Vagrant Blog
Forgotten Vintage
We Create* is helping to set-up a vintage and retro charity pop-up shop in Birmingham city centre called Forgotten Vintage - based in Unit 9 in the Great Western Arcade.
The store aims to help raise funds to support homeless services across the city.
Forgotten Vintage is looking for a range of volunteers to help support the project.
There is a meeting to discuss the NEW FORGOTTEN VINTAGE STORE and everything surrounding it on TUESDAY 14th November 2011.
Forgotten-vintage have teamed up with two of Birmingham's best known charities SIFA FIRESIDE and REACH THE PEOPLE CHARITY. Between the three parties they want to create a brand to rival some of the biggest names in vintage in the UK.
To create this brand Forgotten Vintage is setting up a shop within the city centre of Birmingham, a studio, an office and warehouse, as well as sending Forgotten Vintage to festivals and other massive events.
Forgotten Vintage is looking for volunteers to help in all aspects of the project:
- Front of house
- Stock management
- Visual merchandising
- Project management
- Photo shoot's
- Styling
- Blog writing
- Events management
- Promotion
- Stock alterations
As this is a charity supported project everyone working for Forgotten Vintage will be volunteering. They want to get a group of committed volunteers to help us make this project successful, this project has massive potential to be a local and national success. All of the volunteers involvement will be documented and will look amazing on CV's and portfolios.
The TUESDAY 14th NOVEMBER 2011 meeting meeting is a chance for people interested in helping support the project to meet a representative from both charities and Forgotten Vintage to ask any questions you might have, for us to tell you a little more about what we do, and to work out how we can help each other.
Please get in touch to confirm you are attending Tuesday's meeting or if you have any questions.
Hopefully see you on TUESDAY 14th NOVEMBER.
Foley - Store Manager
forgotten-vintage@live.co.uk
07564 603 936.
FORGOTTEN VINTAGE
in conjunction with SIFA FIRESIDE and REACH THE PEOPLE CHARITY
forgotten-vintage@live.co.uk
07564 603 936
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
Age UK Pop-up Craft Shop
We Create* ran its charity Pop-up Craft Shop project with Age UK in Wolverhampton.
The project set-up and ran a pop-up shop retailing bits n bobs created by local craft-based groups around the area to raise awareness and funds for Age UK and to support the groups.
We Create* hopes that the project can form a basis to run two local seasonal pop-up shops that can allow the groups to come together to create craft-based items to retail as a fundraising activity to allow participants to buy materials for future activities.
We Create* sees the project as an opportunity for Age UK to use craft-based and creative groups to help raise funds for the organisation on a national basis by using its UK network of 400+ charity shops to retail the items. As well as opportunities to retail seasonal items through youthful high street retailers and year round on online craft-based websites.
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
And Now Wee Summer 2011
And Now Wee NEW Summer 2011 Tee Collection - all available to buy on the And Now Wee Online Store http://www.andnowwee.com/anwshop/pc/Tees-c5.htm
Prices range from £25 - £45.
We Create* favourite Shakespeare Tee http://www.andnowwee.com/anwshop/pc/SHAKESPEARE-TEE-5p19.htm
We Create* favourite AJ Tee http://www.andnowwee.com/anwshop/pc/AJ-TEE-5p84.htm
We Create* favourite A Paris Tee http://www.andnowwee.com/anwshop/pc/A-PARIS-TEE-5p91.htm
We Create* favourite Joker vs. Queen Tee http://www.andnowwee.com/anwshop/pc/JOKER-VS-QUEEN-VEST-5p94.htm
We Create* favourite Night City London Tee http://www.andnowwee.com/anwshop/pc/NIGHT-CITY-LONDON-TEE-5p88.htm
And Now Wee is now also available on ASOS Marketplace https://marketplace.asos.com/boutique/and-now-wee
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/And-Now-Wee/162170503808551
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/AndNowWee
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/andnowwee
You can contact And Now Wee
Website http://www.andnowwee.com/
Email info@andnowwee.com
Call 0845 5196576
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
Big Deal Clothing
Big Deal Clothing is one of the UK's freshest new independent clothing labels bringing you quality, affordable threads for the fast paced lives of an alternative rock youth generation.
