Photos from yesterdays Christmas market...

Despite yesterdays weather... we had a great turn out of stall holders and visitors alike!! Just under 600 visitors throughout the day, lots of sales were made and commissions taken, we were all happy snow bunnies.

If you missed yesterdays market you still have our other market to look forward to this weekend. Our launch market at The Holy Biscuit in Newcastle, celebrates the launch of Designers Marketplace Bi-Monthly partnership with The Biscuit Factory.

The Holy Biscuit, Saturday 4th december, 11am-4pm. £1 entry. 

GUEST BLOGGER : KIM TILLYER : WITCH MOUNTAIN

Long time follower but first time seller Kim Tillyer, will be showcasing her exquisite textile designs at our Christmas market in two weeks! Witchmountain explores various stages of textile design from visual studies through to final selling products such as womens and childrens clothing and accessories to card, gift and stationary. We catch up with Kim to find out more about Witchmountain.

Witchmountain is a mythical land in the middle of the North York Moors. Here, Kim lives and works in a cluttered kitchen with an endless supply of coffee,a temperamental wood burning stove, two teenage children and a ragged assortment of animals.

After graduating from Cleveland College of Art and Design in  2008,with a first in Textiles and Surface Design, Kim worked as a freelance designer selling printed and embroidered designs for childrenswear in both America and Japan. "Producing up to 6 hand embroidered garment shapes a week was a steep learning curve after college and I found it hard to follow the very commercial trends that my agent demanded.No matter how hard I tried my work was always a little quirky and off center!"


After some success selling framed work including the "Snow Bear" (which is now available as a greetings card from her Etsy shop) friends and relations gave this good advice "Do what you love because that really shows in the end result" .Drawings and textile pieces have been exhibited at various galleries in the North East and are currently at the Zillah Bell Gallery in Thirsk . Favorite imagery includes birds, foliage and her trademark bears which symbolize inner strength, safe travel and introspection. "I have a huge emotional and sentimental attachment to some of the work I produced in college and in the past year, which wasn't an easy one. I think the work tells a story and even if no one else knows that story it gives the pieces a bit of soul...if that doesn't sound too cheesy"

Recently, in preparation for the Designer's Marketplace and other events , Kim has been making a range of accessories, printed and embroidered clothing and some very very cute baby slippers. Each piece is printed and embroidered by hand and is therefore unique,individual and a total antidote to the highstreet and the tyranny of trends.


Despite a terrible snails pace broadband connection, Kim has been writing her blog ,Witchmountain, for almost three years now and finds it has helped her make and maintain connections with other creative people whilst living what can often seem a very remote and isolated existence. "I'm really looking forward to my first time as a seller at a Designer's Marketplace event. It'll also be a great chance to catch up with some old friends I haven't seen since college and some new ones I have only met online."

Visit:
http://witchmountain.wordpress.com/
http://kimtillyer.etsy.com/



GUEST BLOGGER : PAUL SID : RETREAT

Introducing Paul Sid and his uber hip tshirt brand Retreat. Retreat is a new recruit to Designers Marketplace and will be selling at our Middlesbrough Christmas market on Sunday 28th November. Paul tells us a little more about his brand and where the inspiration comes from!... 

Retreat is a fresh, innovative and ethical independent clothing brand formed in 2005. Influenced by all of creation and everyday life. Retreat is Bruce Lee and Chevy Chase starring in Animal House on your mom's old TV.

Graffiti, art, design and photography have also been a huge influence and not forgetting music. From Early Hip Hop pioneers like Kool Herc, Public Enemy, Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys, to British inspirational bands like Joy Division, New Order, The Stone Roses and other eclectic forms of music.

In the five years of the brands existance we have been luckily to have worked with some amazing artists from Vaughn Bode who has worked with brands such as Puma and Streetwear giants A Bathing Ape and US singer/songwriter/artist and all round legend Daniel Johnston who influenced the likes of Kurt Cobain.

