Happy Birthday Workshop 4 years. We can’t even believe it. We didn’t think we would pass 2 years. What a lovely story I learnt yesterd...
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Our mission at Dezigne is to create thoughtfully designed interiors and outdoor spaces that inspire and elevate everyday living. By blending creativity, sustainability, and craftsmanship, we offer bespoke solutions and curated products that reflect our passion for design while supporting independent makers and embracing eco-friendly practices.
Just back from getting some much need inspiration and coffee in London at the Design Junction 2013 ! It's better than last year with some gorgeous textiles, furniture, glassware, ceramics, etc.
We also had time for a visit to the Pitfield Shop and Cafe in Shoreditch for a much needed coffee. Discovering wonderful independent shops and cafes was just as interesting as visiting the design shows. Fantastic!
We recently went to Athens for a few weeks to do some more improvements to our flat in the suburb of Faliro as we have started to rent it out for short term rentals. This is great way to have an affordable stay in this wonderful ancient (and modern city) and at the same time get a flavour of life as lived by Athenians. Apart from the usual attractions Athens has fantastic cafe's , bakeries and street markets. The local town beaches aren't bad either and there are many beach bars and beach clubs along the coastline from Faliro down to Vougliameni. Faliro itself is well placed for visiting the City Centre, the main port of Piraeus where the ferries take travellers to the islands, the local beaches and marina.
Dia Noche Bar at Faliro Marina where you can have a meal, a cocktail or simply a refreshing Freddocino.
The Marina at Faliro which is packed with luxurious yachts ! This is just 10 or 15 minutes walk from the apartment.
One of the local free beaches. There are charges for sunbeds and umbrellas though.
Palet - a nearby cake shop which sells fresh pastries, cakes, sweets and homemade ice cream. There are bakeries and patisseries in all of Athens suburbs selling goodies -usually all baked in house.
A lovely taverna -right on the beach at Faliro.
One of the many cafe's in Athens City Centre where you can cool off and take a break from all that sight seeing ! You MUST visit the Acropolis Museum.
The apartment's terrace which has a shaded area where you can eat your meals or just enjoy a drink. (Do use mosquito repellant in the summer though!)
The apartment's kitchen which is spacious and has plenty of storage space.
The lovely free beach at Vougliameni where the water is super-clear. Great for snorkelling. There is a charge for parking and sunbeds though.
The beach cafe where you can enjoy a cool drink, snack or meal.
Its feeling a bit Autumnal so we thought we would add some more 'seasonal' items to the Dezigne shop starting with this luxurious purple velvet purse by Gorgeous Little Bag.
Perfect as an evening bag or to go with that special party outfit. Check it out on the Online shop together with loads of other lovely stuff!
I have just completed another bead embroidered cuff bracelet indelicate metallic shades of green, pewter and gold featuring Swarovski and glass crystals. It catches the light as you move so has sparkle without being too bling. I hope you like it! It is inspired by the fabulous designs ofAndrea Gutierrez
For the summer and holiday season Dezigne has some gorgeous little bags perfect for weddings, parties and holidays. Here are just a few.....
These lovely clutch bags are all individually designed and are large enough to hold all your essentials such as mobile, make up, keys, sunglasses etc. but also neat enough to hold or tuck under your arm.
I am now slightly addicted to making bead embroidered cuff bracelets and now have two more available on the Dezigne online shop.
Abstract design hand embroidered in black, gold, silver, copper and diamante
Hand embroidered cuff in gold, bronze and pewter with swirl design.
Both bracelets have a suede lining and an elastic piece instead of a clasp so that they will fit almost any size wrist. They are comfortable to wear and strong, although I wouldn't recommend getting them wet!
Just finished my second beaded bracelet - freshwater pearls, abalone nuggets and metallic seed beads -all in very organic arrangment. All beads are hand sewn. The cuff is lined with suede and there is a strong black elastic piece which allows for a comfortable fitting around the wrist.
I have been working on some beaded cuff bracelets - inspired some fantastic designers such as Sherry Serafini, Bea Valdez and Guzel Bakeeva - their work is amazing! I love using metallic beads and freshwater pearls as these give a lovely sheen and texture.
I still have lots of practicing to do but it's very addictive work so I'll keep going with it.
