We are excited to announce that we now have a new tea and coffee supplier !

The special blend fine teas include Black Teas from China, a range of Earl Greys, herbal infusions, green teas from Japan, flavoured teas and of course tea from India.
We can't wait to try Stormy Weather Tea - a blend of rose-hip peel, aniseed, apple, fennel, blackberry leaves and more!

The coffees are in whole bean form  for optimum freshness and are sourced from Africa, the Caribbean and Central America. There are also some flavoured coffees such as Gingerbread and Chocolate Orange -perfect as gifts.

Gift packs are available but as each tea and coffee is beautifully packaged you will be spoilt for choice!

There are sample jars in the Dezigne Shop for you to try these fantastic aromas.

Whilst still thinking about prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses etc. I came across this Etsy shop called Atelier Signature -based in Chicago.

I just love the 'mismatched bridesmaid dresses ' - they are really pretty and a great idea -either all the same style but in different shades or different styles but in the same colour. You can be really creative with your colour choices and each dress can reflect the bridesmaid's personality.

There are many Etsy shops selling customised bridal and bridesmaid dresses so its a  great place to find just what you are looking for as there are so many styles and shades available.

Has Spring finally arrived ? It certainly feels like it here in Hockley today. It's also the time of year when thoughts turn to special occasions such as weddings and proms.

In the last 10 years the American style prom has become increasingly popular in the UK.
The humble school disco is almost a thing of the past, with an estimated 85% of UK secondary schools now holding a prom during June or July, the majority for 15- and 16-year-olds after their GCSEs.
Of course it is still a big part of the year for University students as they attend end of year Summer balls.

And a large part of this is finding the perfect dress for the occasion!

At Dezigne we now stock a collection of gorgeous prom dresses and evening gowns by a fantastic Nottingham Designer. Many are hand-beaded,the styles are short and cute, body hugging and classic. The designs are exclusive and the dresses made to order - there is a wide colour range and designs can be altered to a customer's particular requirements.
We can arrange private appointments at the shop where customers can try our selection of dresses on in a relaxed atmosphere.

We are also loving this short party dress - it has a lovely embroidered detail on the bodice and a fun and flirty flared chiffon skirt. This is also available in different colours/shades.The prom season is nearly here so why not drop in and have a look at what's in store? 

Sauce and Brown Shirts - One of One Hundred

Sauce & Brown are a menswear company based in Nottinghamshire, UK.
They have created a limited edition range of men's shirts and T shirts - the clever bit is that they only produce 100 of each design - once they are out of stock that is it.
The great thing is each new design is better than the last !
The shirts are 100% cotton and the T shirts are a blend of cotton and bamboo jersey -very soft and great quality.

The long sleeved shirt designs range from classic to the more quirky design. Suitable for both work and leisure time - but always looking sharp.

Dezigne stocks both the T shirts and shirts plus other Sauce & Brown accessories such as tie pins, pocket squares and  journals.

Smith The Wooden Lamp - Steampunk Inspired

British designers and makers are right now hard at work in their studios and workshops :
Restoring, refurbishing, recycling and re-inventing.

Just a reminder of some great British inventors:

The Light Bulb  -Joseph Swan
The Catseye - Percy Shaw
The Telephone - Alexander Graham Bell
The Television - John Logie Baird
The (Safety) Bicycle (introduction of the chain drive) - John Kemp Starley
Cement - Joseph Aspdin
The Spinning Frame - Richard Arkwright
The Electric Motor - Richard Faraday
Photography - William Henry Fox Talbot
The World Wide Web - Tim Berners-Lee

Dezigne have a brilliant new product in store exclusively in Nottingham, created by a product design student from Nottingham Trent University.

Smith The Wooden Lamp - A Steampunk inspired lamp made from wooden components, cogs and wheels that connect together and allow the lamp angles to be adjusted. The lamp can be purchased in kit form with assembly guide or purchased ready-assembled - 


"SMITH The Wooden Lamp  is designed for model lovers. It is a fusion of art, toy model and lighting. It aims to stand out from the majority of minimalist lighting design. It also aims  to catch attention and encourage people to touch and play with  it"

Steampunk is an inspired movement of creativity and imagination. With a backdrop of either Victorian England or America’s Wild West at hand, modern technologies are re-imagined and realized as elaborate works of art, fashion, and mechanics. If Jules Verne or H.G. Wells were writing their science fiction today, it would be considered “steampunk.” With the Victorian British Empire or American Wild West as the backdrop, steampunk projects are a challenge of making something elegant out of random objects.

Its modern technology -powered by steam!

2014 was our first full year of trading in the shop - and it was hard going ! However it was a busy December and Christmas in the Dezigne Shop which left us feeling greatly encouraged. We stocked some fantastic new suppliers such as menswear from Sauce and Brown  and  Snail and Rabbit who supply special blend teas. Consistently popular were Relick Designs (upcyled and recycled) and DaisyCat Designs (handmade greetings cards).

Now we are taking a bit of a break in Athens before getting back to some hard work in
 2015 !

Athens is great for inspiration as many things such as clothing, bags and jewellery are hand-made locally in small workshops and factories. Jewellery designs are eclectic and imaginative. In the city centre there are many shops selling fabrics, beads, haberdashery, yarns, etc - the choice is amazing -we just wish we had the same back in the UK.

We have been observing how shops display their goods - the Greeks are really good at this and even in a tiny shop they can create a fantastic look using all available space without it looking cramped.

All neighbourhoods have wonderful bakeries and patisseries as the norm with fresh baked breads, amazing cakes, pastries, pies, and sweets - again mostly made on the premises. In the UK these would be classed as 'Artisan Bakeries' but here they are just what is expected. They all stay open late in the evening as the Greeks like to buy gifts to take with them when visiting friends and relatives.

Winter in Athens can be cold and wet but at the moment we are enjoying mild, sunny days which are perfect for sight-seeing, walking along the seafront or just meandering around local shopping areas. The Greeks love their coffee and there are plenty of cafes to choose from. You will be served at your table so no waiting in noisy coffee shop queues.
We went into the city centre last Saturday and the restaurants and tavernas were packed with people enjoying lunch al fresco. Greek food is wonderful and much underrated - especially if you go to one of the less touristy places.

We have many ideas for 2015 and will be introducing some new suppliers to the shop but we still want to achieve a good mix of clothing, accessories, jewellery, lighting and gifts.
We can't bring Athens to Nottingham but we can certainly give the shop a more European look and feel.



You can enjoy staying at our self- catering flat in Athens via Dezigne Holidays - its is within 10 minutes walk of the beach, bus and trams around the city. It can sleep up to 6 people and there is a shaded outside terrace area.

There are supermarkets, shops and cafes close by. You can find out more, availability and how to book securely via Air BnB.