Retreat sets itself apart by focusing on producing only the highest quality of hand printed designs. Focusing primarily on using environmentally friendly water-based and discharged inks for that ultra soft print. If you think your printed tees feel like a blob of rubber stuck on your chest, then Retreat is definitely not the brand you're wearing. By creating solid designs crossing genres and scenes, Retreat appeals to the sartorial savant looking for unique, exclusive prints in extremely limited numbers. With Retreat, individuality is everything.

http://www.retreatstore.com/



DM goes into partnership with The Biscuit Factory & Christmas launch event!

Designers Marketplace is happy to announce the exciting new opportunity of expanding our markets into Newcastle and moving into partnership with The Biscuit Factory. After the growing success and demand of our Middlesbrough based markets, we have been offered the opportunity of holding our markets on a bi-monthly basis in The Biscuit Factory’s new venue ‘The Holy Biscuit’.

As well as continuing to hold markets independently in Middlesbrough, The Holy Biscuit offers Designers Marketplace the chance of becoming a more regular event and reaching a wider audience for its members. The bi-monthly markets have been offered exclusivity to The Holy Biscuit, and will be held on a smaller scale in line with the size of venue. We will be hoping to present around 25 artists and designers at each event. Dates for our Middlesbrough markets next year are currently being finalised.

To celebrate the partnership of Designers Marketplace and The Biscuit Factory, we are holding our first celebratory launch event on Saturday 4th December from 11am – 4pm at The Holy Biscuit. Our regular art and design market invites the public to browse and buy from a diverse collection of high quality and contemporary merchandise such as art, fashion, accessories, prints, illustration, photography, textiles and interior products, minus gallery and boutique mark ups.

The Holy Biscuit, 1 Clarence Street, Newcastle. NE2 1YH.

20+ stalls. £1 Entry. 11am - 4pm.

Please note there is no card payment facilities inside the venue and children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. For more info go to our Facebook group or fanpage or visit www.designersmarketplace.org.uk

Biggest market yet! 60 stalls SUNDAY 28TH NOVEMBER. Middlesbrough Town Hall

Our Christmas market is fast approaching! Less than 3 weeks away for our biggest market yet.

MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL : Sunday 28th November : 11am – 4pm : £1 Entry

60 stalls selling bespoke one off products within fashion, art, photography, illustration, interior products, textiles and accessories!

Please note there has been achange of halls within the venue, we are now holding our Christmas market in Middlrsbrough Town Hall's main hall rather than our usual haunt of the crypt. Visiting Middlesbrough Town Hall’s grand and festive atmosphere, expect to see some old favourites as well as some new recruits.

We have Lianne Bell and Catherine Ball with beautiful hand crafted ceramics and jewellery, Kim Tillyer with her exquisite textile accessories and original art, the Boreal boys are back in town with great new wallet designs for men, Surface//Philia with bespoke interior products and decoration, Pond Edge with edgy fashion garments, Neil Millward and Charles Twist will be showing off their photography skills with local prints for sale.

We will have Christmas tunes and mulled wine at the bar ready!

CHRISTMAS DESIGNERS MARKETPLACE! 2010

Well its NEARLY that time of year again! Sorry folks we know its only October, but we like to give you the heads up. This will be our third Christmas running now, with over 40 stalls selling bespoke art and design led products minus gallery and shop mark-ups! Last year we had over a thousand visitors throughout the course of the day with 45 different creative businesses retailing.

If you 've been before you know what to expect but if not then why not have a visit to our Facebook pages to see what all the hype is about. Heres your event invitation: http://www.facebook.com/#!/?sk=messages&tid=1650437463845

+ FASHION // ART : PHOTOGRAPHY + ILLUSTRATION // TEXTILES / PRINTS : GRAPHICS ^ ACCESSORIES : INTERIOR PRODUCTS ++ JEWELLERY .

 

MULLED WINE - LOUNGE AREA - NETWORKING POINT - CHRISTMAS TUNES!

 

11AM - 4PM...£1 ENTRY... COME DOWN, GET MERRY FEELING A PART OF OUR FUN FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE AND FIND THOSE SPECIAL XMAS GIFTS YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!

