The accumulation of consumer goods; contacts; business interests – even memories – has become increasingly easy to fulfil via online shopping; the ever burgeoning new social and business media platforms and the strength and persuasion of “influencers”. In fact everywhere we look we are encouraged to desire and acquire. Items that were trending yesterday will become tomorrow’s virtual chip paper – disposable, instantly updated and replaced – highlighting that immediate consumer gratification is proving a hard habit to break as, for example, climate change proves year on year.
"Fashion is made to become unfashionable..." Coco Chanel
Lucy Cleland – Editorial Director of Country & Town House Magazine Shares Her Thoughts:
“With the UK committed to a zero carbon target by 2050, it behoves every single one of us as individuals, brands or companies to address the changes we should be making to help meet this deadline. It’s not only the morally right thing to do, but economically the right thing to do too. With insurance companies and big business beginning to realise that the bottom line is not some economic nirvana, they are now consciously recognising instead, the economics of protecting our planet and bringing it into their business plans. After all, no planet, no business.
At C&TH, we are committed to highlighting the UK independent and luxury brands who are paving the way and inspiring us all to do better. Changing our mentality and actively altering deep-rooted habits will take effort on all our parts, but with so many amazing people and companies doing things the right way, we should follow where they lead”.
Is it possible to have too many contacts, friends and business contacts? Avid networkers would probably deny that possible, but does constantly accumulating and creating a huge collection of people at the touch of a button – or a “Like” – allow a sustainable, valuable or rewarding relationship?
We are a niche business model at Blue Door Bespoke, and lucky in that we aim to work with, and supply service provision for, those with whom we know we have common ground or mutual professional parity, and it is those to whom we reach out directly rather than adopt a “blanket approach” or a one size fits all prospect. Ugly Sisters and force fitting ourselves into more tenuously relevant shoes, we are not. Bespoke means bespoke in every aspect of our service provision, and leaving sufficient room in our client wardrobe to nurture our relationships with them is certainly a large part of that, and we’ve found and uphold, that it’s also a far more efficient approach in sustaining a business relationship further along the line.
“I don’t often follow trends because I want to make pieces that will stay with people for a lifetime.” Heidi Roper – Dingley Dell Creative
Floordrobes – a common phenomenon that occurs when items of clothes aren’t valued and are perceived as disposable. The rule of one new item in and two old items to the charity shop or recycle bin doesn’t apply. “Fashion changes but style endures …” (more Coco Chanel) doesn’t compute with a floordrobe fashionista who selects quantity rather than quality, provenance and longevity. That said, the popularity of selling unwanted items – anything from clothes to garden spades – on sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Vinter etc., is a step in the re-use direction.
Repurposing or upcycling furniture to create statement, unique pieces, whilst serving a practical purpose, is something about which Chris Billinghurst, Founder of The House of Upcycling is passionate.
“..Within the professional upcycling industry there is an oft-used expression which goes something like: “It’s not waste until its wasted” because whereas most people see items that are old, broken or not of the interiors style du jour as immediately dispensable, professional up-cyclers see them as diamonds in the rough. Being able to imagine the design potential of a piece of damaged Edwardian furniture, an old metal fruit bowl or a collection of beautiful but broken vintage cups is a necessary skill for anyone working in the creative reuse industry and perhaps what makes this 21st century craft the most exciting environmentally supportive design solution, to how we deal with all the items we’ve managed to accumulate in our homes but no longer want.
Christine Moore, Professional Upcycler at Copper & Ash Interiors www.copperandash.co.uk
There is a fast-growing movement that believes consumerism needs to develop into an activity of the more conscious kind and that accumulation isn’t just about satiating the need for the now, but rather about buying products which offer design longevity and reinvention potential. With the way the sustainable interiors market is evolving, it may be that we shall soon be looking to engage interior designers who incorporate creative reuse as standard in their practice as a preference, and who create environments which not only fulfil their client’s brief today, but which can be repurposed and remade for the future”.
Finally –
Accumulating nearly £33 million for the NHS was the most incredible and selfless act of determination and spirit that Captain Sir Tom Moore will be forever remembered – and absolutely the best and most justified kind of accumulation. He has become a figurehead for hope and kindness, consideration and thought for those under more duress than most generations below him have ever experienced. Long may his legacy continue and long may we walk in his footsteps.
Stay safe and well…
Best wishes,
Claire
