Me, my husband and my son lived in Sweden for a year when my son was little. It had a profound effect on me as a person and as a designer. If everyone lived abroad somewhere for a year and learned another country's language and culture it would really make us more open-minded and curious as people. I was already a big scandiphile before we went and am even more so now. I really enjoyed learning the language, the less frantic way of life with Fika breaks everyday and of course the amazing design (and I'm not just talking about Ikea!) We did a weekend stay across the water in Copenhagen too which I really loved and also had some fantastic quirky design shops. Having a young child I was most influenced by discovering some of the amazing scandi kids fashion brands. Back in the UK I had been struggling to find unique, fun designs that weren't baby blue or covered in trucks or dinosaurs. So, Mini Rodini, Smafolk, Polarn O Pyret and many others were a real joy to find with their bright, fun all over prints often with quirky motifs. But there were also many other wonderful design products ranging from home textiles to ceramics that inspired me to start designing my own prints . Stig Lindberg Stig Lindberg is the most well known of designers in Swedish Ceramics. His simple repeating geometric designs are still in production today and the Berså design in particular is popular worldwide. Amazingly his passion for drawing came about while recovering from having chopped off his thumb! He studied at the University College of Arts, Crafts, and Design in Stockholm and went on to work at the nearby Gustavsberg Porcelain factory from 1937-1980. Astrid Sampe Astrid Sampe's most well known designs were for the Swedish homeware brand Almedahls where her designs are still used today across many items from tea towels to biscuit tins. Often known as Sweden's textile queen she attended Stockholm State College of Craft, Art & Design (Konstfack) and the Royal College of Art, London and went on to work at Nordiska Kompaniet in 1935. This design was based on her friend Signe Person-Melin's spice cabinet. Marianne Nilsson This herring (a typical Scandinavian staple) design was designed by Marianne Nilsson for Almedahls in 1955 and is still a true Swedish classic. This design has influenced many other designers with fish being are seen across many home textile designs even today. She was a close colleague of Astrid Sampe at the NK Textile studio and part of a group that redefined Swedish textile design. Marianne Westman Referred to as Sweden's mother of porcelain Marianne Westman studied at the University Academy of Arts, Crafts and Design and then went to work at Rörstrand where she spent most of her career. Her Mon Amie range is her most well known design and was inspired by a rainy midsummer's day in 1932, while other popular designs which feature on kitchen linen and other homewares include Pomona, picknick and frisco. Lotta Odelius Although Lotta is a contemporary designer you can see the influence of Stig Lindberg in her work for Sagaform. She is one of sagaform's most prolific designers with many ranges to her name. I love her simple designs and retro feel. Would love to hear of any scandi designers that you love or have influenced your work or home décor. Ismay x Sign up to the newsletter to get the best of the blog delivered to your inbox every month References & Resources
https://gustavsbergsporslinsfabrik.se https://almedahlshome.se https://www.nordicnest.com https://www.fjorn.com/lotta-odelius.html https://www.nordendesign.com #surfacepatterndesign #scandidesign #designinspiration Back in March, as Covid-19 forced lockdowns around the world, global Fashion brands scrambled to protect their bottom lines in the wake of massive store closures. One way they did this was to cancel all their orders with manufacturers to prevent being stuck with huge amounts of summer stock they would have little chance of selling and nowhere to store it all.
