New Designers is the UK's most important event for emerging designers from our countries universities and colleges. Its a vital launch pad into the worlds design industries and is the platform for bringing new design and commerce together. This was my first visit to ND and I was blown away at the standard of work on show. Furniture, Textiles, Illustration, Product Design amongst the disciplines to see and I spent hours mulling over the products and meeting the designers. I have tried to bring you, in my opinion some of the most striking and exciting products on show. Cup + Cloth will keep a close eye on the journey of these creators and hopefully stock some of the products shown in the photos below. Keep an eye out for future collaborations. If your down London Town next July 2017, make sure you head to the next show and see first hand our future design talent of the world. www.newdesigners.com
customer shots
We are very grateful for all you lovely folk buying our goods from the Cup + Cloth store, its much appreciated. So we were super chuffed when one of our first customers sent us a pic of their new C + C item in its new home. This set a precedent and more shots came our way, so I will include any shots of our products on the blog as I get them, keep them coming....... Thanks for the love!
laurence brand adds to the list
Laurence Brand and his sublime wooden + brass vessels
Laurence Brand's beautifully handcrafted wooden vessels are now available at Cup + Cloth.
He is a designer + maker based in Lancashire, he strives to create elegant + refined objects for the home, made primarily from fine native hardwoods. Laurence enjoys engaging with the making process as much as possible, often starting with a hand felled tree and finishing with a beautiful polished product. Though its a laborious, time consuming way of working its incredibly satisfying. Usually pairing wood with complementary materials such as brass and leather his products are stunning. His wonderful wooden wares can be found on the MADE section of the store.
copper + solder joins the store
We are very pleased to announce that we have a new designer + maker joining us at Cup + Cloth. Copper + Solder is Katie's creation based in the Midlands. She sources quality materials to ensure the hand made goods are sturdy and fit for purpose. Concrete and copper figure big time, a great combination of colour and texture we reckon. Check her great candle holders out in the MADE section in the store.
degree show - nottingham trent university
So its that time of year, Degree Show time, my favourite thing to do!
I was lucky enough to be in Nottingham to view the culmination of 3 hard years work in various Design studies at NTU, and what a brilliant show it was, such talent and diversity of projects. I would highly recommend you go check it out if you are Nottingham way. In particular the BA Product Design, BA Product + Furniture, BA Decorative Arts and Ba Textiles. www.ntu.ac.uk
The Decorative Arts section of the show, 53 Degrees is a collection of wonderful work from new makers engaging with innovative techniques, traditional craftsmanship and expert precision. Some of the work was so beautiful, truly outstanding and people to watch in the near future.
cup + cloth is born
Our Story
When Habitat finally closed its Manchester doors in 2011 it was a sad day for all the interior obsessed masses. It was one of the cities last remaining interior stores, having previously lost Heals and Skandium in Selfridges years before. The suburbs were well represented with great interior independents putting the city centre to shame. Hence this was the driving force for us to set up our online store Cup + Cloth. Deciding to start a store on line as opposed to a bricks and mortar shop to reach out to a wider audience (pop ups may be a future project). We are very excited about this new venture we're embarking on and hope you like what we bring to you!
I have always shared an affinity with Manchester, starting my design career as a clothes designer in the city, setting up the independent label Britain with a colleague in the 1980's . Enjoying Manchester during one of its greatest fashion and club scenes was amazing and to be involved amongst that entrepreneurial movement was a special time to behold. Unfortunately the Manchester bomb hit in the late 90's which sadly the business never recovered ( that's another story )
However on the rebound I set up another label called Trip Fontaine, it was extremely successful and provided me with a couple of very exciting years making and customising T-shirts and jeans for great independents around the UK and USA, gaining great press coverage whilst selling my clothes to fashion editors and iconic folk of the time. All this whilst I embarked on a degree course studying Printed Textiles at Manchester school of Art www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk . Gaining a career in Textile Design, working in one of the countries last remaining Silk Mills in Macclesfield. Making 'things' has never left me, along with visiting craft events like the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Show www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk in Manchester and Origins in London www.craftcouncil.org.uk , has provided a constant source of inspiration. I was lucky to visit San Francisco last year, a vibrant, cultural mecca, full of small + independent designer + maker stores, established by people doing what they love. On my return I knew I wanted to create something equally inspiring and Cup + Cloth was born.
Our aim is to buy, whenever possible, from Northern independent designers + makers and to support our local creators. Sourcing new talent from the nearby Universities at the degree shows is always our first port of call. The excitement of seeking out new talent and inspirational wares is what Cup + Cloth is about. We have discovered wonderful designer goods from visiting these shows. The rest of the UK will also be explored to seek out new finds, to join the carefully curated selection of home produced goods and are categorised in the Made section of the store.
Designers
Joe Hartley
Amongst our Northern designer + makers, we would like to introduce to you Joe Hartley and his wonderfully pure ceramics produced from his Manchester studio. He graduated from MMU in 2012 and went on to win the prestigious New Designer of the year, his feet have not touched the floor since. When Joe isn’t throwing beautifully turned vessels you will find him with the arts based collective Makers Dozen and project managing the Pilcrow Pub project www.thepilcrowpub.com
Cup + Cloth is honoured to work with such a talented guy, his range of sublime and honest ceramics can be found in our MADE section of the store.