Spring has finally sprung and as the Wedding Season is in full swing Dezigne has introduced a new selection of bridal and wedding jewellery from Alix H Designs.
The jewellery range features classic pearl necklaces as well as cuff bracelets and bib style necklaces in ivory and blush shades.
All items are handmade using a mixture of fabrics, beads, ribbon, shells and charms.
Even though it still feels like it's winter Wollaton Hall in Nottingham will be hosting a four day Easter Craft Fair -starting on Friday 29th March and running through to Easter Monday. Dezigne will be there -selling a great selection of jewellery, bags. accessories, handmade organic soaps and loads of other goodies. Of course Wollaton Hall was featured in the 2012 Batman film - Dark Knight Rises featuring Christian Bale. Although Wollaton Hall will have been more popular lately for tobogganing and sledging with all the snow we've had! Anyway -hope to see you there -let's hope there's a bit of Spring in the air by then.
It's a been a busy few months since closing the Dezigne Pop Up Shop in January. Accounts and Tax Returns to catch up on, a few craft fairs and at last making new things to go on the Dezigne Online shop! A lot of the stock was sold in the Pop Up Shop so now it's time to build it up again. Here's just a few new items for Spring/Summer. Jewellery, purses and bags in summery floral colours. Even though it's still cold outside why not start thinking about your accessories now?
It all started just over 10 years ago when I joined the Creative Collaboration at Broadway in Nottingham but that is another story to tell so lets skip a few years and come to April 2010 when The Workshop - Nottingham (www.thenottinghamworkshop.com) was born. Set up as a non-profit organisation the basic idea is to use the space as launch pad of creative makers and designers using technology to the max and make things happen. We did some exhibitions with the most successful being "The public are not invited" by Artist and Curator Paul Matosic.
We also did 3 design craft fairs. From the start there was a primitive online shop integrated within The Workshop offering for sale `made at the workshop' items. In December 2011 we did the most succesfull and largest Design craft fair where we launched the new concept of the DEZIGNE department store for makers and creatives. We set aside a small area in The Workshop as an `underground' shop and launched the online store at that craft fair.
The DEZIGNE department store was born!! Oh and also the underground Friday afternoon coffee shop.
In April 2012 Dezigne launched a massive campaign to get funded and promote local designers to go to the Florence Design show in Italy. The application was accepted by the show but unfortunately we did not manage to raise the finances to get there. At least we were left with a beautiful promo video made by Ioney Smallhorne from Is Creative Media (Resident at The Workshop) iscreativemedia.com
Now where do we go next .... we thought ..... struggling to sell online and at craft fairs ..... Hmmmm lets do a Pop Up Department store in Nottingham. Easier said than done ...... No money, no funding, no capital and most important no property.......
Ok lets get inspired so off to London - Clerkenwell and then London Design week ..... all the while thinking and liking and searching and spending 6 months looking and asking for a property..... still no money and no work and "seriously we can not afford this it will destroy us" ....thoughts..... but keep going...... then the final ultimate shot. I post 3 letters under the door of 3 properties in Nottingham and I said "That is it I give up over this, forget the whole thing and even think of closing DEZIGNE"..... Two days later (30th October 2021) a reply arrived at The Workshop:
"
Thank you for your email dated 26th October regarding a short term let at the above property.
We have contacted the Landlords regarding your proposals and we are pleased to offer you a short term let until the end of December.
A rent of £1,000 will be required for this period paid in advance, and the premises is to be taken as seen. We also require a copy of your liability insurance and some I.D.
If you wish to proceed please give me a ring and we can arrange access and draft a licence to occupy.
Regards
Andy
"
Now what.....? It is late but not too late ...... Money ? what money? I can't afford to pay the mortgage and lighting projects are all finished now.... the Athens regeneration proposal not shortlisted .... the next 72hrs were a massive brain activity, crunching numbers, calculating risks. Within 24 hours from the email I set up the whole Facebook call for creatives, invited as many people as possible and wrote full on terms and conditions, invented how the structure and format should work and what the commission basis has to be as well as putting together the application form to invite designers/makers. Now we wait ..... 48hrs later and only 4 sellers are on board .... This is suicide mission!