“An estimated £10 billion of unsold clothing sat in warehouses across the UK with nowhere to go"[i] Most garment manufacturing by big fashion brands is outsourced to developing countries such as Bangladesh. Many orders were cancelled with impersonal emails and some brands stopped communicating altogether according to the BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association) who went on to say that over 72% of buyers refused to pay for raw materials ordered and 91% wouldn't pay for the cut, make and trim costs[ii] (making up of garments) "As of April, more than US$3 billion in orders to around 1,150 factories were in limbo, leaving around 2.8 million workers, mostly women, facing poverty and hunger."[iii] This is now thought to be between 3.2 and 5.8 billion[iv] owed for orders some that were completed and ready to be shipped. Garment workers were doubly affected by coronavirus working in close quarters with no social distancing or proper ventilation. They already live precarious lives with no savings, healthcare or severance pay and housing insecurity. As one factory manager said: "If coronavirus doesn't kill my workers, then starvation will."[v] Many big global names refused to pay, some that we in the UK would recognise such as Walmart (Asda/George), Mothercare, Arcadia Group (Burton, Topshop, Miss Selfridge & Dorothy Perkins) Urban Outfitters. Primark owed the Bangladeshi workers who made their garments £27 million but has recently agreed to pay while Edinburgh Wool Mill, parent brand to Peacocks, Bon Marche and Jaeger, owned by billionaire Philip Day still owes £27 million[vi]. Some brands like Gap are asking for discounts of 20% or more or extending payment terms, which will not helps workers in extreme poverty who live hand to mouth. "It takes a CEO from a big fashion or retail company just four days to earn the same amount a Bangladeshi garment worker will earn over her lifetime."[vii] So, how can you help to put pressure on these big brand baddies? Firstly, you can check the up to date tracker to which brands have yet to pay up: https://www.workersrights.org/issues/covid-19/tracker/ Then you can sign this petition or one of the many others that focus on brands in from specific countries: https://www.change.org/p/unless-urban-outfitters-jcpenney-c-a-payup-millions-of-garment-makers-will-go-hungry Next, you can go to the brand's social media accounts and post the hashtags #payup & #payyourworkers on their posts. This coordinated campaign and public outcry is working as already 21 brands have agreed to pay in full paying back over $22 billion, just over half of the $40 billion that is owed. Lastly, you can donate to the emergency fund to support workers financially set up by the campaigning group Clean Clothes: https://cleanclothes.org/campaigns/covid-19 We owe it to those workers who have been exploited for years to bring us our fast fashion bargains Please help and support in any way you can, it really can make a difference. Ismay x REFERENCES & RESOURCES [i] https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-offers-an-opportunity-to-remake-fashion-industry-ctwkd8v2g [ii] https://www.forbes.com/sites/brookerobertsislam/2020/03/30/the-true-cost-of-brands-not-paying-for-orders-during-the-covid-19-crisis/#7f17d7595ccc [iii] https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-measures-give-bangladeshi-workers-for-global-clothing-chains-a-stark-choice-disease-or-starvation-138549 [iv] https://cleanclothes.org/campaigns/covid-19 [v] https://www.change.org/p/unless-urban-outfitters-jcpenney-c-a-payup-millions-of-garment-makers-will-go-hungry [vi]https://secure.waronwant.org/page/63365/donate/1?en_chan=tw&locale=en-GB&ea.tracking.id=twitter&en_ref=126201553 [vii] https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-measures-give-bangladeshi-workers-for-global-clothing-chains-a-stark-choice-disease-or-starvation-138549 Back in March I did a previous post on making your own facemasks which, although it proved to be very popular, I got attacked about on social media. I think the case for the need for our own masks is very strong now and in many countries like the UK it is mandatory to wear them in many places. There are now hundreds of posts online on how to make your own masks, so I thought I would share my new and improved version with you. Making your own masks is beneficial in many ways as it frees up medical grade masks for those working in hospital and care settings and also because they are washable & reusable thereby reducing waste (especially if you use scrap/recycled fabrics). Many designers and fashion brands are now selling their own versions of face coverings, so why not take their lead and turn it into a true fashion statement! It is advisable to remove them very carefully and wash them with soap and hot water after use making sure you wash your hands afterwards. Using different fabric inside will remind you not to put it on inside out which would not be safe or hygienic. After giving some of the masks I made away to friends and family I ended up donating the rest to a homeless charity. If you have time and extra fabric why not donate yours too? These masks are based on medial surgical masks in their measurements and as they have ties they will fit adults and children alike. I have made these double sided to give extra protection, but also to allow a pocket for you to insert a filter. This could simply be some tissue or kitchen towel that can be discarded after use.
Sign up to the newsletter to get the best of the blog delivered to your inbox every month Further resources
https://www.creativebloq.com/news/how-to-make-a-face-mask https://www.healthline.com/health-news/best-materials-for-covid19-face-masks https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/diy-homemade-mask-protect-virus-coronavirus/ https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-materials-make-diy-masks-virus/ https://www.cnet.com/how-to/will-homemade-face-masks-keep-you-from-getting-sick-with-coronavirus-what-to-know/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52609777 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/which-homemade-masks-are-most-effective#What-visualization-revealed https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/30/health/masks-homemade-design-trnd-wellness-scn/index.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-face-mask-n95-medical-homemade-filter-a9471881.html https://www.businessinsider.com/the-materials-that-filter-particles-best-in-homemade-masks-testing-2020-4?r=US&IR=T https://www.ukft.org/face-coverings-technical-guides/ https://www.fastcompany.com/90480732/this-high-end-apron-company-switched-to-manufacturing-masks-in-24-hours?utm_campaign=eem524%3A524%3As00%3A20200324_fc&utm_medium=Compass&utm_source=newsletter https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/covid19-coronavirus-infection-protection-mask-material #homemadefacemasks #coronavirus #covid19 |
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