FOR MORE INFO OR IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RESERVING A STALL GO TO:

WWW.DESIGNERSMARKETPLACE.ORG.UK

A showcase of some of the best creative talent in the north (& south!). Design led products on sale from both emerging and established artists and designers.

Through a series of ‘mini-boutique’ like stalls, regional artists and designers have a chance at selling their products directly to the public minus the gallery and boutique mark ups. On sale there will be a diverse range of high quality contemporary items from fashion garments and accessories to experimental art, textiles, ceramics, photography, jewellery, vintage and interior products. Most pieces will be bespoke items designed and made up by the stall holders themselves.

Something for everyone, the market is an opportunity for the buyer to find that ‘something different’ they are always looking for.


Please note that there are no card payment facilities on purchased items, and children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.



Interview 5: Michael Gamble Photography

This week we caught up with one of our all time favourite local photographers...(now international I guess seeming how he has ran off to Canada for a while!)...Michael Gamble. Enjoy!

How would you describe your style?

I enjoy producing striking images and have been regularly commented on the way I capture colour.

Do you have a favourite subject?

I've spent a lot of time shooting landscape, live music, event and portrait photography but am looking to progress into sports. I'm keen to incorporate my learnings into this and see what results I can come up with.

Do you go out taking photographs for pleasure and how are those shots different to your more commercial work? 

I love to be out using a camera. If I end up being paid, then that's just a bonus. I don't believe in doing things if you don't enjoy them.

If your work could be featured in any magazine which one would it be and why?

I'd love to become part of The National Geographic Magazine. I'm a great lover of the outside world and to be able to study, document and display this would be a dream come true.

How long have you been running your business for? Has it been hard getting into self employment as a freelance photographer?

I've been running for around 2 years, but only in the last 6 months have things really picked up and my work had me noticed.

How do you get your name out there for work?

Work my ass off, but I'm still not satisfied. I need to work harder!

What has been your most exciting project since setting up your business? I've done a few reports for Red Bull, covering their X-Fighters Jam in Newcastle and travelling to Dublin to document their Illume competition.

X-fighters:

http://uktv.co.uk/dave/article/aid/637862

Illume: http://www.photographyblog.com/news/red_bull_illume_winners_exhibition/

What do you like most about your job? I imagine you get to be involved with lots of exciting events?

I enjoy the randomness of it. You never know what will happen at a shoot and the people I've met are amazing.

Do you have any favourite photographers, anyone who continually inspires your work?

I love the work of Ricky Adam. He's so raw and honest with his work. I really like that.

Where can you see your business 5 years from now?

As long as I'm enjoying myself and working with a camera, I don't mind. Hopefully crawling around the undergrowth capturing some incredible shots.

Do you have any words of advise for budding fellow photographers?

Just go for it. Be yourself and do it because you want to, not just because it's 'cool'.

Website: http://www.michael-gamble.co.uk/ soon to be www.clamography.com

 

 

 



Interview 4: Milk Milk Lemonade

Designers Marketplace has fallen slightly behind on its interviews as we've been busy running around our capital at London Design Festival. Having spent three days at various shows, exhibitions and events, we feel the need to say northern design talent has just as much to offer as our southern comrades. Having returned and reflected upon our trip down, Designers Marketplace feels even stronger about its support towards northern based up and coming artists and designers. We are working on new plans and direction for the new year but until then please look forward to our Christmas market at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Sunday 28th November. See website for more details: www.designersmarketplace.org.uk

Anyway, back to last weeks interview with one of our newest recruits, surface designer Ella Kirk with her homeware brand Milk Milk Lemonade.

So Ella, tell us what is your background and training is in…

I’ve always been a scribbler. I loved art and mainly illustration throughout school and college. I graduated with a First in Surface Pattern Design last year from Leeds Collage of Art and Design where I learnt how to transfer my doodles onto various materials, including ceramics, fabrics and papers via various printing methods (screen, heat transfer, digital, mono…).