Ok Executive decision after 3 days.... Lets borrow £1000 from the workshop rent and lets do it.... I calculated all the risk and there was no clear answer..... just focus and work hard, take a chance and do it was the answer.
We paid the rent, signed the contract and got the keys on the 6th of November 2012...... OMG we are here.
7th, 8th and 9th cleaning, hoovering, painting... omg the dust, omg .... unbelievable amount of dust....I am glad no one else was here they would hated us for the rest of their lives..... The plan was to open on the 10th of Nov 2012.... No way ..... Ok the 10th we move thing in the shop.... go go go ....
Massive logistics and transportation 2 vans, one car...... Callecia Brown, her brother as well as Shawn, Alison, me and Thomas full on moving. On the 11th full on decorating, plastering, painting, cementing, removing old seating ...... Sarah Lidster and Rhea Clements are on board helping and scraping the floor....
Later in the afternoon.....executive decision "That is it stop now ...... We have to set the shop "..... By late night on the 11th we set up the front of the shop ..... Monday the 12th of November We are open .....!!!!
OMG we don't have enough designers and stock........ Decorating work is continuous and I am installing lighting and a sound system, setting up a stage and preparing the pop up coffee shop ..... work continuous for another 10 days.
Stock and beautiful designs start arriving, people passing by, people we have never met just come into the shop asking to sell their makes and designs. This is amazing! Fantastic designs and applications still coming in via email and Facebook.
One day Fiona Allardyce walks in .... She says I was having a very drunken conversation in a pub ` I can't remember but a person that knows you said to come here'..... I think "Hmmm maybe trouble but lets hear what she has to say". "I can come later" she says "and show you my work". We said 7pm and she was not there. We were unbelievably tired and frozen ...... she is not coming... we are leaving at 7:30pm"..... 7:27pm Fiona calls ... 7:42 arrives with her work...... I am so glad that we waited .... amazing multi-talented work, also a singer and turned to be the most valuable person in the project helping on a daily basis - a special Thank you Fiona.
22nd November -The opening ..... OMG we are not ready, still decorating still preparing ...... oh just chill we cant do everything let the wine flow and see what happens..... result, an amazing night with fashion show, loads of laughter and meeting and networking with interesting and diverse people .... and of course sales on the day.
WOW what can i say ..... creativity and talent is huge in many types and format......
We were afraid we would not have many customers but slowly things pick up and sales continue running up to Christmas...... and the very first person to order a coffee .....YEY!!!
Jackie Ward comes on board with her designs and also helps in the shop..... Julia Church also starts helping in the shop floor ..... 3 times we were critically running out of stock but beautiful work and talented people kept coming and somehow we keep stock levels replenished.....
Neil comes in and we discuss Designing music live .... and it happens ...here is a sample http://bit.ly/WSO3GZ..... also preparing a full mix from in-shop music design experimenter and recording.
20th of Dec ...... oh well lets do an Xmas event .... just chilled and relaxed , Neil with Marita and then Fiona sing live ..... very wet outside but a chilled night inside.
Xmas passes and we thought sales would go down but they continues and it seems the pop-up coffee shop is getting more visits despite it being cold in the building.
So many things to says but have a look at our Facebook page for more information and set of events www.facebook.com/dezigneshop.
Oh I almost forgot the Nottingham Evening Post found us - read more here http://bit.ly/X62jwT
6th of January 2013 seems to come quickly ..... last day of trading and it is the end of the DEZIGNE pop-up adventure :(
Work continious ......a few more people to pay and done……. Wow doing accounts and if we are not stung by the business rates DEZIGNE made £16.34 profit….. yey I can reinvest this !!…… well far off the £10K needed.
Although calculating just my time and the different trades I performed I should be paid £11,500 hmmm!!
Though at least 3 people that I know of got inspired to restart their creativity and making because their goods sold well in the shop …. Now how do you measure inspiration in numbers ?…..
The comments from visitors and customers are overwhelming. 50 makers on board and a book full of inspiring comments .....
"This is what Nottingham needs" ...... "You must stay"..... "WOW just WOW"..... are just some of the comments.
We must do something and we will do something. This positive creative energy is hard to be ignored.
So after 3 weeks work and negotiations we might be able to get the same space again and finally the DEZIGNE project was approved for Crowd Funding. If you are inspired we need your help to get to the next level. Please have a look
