Nice people thread 2 - now even nicer

vivatifosi

fc123 wrote: »

I then prepped and researched a 'shabby chic' type interiors shop and it was all set to go.....reclaimed textiles, made in Brighton type sounvenirs (linen teatowels etc) and OH was going to buy Edwardian wardrobes for £1 and re-make them into trunks etc. It was a really good concept (though I say so myself ) and would have tapped into the tourist spend a lot more but then an opp presented itself in summer 08 with the clothes (specifically those I design) and we went with it.

That's still a brilliant concept fc. Any reason it can't work via the web?

In terms of vintage and shabby (clothing chic) I still remain convinced that there's space for a book on remaking clothes. I've been watching out since I last mentioned it and there still isn't one that I'm aware of. Maybe people aren't like us any more and don't think about going into Primark (for example), buying a T-shirt and taking a pair of scissors to it, or buying a cheap mac and changing all the buttons to make it more cutting edge, or taking an old jumper and reknitting it. Perhaps we are now too far removed from the punk era. People are sooo conventional now.

fc123

vivatifosi wrote: »

That's still a brilliant concept fc. Any reason it can't work via the web?

In terms of vintage and shabby (clothing chic) I still remain convinced that there's space for a book on remaking clothes. I've been watching out since I last mentioned it and there still isn't one that I'm aware of. Maybe people aren't like us any more and don't think about going into Primark (for example), buying a T-shirt and taking a pair of scissors to it, or buying a cheap mac and changing all the buttons to make it more cutting edge, or taking an old jumper and reknitting it. Perhaps we are now too far removed from the punk era. People are sooo conventional now.

funny you should mention it....but...I think I am going to book myself onto a creative writing type of course when I move back for Oct...just 1 evening a week to learn how to write properly (I left school @ 16) plus when we did vinatage years back I used to re-make so much stuff on quite an industrial scale.:) It was very profitable back then too.

Halter necked velvet jackets, gilets from old leather coats, flippy knit minis fom upside down batwing knits. This was back in the 90's though.
Thing is many people now can't use a sewing machine...we were taught in school.

The reclaimed/recycled interiors shop could be a 'when I am older' project ...I don't know if just online would get enough footfall plus you need that old waxy wood and fresh linen smell to tempt spend.:)


What we are doing now is all consuming but will be short lived so I have a few ideas knocking about in the back of my head......it would be nice one day to live by the sea and have a tasteful touristy type of shop.

fc123

vivatifosi wrote: »

That's still a brilliant concept fc. Any reason it can't work via the web?

In terms of vintage and shabby (clothing chic) I still remain convinced that there's space for a book on remaking clothes. I've been watching out since I last mentioned it and there still isn't one that I'm aware of. Maybe people aren't like us any more and don't think about going into Primark (for example), buying a T-shirt and taking a pair of scissors to it, or buying a cheap mac and changing all the buttons to make it more cutting edge, or taking an old jumper and reknitting it. Perhaps we are now too far removed from the punk era. People are sooo conventional now.

When I look at how my kids shop, it could be more to do with everything being so much cheaper in real terms now?

Back in the olden days we had no choice as buying new was so expensive.

Although I can't wear what I produce now I am very connected to it as I have teen daughter and son's girlfriends etc to spin off from creatively but I have always lived and breathed what I do and interiors and soft funishings could really do with a shake up in some ways.
I had a chat with a researcher this week for the new M Portas show on clothes for 40+ but wasn't suitable to be involved as I ''knew too much about the industry''....so they were wanting what Victor Lewis Smith calls 'Telly Dollies' I guess.

If I stayed in clothing, I may move on to do something for my own age group....or combine the 2.

SingleSue

Arrggghh great, looks like youngest is allergic to sun cream the same as me!

Anyone have suggestions...someone once did suggest something that could work with me but can't remember for the life of me what it was.

carolt

fc123 wrote: »

Did you go into The Lanes or North Laine...or both. Nth Laine lead up to the station. The Lanes (some still call them south lanes) are just off the seafront.
There are 2 fudge shops , one in each area.

My shop was in a small street that is now all big brand clothingchains and coffee shops on one side...and there were none at all when we opened.

When the T/O dropped post N Rock it was all a bit !!!!!!?
However, within a few months we worked out that the biggest fall in T/O was the relocation of loads of council workers and other office workers in the area moving to cheaper office deals outside town. As we were more of and everyday type place for locals that just happened to be interesting to visitors, we felt it more.