Eye catching designs, printed only on American Apparel, have been rocked on stages across Europe by some of the hottest up and coming bands including Deaf Havana, Bury Tomorrow, Yashin, Shadows Chasing Ghosts and Francesqa.
Big Deal Clothing operate an online store on its website http://www.bidealclothing.co.uk
The label offers a range of unisex tees / vests / necklaces / pants / bags / trainers / jumpers and hoodies / sweat pants / and shorts sizes XS to L - prices range from £5 - £35.
Hard work and avid promotion, including appearances at UK and Europe festivals (Groezrock, Ghostfest and Hevy Fest), along with tours with some of their endorsed bands, as well as regular features in recent music press have helped push this brand to the forefront of the scene.
Working with a close knit team of people including one of the UK's leading alternative music photographers Marianne Harris and exclusive models Jen Hughes and Emma Ducky, Big Deal Clothing is more than just a name, it is a family who prides itself in its personal level of interest and passionate support shown to bands, and an ever growing fanbase of kids in a thriving music environment, wanting to be seen in the latest gear.
Photographer Marianne Harris
You can contact Big Deal Clothing
Email info@bigdealclothing.co.uk
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bigdealclothing
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/bigdealclothing
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
Homeless World Cup Trials
We Create* attended the Midlands Trials for the Homeless World Cup today held at Power League in Aston by social enterprise Start Again.
The trials saw 40+ young homeless people from across the Midlands compete for a place in the national trials in Manchester and a place in the England Homeless World Cup squad playing in the Homeless World Cup in Paris in the summer.
We Create* is a big supporter of the Homeless World Cup and its ability to help transform the lives of thousands of homeless people across the world.
Organiser Mark Peters from Start Again on the phone to Capello at half-time.
Half-time food and refreshments provided by Pret a Manger.
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
And Now Wee Q and A's
What are yours & the designers full name? What is you role?
My name is Jonny Deacon. Everything! Ha - however I do have an incredible support from my family who will double check everything.
What inspired you to design your own collection? Did you have any formal training?
Being skint! Having no money and wanting to be creative makes you work +12hr days to realise your dreams. The year before launch was incredibly difficult as I found myself doing ridiculous hours and once home finishing at 1am most nights to develop the collection and the business as a whole; no days off.
Most of East London population have degrees in fashion/film/media/ but I've had no formal training. I picked up loads of advice from colleges. Working at All Saints, one of the leading high street premium brands help. You raise your game pretty quickly. I constantly asked questions from people in every department (patten cutting, design, production, press, customer service etc). It was a crash course in the level you have to reach to be distinctive on the high street which is where I envisage ANW one day. Overall I learned the most from the mistakes they were making and it gave me the confidence that it doesn't matter how large the label / brand its all relative and the same mistakes get made just on a much bigger scale! You have to get the basic operations and planning right from the start which stuck with me.
The collection evolved out of practicality and gaps in my wardrobe more than anything else. There is no need to pay £100 for a basic v-neck? I looked at my friends who are all stylish and individual but share the same common attribute of dressing subtly. Im obsessed with being subtle, from Jewellery to shoes, being understated is an important brand value for ANW. The collection as a whole is based on the essentials for primarily 20/30 but even +40 something men that need good quality garments that will last. The graphics lay a platform to be slightly more expressive, adventurous and playful.
You don't have to be amazing at everything as you can outsource, but you have to be able to identify what your crap at, otherwise you'll struggle to get the label off the ground.
Was it difficult to find manufactures?
Yes but you just get on with it and look at all options. ANW is a small menswear brand but we have huge ambition. The bigger picture has always taken fore front. Currently everything is produced in the UK and US, out with our Shirts (China). In two years we will look at Portugal, Turkey, and China when the brand is stable and can warrant it.
What has been the most challenging aspect of starting a new label?
Funding and cash flow. I am very lucky in many respects as my Family have loaned me the start-up cash but at a rate they will see a fair return. The major downside to this is lending from loved ones and that has added different pressures. I found out very early that I needed control over everything which suited my personality, I get easily frustrated when people don't give 100%. Obviously partnerships share the burdens of funding and work load which is great but it wasn't for me. Also I have a fantastic accountant and bookkeeper which if you set up as a limited company is essential, well it was for me.
Can you tell me more about your T-shirts?
