Eloise Grey Finalist for RSPCA Good Business Awards 2010

Fri 13 Aug 2010

Fashion designer and Crafted mentee Eloise Grey has been selected as one of only three small fashion businesses by high profile fashion judges such as Wayne Hemmingway for the small company category for best fashion.

Recognising the very best businesses in the UK, the RSPCA Good Business Awards 2010 reward companies for their ethical approach to animal welfare.

For more information, take a look at Eloise's blog and download the press release.

'Ettinger Flowers' - Bridget Bailey comissioned by Ettinger at Walpole Press Day

Tue 10 Aug 2010

Anyone lucky enough to have been invited to pop along to Walpole’s Press Day at Liberty back in July, might well have caught a glimpse of something quite remarkable. Pride of place on the Ettinger stand, sat the beautiful ‘Ettinger Flowers’ – a sculptural leather piece made entirely from Ettinger leather, designed and hand crafted by Crafted mentee Bridget Bailey of Bailey Tomlin, commissioned for the event by Ettinger and Crafted mentor Robert Ettinger.

(Photo credit Gareth Davies)

We're delighted to see this sort of collaboration developing organically through the Crafted programme.  We'll be announcing the second year of Crafted partnerships in the Autumn, drawn from an astounding short-list of candidates - watch this space!

Eloise Grey and carréducker at Goodwood Revival

Fri 13 Aug 2010

Crafted mentees Eloise Grey and carréducker are launching a new tweed shoe collaboration at the Goodwood Revival in September.

For more information, take a look at Eloise's blog and download the press release.

New on crafteduk.org

Wed 02 Jun 2010
Catch up on the Crafted Workshop series!
Adam Glass and Lulu Lytle in conversation on intellectual property law
Robert Ettinger and Glenn Tutssel discuss how best to develop your brand
Dominic McCarthy shares his PR top tips

The latest news from the Crafted makers!
Bridget Bailey's bespoke headpiece, inspired by a brand-new purple-blue iris, was centre of attention at RHS Chelsea Press Day on the award winning The Unexpected Gardener site.

Helen Beard launches her limited edition book of sketches - Observations of Humans - produced by Crafted advisors Foxall Associates.
carréducker collaborates with fellow Crafted maker Eloise Grey on their latest batch of the latest batch of bespoke Winkers.
Natasha Daintry launches her brand new website, developed by Crafted advisors Foxall Associates.

And don't forget to apply to take part in Crafted 2010!
You can download the application documents here.

Calling all craft makers... applications for Crafted 2010 now open

Wed 02 Jun 2010
We are delighted to announce that the applications for Crafted 2010 are now open.

12 Craft entrepreneurs will be selected to take part in the Crafted mentoring project. They will be mentored by one expert from the luxury industry, have access to a range of industry experts with specialist skills through the Crafted Advice Bank and attend a series of six workshops about key business skills such as strategic planning, marketing, IP and brand protection and trade and export. In addition, we provide opportunities to profile and showcase the craft makers; for example a Crafted stand at Decorex.

Applicants will each need to complete an application form to be submitted to Rose Enright (rose.enright@artsandbusiness.org.uk) at Arts & Business by Wednesday 30th June 2010 with a Curriculum Vitae, financial accounts for each year of trading, copies of any media coverage and a minimum of six images of their products across two bodies of work.

We welcome applications from all who meet with the eligibility criteria - please check that you are eligible before applying.

The application form and selection process/eligibility criteria document are available for download from today. Please follow this link to download both documents.

We look forward to receiving your applications!

Crafted makers at Handmade: A British Craft Exhibition - Fortnum & Mason’s

Tue 27 Apr 2010
Crafted makers Helen Beard and Ndidi Ekubia are showing at Handmade: A British Craft Exhibition, at Fortnum & Mason's from 22nd April to 20th June.

The exhibition, showing over 500 pieces hand-crafted by over 50 British makers combines a wide range of disciplines, from silversmithing to glass-blowing, and is accompanied by a 'Craft conversations' series, where featured craftsmen and women will demonstrate their practices to the public. The store will open early at 8.30am exclusively for these talks. Catch Crafted maker Helen Beard on Tuesday 4th May!

Craft Conversations at Fortnum & Mason's:
Tuesday 27th April - Samantha Sweet and Kenny Menczer
Tuesday 4th May - Helen Beard and Louisa Taylor
Tuesday 18th May - Kate Malone and Anna Barlow
You can book places by telephoning 0845 602 5694.