And why have you decided to become self employed?
After University I found the design job pool to be pretty shallow but have remained eager to produce and sell my designs for homeware, giftware and fashion textiles. I decided to try and get my stuff out there independently showing at various galleries and selling through etsy and Designer’s Marketplace.


Describe your brand 'Milk Milk Lemonade', what does it represent and mean to you?
‘Milk Milk Lemonade…’ is a naughty saying my Mum taught me when I was little. My illustration and colour palette have always been quite childlike, I use toys and memories as inspiration but try to add a more ‘grown up’ twist with typography and composition.


What exciting things are you working on at the moment?...
At the moment I’m working on a new line of cotton scarves. My fashion scarves have until now been digitally printed on silk and I wanted to make my designs more available to a younger audience with a lower price point. I’ve also started selling ipod and laptop skins from website Society6.


What processes do you go through to get to that final design?
Doodling is still my first port of call, I’ll doodle whatever I find curious and then scan it in to Photoshop and fiddle around with colours, mirroring, repetition etc. I then tend to send my designs off to various printers to get a proper shiny professional finish on mugs, fabrics and greetings cards etc.


What are your plans for 'Milk Milk Lemonade', how big are you hoping the brand will become?
HUGE… well, that would be lovely but so far ‘Milk Milk Lemonade’ is making a name for itself in Manchester and hopefully now I have moved to Middlesbrough, it will be as successful here. My online shop has also helped me with success across the country and hopefully that will continue to grow.


What methods do you use to market your business?
I’ve currently got a few exhibitions in the Manchester area, one at Manchester Gallery of Costume and one at The Royal Exchange Theatre. I also use Faebook, online store Etsy, online portfolio site Society6, my website. I also write to blogs like Print & Pattern to see if they may be interested in featuring ‘Milk Milk Lemonade’… if you don’t ask you don’t get!


Where do you go for your inspiration?
Museums and zoos, toy shops, charity shops… anywhere I can observe or photograph things you don’t see everyday. On the other hand I like to collect everyday objects to draw, I like to make the familiar alien to me again- like seeing it for the first time, I think that’s the childlike thing coming in again there. I like discovery.

What do you feel are the most important skills for a designer to have and/or develop?
Curiosity. I think if you want to make something out of an object or theme, you have to be curious about it and what you can squeeze out of it. I think drawing, painting etc are useful and I’d be lost without them but experimentation and a sense of your own design style, I think, produce the most appealing design.


What has been the biggest achievement in your design career since leaving university?
I think my exhibition at ‘Manchester Gallery of Costume’ (ongoing) and the sale of my greetings cards from ‘Manchester City Art Gallery’ are my main achievements. Having your work sold legitimately and knowing that it has such a wide audience gives me a lovely, warm, fuzzy, validated feeling.


What is your advice for new graduates or students hoping to set up their own business in design?
Don’t be afraid to be a wee bit pushy. Try and get your name anywhere and everywhere, get a website, promote on Facebook, Twitter wherever you can, don’t expect miracles but use every opportunity, don’t be afraid to invest in yourself and keep talking to other designers for tip offs about printers, exhibitions, blogs…everything!

Website address:
www.ellakirk.co.uk
http://www.society6.com/milkmilklemonade
or find 'Milk Milk Lemonade' on Facebook

Week 3 Interview: What Katy Did Next

Designers Marketplace has had a busy busy past week running between the exciting cities of Amsterdam and London hunting out some design related brain food. This is the first chance we've had to upload our interview from last week with designer maker Katy Howieson, owner of the fresh new brand What Katy Did Next...

So Katy, what is your background and training in?

Studying Design Technology and Textiles for GCSE and A Levels was a real turning point for me. I had always been artistic and creative but the lessons made me realise that this was where my strengths were and it was an added bonus that it was something I enjoyed doing. For my Degree I decided Textiles and Surface Design was the perfect choice for me. I had already gained my making ability from d.t. and wanted to develop my skills in surface decoration. Throughout the course I managed to attain my own style of working as well as my awareness of the design industry.