I then prepped and researched a 'shabby chic' type interiors shop and it was all set to go.....reclaimed textiles, made in Brighton type sounvenirs (linen teatowels etc) and OH was going to buy Edwardian wardrobes for £1 and re-make them into trunks etc. It was a really good concept (though I say so myself ) and would have tapped into the tourist spend a lot more but then an opp presented itself in summer 08 with the clothes (specifically those I design) and we went with it.

We closed her in March 09 as the rent review ( wanted a rise of 50%) was a set up.....bearing in mind my 3 chain neighbours had had their rents reduced by 40% after being rent free for nearly a year. Had they dropped our rent to the same level, then we would have stayed but I wouldn't then be doing what we are doing now which is all very positive and interesting.

As it stood at the point we left, we would have been paying double the rent of the chains who hijacked the area during the boom....because the area had character...created by the independents. Used to be about 12 of us in that location a decade ago. We were the last indie ladieswear left standing when we shut.

It cost us massive ££ in lost profit the last year and 26k for the surrender....so a very expensive final year.

There are enough small places owning their own freeholds in the area to keep the character and many can spin off sales online now.....and I don't feel bitter about it all but just see it as a chain of events that pushed us into unknown territory that we wouldn't have considered doing before.

Oldest appliance? I don't have any but I use an old gas iron as a pattern weight.
I did wear a victorian blouse to a wedding recently....about 1860 I think. The stitching is the most microscopic stitching I have ever seen. I can date it as it came in a batch of clothing from one person I bought many years ago and the rest went into auction. I also kept an Irish lace bolero......which has the original fastening and my ribs would have to be about 26'' round to do it up.

Mowing....not my department...that is the one thing that I insist OH does.:)

I probably walked past where your old shop would have been - certainly recall streets with lots of upmarket chains and coffee shops.

So don't know which fudge shop I would have passed - we just ambled aimlessly, letting my 7 year old point the way, so were probably going round in circles! Can't get too lost, as the sea sort of points the way...

Was a teensy bit disappointed there weren't more independent shops; although I did still see a few lovely ones (the fudge shops, sweet shops, a few lovely nick-nack shops incl 1 that also sold some clothes and had 2 very original dresses in the window I craved for a red-carpet occasion - which obviously I have lots of ), the dominant feel was probably more of posh, out-of-my-budget chains.

Still nice, though.

Like your boho furnishings store idea - it sounds like the kind of place I'd visit and long for a bigger budget...

Maybe you could sell local art too? Mini art gallery? I do like bringing pictures back to remind us of special days out...can't afford to do it unless the pictures are very reasonably priced, but we've bought bought a few that way...

silvercar

SingleSue wrote: »

Arrggghh great, looks like youngest is allergic to sun cream the same as me!

Anyone have suggestions...someone once did suggest something that could work with me but can't remember for the life of me what it was.

Boots do their own brand for sensitive skin.

silvercar

I'm one of those who will hang onto things until they finally die.

OH had a 30 year old TV from his childhood until the buttons kept losing the signal last year.

4 press button channel selectors. When channel 5 came out it had to share with BBC2 - right pain, you had to hold the button in and turn it at the same time.

When we first got together it was our main TV, then it became the second, then it went to the bedroom, then one of the kids nabbed it for a console, then it got moved from there.....he was upset when it gave up the ghost and wouldn't accept that it had died; he kept standing by it trying to retune it back as it lost signal.

harryhound

fc123 wrote: »

As it stood at the point we left, we would have been paying double the rent of the chains who hijacked the area during the boom....because the area had character...created by the independents. Used to be about 12 of us in that location a decade ago. We were the last indie ladieswear left standing when we shut.

It cost us massive ££ in lost profit the last year and 26k for the surrender....so a very expensive final year.

There are enough small places owning their own freeholds in the area to keep the character and many can spin off sales online now.....and I don't feel bitter about it all but just see it as a chain of events that pushed us into unknown territory that we wouldn't have considered doing before.

Did you get hammered with a list of dilapidations ?

Wheezy_2

sss555s wrote: »

I don't agree with all.

I seem to change my TV and PC before they expire or i'd be typing this on my beige 486DX :money:

Did it have a 'TURBO' button??

sss555s

Wheezy wrote: »

Did it have a 'TURBO' button??

Yes!

When you pressed it the internet burst into life at a whopping 33k whilst playing the close encounters tune and your floppy would light up