Crafted - the film

Wed 03 Mar 2010
We're delighted to present our brand new short film on Crafted, masterfully produced by SERGE FILMS.

Many thanks to everyone involved!

New on crafteduk.org

Tue 09 Feb 2010
Take a look at photographs of our launch event in November, generously hosted by Soane Britain.

Download a recording of the captivating conversation between Crafted mentors Bill Amberg and Anda Rowland, and Natalie Melton, Commercial Director at Arts & Business, held at our first Crafted workshop in January.

Catch up on the latest blogs from Jane Adam, Eloise Grey and carréducker – including a fascinating step-by-step tutorial on an important element of shoemaking.

Browse the recommended reading lists from workshop leader and Crafted advisor Anne Anne Gunther and mentor Bill Amberg.

New on crafteduk.org

Fri 04 Dec 2009
Feature on Crafts Magazine online

Feature on Fashion Monitor

New blog post from Eloise Grey

Press release: 'Adras' - Ptolemy Mann for Christopher Farr Cloth

Open Studios at Cockpit Arts and Craft Central

Thu 19 Nov 2009
Just one more week to wait until the ultimate shopping experience this side of Christmas!

Both Cockpit Arts in Holborn and Craft Central in Clerkenwell will be throwing open their doors for their Open Studios weekends. At these unique events you can see behind the scenes and buy your festive gifts directly from some of the best designer-makers working in the UK.

Cockpit Arts Holborn: Fri 27 Nov (11am - 9pm), Sat 28 - Sun 29 Nov (11am - 6pm)
View map here

Craft Central: Thu 26 Nov (5pm - 8pm), Fri 27 Nov (12noon - 8pm), Sat 28 - Sun 29 Nov (12noon - 6pm)
View invite and map here

And if you can't make it this weekend - never fear! You can catch Cockpit Arts Deptford Open Studios the following weekend.
Cockpit Arts Deptford: Fri 4 Dec (11am - 9pm), Sat 5 - Sun 6 Dec (11am - 6pm)
View map here

New on crafteduk.org

Wed 11 Nov 2009
New blog post from Miranda McCarthy

Short film courtesy of carréducker

Press release: Eloise Grey Launches Menswear Collection

It's all about education…

Tue 27 Oct 2009

Something that came out of the ‘Crafted: an essential luxury?’ debate in September was that there is some work to be done around education. Not the continuing education of skilled craftspeople around the UK – although improved practical tuition would be a good starting place – but the educating of potential purchasers. Luxury craft pieces take an enormous amount of time, skill and resource to create – but it is sometimes difficult to communicate that to a potential buyer.

This demonstration of what goes in to a luxury craft piece can sometimes be the difference between the purchaser moving off to buy from an established brand and the purchaser buying a beautiful handmade piece that they understand the worth of and therefore are glad to pay for. The Etsy website has produced a series of short films which explain the creative process and encourage people to buy handmade pieces.

Click to watch - Process: Sweet Peas with Kim Westad

Increasing awareness of the craft industry is something that craftscotland have tackled with their current campaign The C Word (it is, of course, ‘Craft’) which includes the inaugural national cinema ad campaign for contemporary craft – and features six craft makers.

Click to watch – The C Word

Craft: an essential luxury? - Debate is sold out!

Thu 24 Sep 2009

We're delighted to say that the session in the Hochhauser Auditorium at the V&A as part of London Design Festival is booked to capacity!

If you haven't been able to secure a space, don't fret - we're recording the entire session for podcast which will be available to download from our Resources section soon after the event.  You can also download a PDF document of profiles on our Chair for the debate, Guy Salter - Deputy Chairman of Walpole, and our panel: Janice Blackburn, Anda Rowland, Henrietta Thompson, Peter Ting and Peter York.

Craft: an essential luxury? - Debate at London Design Festival 2009

Thu 03 Sep 2009
Traditional craft skills are in decline in today's mass-market economy. Despite this trend, superior craftsmanship remains a marker of quality and distinctiveness and an expression of cultural heritage.

Can craft be revitalised? Can craft businesses not only survive but thrive?

On Friday 25th September leaders from luxury brands, craft makers and the media will join together for a debate exploring the future of craft, in the new state-of-the-art Hochhauser Auditorium at the Victoria & Albert Museum's Sackler Centre.

For more information or to book your place contact crafted@artsandbusiness.org.uk