And having just recently graduated what made you decide to set up your own business and move into designer maker products?
Even though my degree course was about surface design and decoration I have always loved making gifts for people or customising my own outfits. My second year at university really opened up my eyes and I found a media I was comfortable with and developed my own style of working – Embroidery! I started making a few accessories for myself such as hair bands and necklaces which caught a lot of attention. A friend suggested making some up to sell and after hearing about the Designers Marketplace through Helen Stevens (my tutor at the time) I decided this was something I wanted to be part of. Since having my first stall last Christmas my confidence has grown immensely and I have been working hard on getting my own business up and running since then.

 Describe your brand 'What Katy Did Next', what does it represent and mean to you?
The name for the brand ‘What Katy did Next’ comes from a series of books I read as a child. In my early teens I decided I wanted to be a fashion designer and that this would be the name of my label. Even though the fashion designer dream has altered the name has stuck. The brand represents accessories for people who want something that not everybody has, something that is different enough for them to make a statement and although some of my work does follow fashion trends it also carries enough of my own taste and style for it to stand out from the crowd. I feel especially proud when I’m complimented on my bespoke one off designs and custom made pieces.

I think its the compliments which make it all worth while in the end, there is nothing more fulfilling. Do you feel the interaction with potential customers at Designers Marketplace helps to direct your products? Who would you say your target market is?
Absolutely! At last years market my embroidered products were limited to hairbands and a couple of necklaces, a couple of members of the public mentioned how they loved the idea of the product but felt hairbands were a bit to young for them. One woman suggested making brooches and then comissioned a few from me there. Initially my target market was for young females, but after doing the designers market and meeting an array of new customers I have widened my scope to an older audience. My accessories cater for all ages of women with a taste for something quirky and classy with a vintage feel.

What are you working on at the moment?
My work is currently being stocked in Changing Rooms in Middlesbrough and Sunkissed in Sedgefield, so as well as providing stock for them and taking on orders for custom pieces I am getting prepared for my stall at the November Designers Marketplace and working on new products for Christmas time. I am also currently working on a collection of bridal headwear and accessories ready for next Spring which I am really excited about.

What techniques do you favour and use?
The techniques I use mainly focus around embroidery and embellishment. I love working with Vintage items such as fabrics, lace, beads and even old brooches and jewellery. A technique I picked up recently for my last project of my degree is cutwork using leather. I intend on exploring this further for creating something really amazing and unusual for my bridal collection.

What are your plans for 'What Katy Did Next', how big is the brand going to become?
I’m taking each day as it comes with the brand. The accessories line has been well received and is extremely popular around Christmas time for gifts. The wedding industry is something I would love to conquer with my headwear, I feel many British brides are restricted in the choice they have for wedding accessories and I would love to offer them something different from the norm. Once my pieces are made up and ready I plan on hiring a professional photographer to capture some glorious images of my work and help me turn that into a look book which I will send off to companies, magazines and blogs. Ideally I would love for my bridal collection to take off and then continue with my original designs as a side business but we will have to see what comes from it.

Who and what inspires your work? Where do you go for inspiration?
My inspiration comes mainly from my love of everything Vintage, beautiful gentle colour palettes with aged lace and pearls and gorgeous florals. Although my work is fashion based I get a lot of inspiration from the likes of interior stylists Emily Chalmers and Sibella Court but I do contrast my love for them with high fashion designers such as Elie Saab and Valentino.


Blogs are my addiction and I am easily distracted by sites such as Dear Golden Vintage, Lobster and Swan and Claire A Baker’s blog. I also make a lot of amazing discoveries through having my online shop through Etsy.com and have found amazing designers such as Myra from Twigs and Honey and Emily from Which Goose.

What do you feel are the most important skills for a designer to have and/or develop?
As well as having the skills to make products or design work you need to be able to communicate and be confident in promoting yourself. I shamelessly plug my work online and in public and it is necessary for small businesses to build a name for themselves and get recognised unfortunately you cannot rely on luck.

