Happy New Year in February

To start: two things to mention a belated Happy New Year, in truth I can’t believe it is February already) and secondly my fullest apologizes for the lack of blog posts in 2016. I spent quite a lot of the year travelling and working on a new design range and as the saying goes “Time flies when you are having fun”.

In several cultures the New Year starts in February rather that January, I much prefer this concept. January always seems like the end of a year rather than the start of one. The weather is terrible, shops are full of the stock no-one wanted and decorated with awful red sales signs, you have no money to spend having been overindulgent during the Christmas period and spring and summer seem a long way off.

Quite depressing and a good excuse to stay in bed really…… However, on a more positive note this is also a good idea to re-organize, throw out anything you don’t use or need and in general have a really good think about what you want to achieve in the New Year.

I found a wonderful little book in the library called L’art de la Simplicite (How to live more with less) by French essayist Dominique Loreau. Having lived in Japan, Dominique advises to simplify your home, empty your wardrobe, abandon compulsive purchases and buy less and only better quality items that you love. This wonderful mix of Japanese Zen and French style was an inspirational read and did make me re-think my clutter and the deeper meaning behind having lots of things I don’t use or  even need.

I think that returning to buying fewer items and concentrating on buying hand-made/crafted unique items rather than high street items is essential to the survival of galleries, crafters and design makers. Having had a fairly ruthless spring clean, I have realized how many cheap buys I have never worn or worn once and the fit was wrong or the quality was poor and fell apart after one wash. Also, I don’t think we can ignore the implications of cheap clothing and how these items are manufactured by paying low wages and even using child labour (which should have no place in the modern world).

If you do get a chance to read this book I thing you will enjoy it.  I am not too sure about only wearing Black, White or Beige clothing as a little bit of colour in life can be very uplifting particularly  during  the grey days of British  wintertime, but overall the suggestions are practical, helpful and easy to achieve.

Good bye for now.

Sara x