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