They are meant to be fun and provocative. There is a heavy reference to the monarchy, in particular the queen. I think the queen would be a nice lady to meet so its not personal, just an idea to mix things up. Historic twists have been a large centre piece to collection with our Shakespeare being a huge seller. In no particular order the brands idols are David Bowie, Steve McQueen and Tom Petty. The brand definitely leans to 2/3 British flair and a 1/3 American Vintage which is probably an expression of the latter idols. These guys either set the scene or ended it respectively. Whether they feature in future collections is another thing altogether.
Currently all our tees are a white canvas, and will probably stay that way for a while. Its a sheer jersey 100% cotton, vintage washed that lies slim and soft to the skin. They are high quality and fantastic for screening.
There is no escaping that fact that for most start-up labels the T-Shirt allows the best platform to launch your ideas and uniqueness and many labels have done well with this as their centre piece. ANW balances this with a focus on the brand as a whole, which will always remain our priority.
You can contact And Now Wee
Website http://www.andnowwee.com/
Email info@andnowwee.com
Call 0845 5196576
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
And Now Wee
We Create* profile on new up and coming fashion label And Now Wee.
And Now Wee draws it's inspiration from the rich cultural heritage of East London. They believe in high quality, attention to detail, and being inspired by the environment that surrounds them. With the labels ethos
- Be inspired to wear better -
And Now Wee operate an online store on its website http://www.andnowwee.com
And Now Wee offers a range of tees / polos / shirts / jumpers / and sweatpants - prices range from £22 - £45.
All available on the ANW online store - http://www.andnowwee.com/anwshop/pc/viewCategories.asp
We Create* favorites are the red Folgate shirt and the Elder V-neck tees
And Now Wee also run two stalls on London's most exciting and famous markets; Spitalfields and the Truman Brewery Back Yard market on Brick Lane. Due to the nature of the markets pitch locations can vary from day to day but it shouldn't be too difficult to find them as the markets are easy to navigate.
Spitalfields Market ANW Stall: Monday-Wednesday, 10am - 4pm and Friday, 10am - 4pm MAP. Brick Lane Backyard Market ANW Stall: Saturday, 10am - 6pm and Sunday, 10am - 6pm MAP.
You can keep up to date with And Now Wee developments via the labels BLOG and by signing up to the mailing list on it website.
And Now Wee are also stocked in Mary Portas Living and Giving Store - Primrose Hill and have independent stockiest in Italy / France / and Belgium.
You can contact And Now Wee
Email info@andnowwee.com
Call 0845 5196576
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
asos marketplace
Online fashion retailer asos has launched and online retail platform that allows up-and-coming young fashion designers to create online boutiques for their labels and retail products called asos marketplace.
asos marketplace also allows shoppers / customers of asos to retail on the site as well as vintage and retro traders.
asos marketplace is FREE to join. asos charge up-and-coming young designers a monthly fee for a online boutique and 15% commission on transactions - for a basic seller account it's FREE with a 10% commission on transactions.
We Create* has created a basic seller account to have a little trial and test on the site to retail designs develop by participants on a project run with The Big Issue and its homeless vendors.
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
AMH in Harvey Nichols
Preview of AMH collection in Harvey Nichols.
The range of 8 tees is exclusively available at the Knightsbridge store priced £45.
We Create* favorites are Everyday People / Dance / I've Got the Power / and Midas Touch.
More images of the collection on the Ashley Marc Hovelle site.
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*
Age UK Project
We Create* is running a project with Age UK in Wolverhampton.
The project is to set-up and run a pop-up shop retailing bits n bobs created by craft-based groups around the area to raise awareness and funds to support the groups.
The pop-up shop also aims to run a number of intergenerational workshops where young people can learn traditional craft-based skills from people connected to the project.
We Create* hopes that the project can form a basis to run two local seasonal pop-up shops that can allow groups to come together to create craft-based items to retail as well as a fundraising activity to allow participants to buy materials for future activities.
We Create* also sees the project as an opportunity for Age UK to use craft-based and creative groups to help raise funds for the organisation on a national basis by using its UK network of 400+ charity shops to retail the items. As well as opportunities to retail seasonal items through youthful high street retailers and online.
Many Thanks and Kind Regards
We Create*