5 August, 2013

Ever wondered how Smythson business cards are made…?

Smythson-Factory main

I took a trip to the Smythson workshops to find out how their famous business cards are made

Shock confession: in six years of freelancing I haven’t had a business card. The shame! I’ve somehow survived on the dual methods of LinkedIn requests and pitiful scraps of Moleskine paper but that only gets you so far. Much better, I decided, to step things up and investigate the process of designing and printing bespoke business cards. Not just any business cards you understand, but the ultimate in luxury and elegance – Smythson’s copperplate printed cards. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 4 Comments Brands, Design, Video bespoke, brands, craft, design, factory visit, heritage, how it's made, long read, luxury, Smythson, stationery

23 May, 2013

Live crafting: Hermes Festival Des Metiers exhibition

Hermes-Festival-Des-Metiers-London MAIN

What’s all this talk about craft fatigue? What a load of nonsense, I’ve only just got started! Some might say that the thrill of seeing the skills at the heart of the world’s most luxurious handbags, scarves and watches is starting to tire but I hope that’s not the case. I love getting the inside secrets to age-old processes and that’s exactly what you’ll get when you visit the Hermes Festival Des Metiers exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 2 Comments Brands, Design, Events, Trends accessories, craft, exhibitions, Hermes, The Saatchi Gallery, trends

16 May, 2013

Workshop visit: The Hermes silk scarf workshops in Lyon

Hermes-Festival-Des-Metiers

“It takes two years to make and two minutes to buy!” So says Kamel Hamadou, the affable communications manager of Hermès silk, hosting a rare tour of the company’s silk printing facilities in Lyon. Two weeks ago I was invited on a whirlwind trip to learn the many meticulous stages of making one of those familiar silk ‘carrés’ of which I’m the proud owner of a few, neatly folded and stored in their equally familiar flat orange boxes.

My most astonishing discovery? The utter complexity of printing involved in a silk scarf of many colours. The average scarf has around 30 colours, of which each shade has its own precise mixing process. The printing itself has to be seen to be believed, but next week, you’ll have the chance to see it all when Hermès’ Festival Des Metiers lands on the London leg of its world tour. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 6 Comments Brands, Design, Events, Technology accessories, behind the scenes, craft, exhibitions, factory visit, heritage, Hermes, how it's made, long read, luxury, scarves

12 May, 2013

Guest post: The craft of watch-making and experiential retail from Jaeger–LeCoultre at Harrods

JLC AT HARRODS

There’s something charming, and humbling about a one-to-one session with a true craftsman, not least when it comes to haute horlogerie with one of my favourite watch brands: Jaeger-LeCoultre. I’m a big fan of the Reverso watch from the Swiss luxury watch-maker (have you seen its latest collab with Valextra? Oh my!), that just happens to be celebrating its 180th anniversary with a dedicated exhibition space at Harrods. (more…)