Designer spotlight
Tom Chadwick Words by Maisie Coulbert
“I
ntriguing. Graphic. Original. Silky. Sustainable.” Tom Chadwick, the founder of bamboo clothing brand, Tomoto, describing his t-shirts. We’re on Albion Place in Leeds city center by an empty market stall. Glitter coated wine glasses are on sale next-door and an incredibly alluring bake sale is opposite. Once Tom had set up it was clear we stuck out like a sore thumb and he seemed to like it. The stall looked professional and well branded with the clear monochrome message of having fun with sustainable fashion. Now in the sixth month of trading Tomoto is only getting better with age. Accent clothing are a regular stockest and Tom frequently appears at Leeds art and university fairs, “It’s all about people knowing who you are. It’s one thing to stumble across Tomoto on Facebook but actually walking past my stall and explaining the bamboo is what its all about.”
“It’s all about people knowing who you are”
Dropping four designs every month means there is always new artwork. “I draw all the designs using Adobe illustrator. I find my inspiration in everything. The dream is to draw my way around the world. I’d like to create a series of tees for each country I visit.” Tom is a self-confessed undedicated follower of fashion. “I didn’t go into this venture from a fashion perspective but instead an art and design one. I want to encourage people not to follow the crowd. Throw something completely different into the mainstream. This is why I chose bamboo. Did you know that when growing cotton more pesticides are used than any other plant in the world and zero are used on bamboo? It grows anywhere and only needs sunlight and rainwater to survive”.