to her lampshades, everything has been created with hand-printed textiles, with shapes which originate from her personal drawings inspired by intricate patterns in nature.
Emily Bucknell at Designers/Makers Market
Tags: A Alicia Accessories, Broadway Market, designers makers, Emily Bucknell, ethical fashion, francesca warren, lavender sachets, london fields, market, Miwary, Museum of Childhood, the papered parlour, unbutton fashion, upcycled fashion, upcycling, VandA, vintage fabrics