What has been the biggest achievement in your design career since leaving university?
Having not one but two shops offer to stock my products in the first two months after graduating is probably the biggest achievement in my design career since leaving CCAD. I am also thrilled to get the chance to design and make bridesmaids headwear for a bride to be in Belfast.

What is your advice for new graduates or students hoping to set up their own business in design?
Again it would be not to be afraid to shamelessly promote yourself and do not be discouraged by a slow start. Also a major lesson I have learned is that you can’t please everyone, being able to alter your products or designs to cater to a client’s taste comes in extremely handy in my line of work.


Visit: 
www.what-katy-did-next.co.uk
www.etsy.com/shop/whatkatydidnext
katyhowieson.blogspot.com

Week 2 Interview: The Olde Young Teahouse

This week we have been talking to one of our newest yet completely dedicated followers of Designers Marketplace, Carli Mc.Naught with her exciting and brave new buisness venture into the world of tea.

DM: So how long have you been running your business?
C: I have been running The Olde Young Tea House for coming up 3 months now. Although the idea was born 9 months ago.

DM: What was it that gave you the idea of opening your own tearoom?
C: I worked in London for a while and had odd days off which were not on a weekend so I spent a lot of time on my own sitting in tea rooms and little cafes. I thought why not bring something like this back to Middlesbrough.

 DM:So after graduating in fashion design from CCAD, you moved to London, who were you working for?
C: I was working for Chester Barrie Savile Row. A tailors that has been on Savile Row since the 60's.

DM: Was it always your dream to be working in this role?
C: My dream is to work in a visual merchandising or buying role, I moved to London gain experience. I am now working in a role where I can buy, merchandise, visual merchandise, manage and have total control which is even better.

DM: You must have been very passionate and confident about starting your own business in an unknown line of business. What advice would you give someone wanting to set up business? 
C: I am very proud to be from the North East, growing up with the beach and countryside. You do not realize how lucky you are until you are not there anymore. I have always had a strong awareness of the social scene and what people want around here. I know that Middlesbrough is quite behind on new things that catch on around the rest of the country. But with the network of people working together in all different industries such as creative and business, we can all build up a good reputation.
The advise I would give to somebody is to just go for it. Don't mull things over if you have an idea and you are very passionate about it. There is help out there. Contact the Council and Business link and find your niche. You are more likely to get funding and support if you have an individual idea.
Networking and promotion is KEY...newspapers, magazines, flyers, posters, it all helps to promote your business.


DM: What do you feel the important factor in your business is?
C: The most important factor is determination! If you believe in yourself you can do it.


DM: And how do you put this into practise?
C: I put this into practice by planning head and planning my goals i then am able to cross them off my list when they have been done.


DM: What has been the biggest achievement in your career so far?
C: My biggest achievement in my career is opening up my own shop. To own and trade from a premises is great, I get to meet new people every day.


DM: Having just moved back to the North from living in London, how do you feel about opportunities in the region for new businesses and creative ideas?
C: I feel that the opportunities are endless here. To be quoted the worst place to live in England I feel there is nowhere lower for us to go, so all we can do is all work together to push ourselves back up. With all the creative new businesses starting to establish themselves working together is a must, we can all help each other and work as a unit to build even more opportunities.


DM: So what is the next big move for you and your business?
C: The next move is to publish our website which is all taking place as we speak. Again working with other businesses there is only more funding to given.


DM: Just to finish off!...what is your most popular sell out tea?
C: Our most popular tea is the famous Earl Grey with Blue Flower. It’s perfect for people who dare to try something a little different from 'Normal' tea. It’s the bridge to a whole new world of tea's!

...and not forgetting the important bit, cake?
I could not have the most popular cake as all out cakes sell out in a matter of hours. Some of my favourites are the Oreo Cake, Cherry Cake and Lemon and Poppyseed.

We are situated at 84 Grange Road Middlesbrough, opposite the entrance to the Mall. And we will also be exhibiting at Designers Marketplace in November at the town hall.


You can search for: TheOlde YoungTeahouse on facebook to receive daily updates on cake and tea flavour of the day.