Contents
Introduction 3 The Long Shot Experiment
4
Noctua 10 Rawhide Custom 16 The Denim Doctor 22
INTRODUCING THE
PEOPLE SHAPING THE NORTH WEST CRAFT INDUSTRY IN 2017
The North West is a rapidly-evolving landscape of creative flare. From Liverpool’s up-and-coming Baltic Triangle to the eccentricity of Manchester’s Northern Quarter and every town in-between. Some still see the craft trend as a cutesy, hipster economy. This is certainly not the case. The craft and making sector has quietly built up a £3.4bn making economy, influencing everything from the automotive industry to smartphones. In this one-off edition we will be celebrating a curated handful of talented individuals all with a passion for their unique craft. Representing the thousands of skilled makers working across the North West and the UK within this ‘niche’ industry.
MIKE HOLMES THE LONG SHOT EXPERIMENT
Designer, Manchester
Mike wears B London shirt, Carhartt trousers, classic Clarks shoes and Wrangler denim jacket.
“I like to see everything. I use Pinterest but I have to print the images out and stick them on the wall.”
It
all
started
with
the
quest
for
the
perfect
hat.
Unsatisfied with what the market had to offer, graphic designer turned fashion designer Mike Holmes, decided to produce his ideal piece of headwear himself - and The Long Shot Experiment was born. Based in a tiny shed at the back of his flat in Flixton, Mike creates individually crafted, hand-made hats. Influenced by subcultural styles, Long Shot designs are developed from images and imaginings found in books, magazines and films. Their aim is not to replicate historical styles but to interpret and reimagine the silhouettes and aesthetics of former classics. As a maker based in the North West, Mike plays on the “Made in Manchester” strapline. Using the geographical location to authenticate his brand and enrich his story. The unique history of the city and its links within music and subculture compliment the quirky, unconventional nature of the brand. A lot of Long Shot customers have ties within the casual scene, a subsection of football culture originating in the area.
Growing up in the North West is an essential influence for Mike. Skateboarding and listening to hip-hop; he wasn’t just a spectator; he was a member of the subculture which inspires his work today. He was always inspired by the nineties era before it became so zeitgeist, referencing pop culture icons of the time in many of his designs. Each of his hats are given a name, a nod to the influences behind them and a clue for customers. In his terms: “If you know, you know”. Mike’s workspace is an eclectic mashup of textiles paraphernalia and print outs of diverse reference imagery. Inspired by powerful women, a lot of his pictures are of badass females, Blondie, Frida Kahlo, women exuberating confidence – it’s a vibe he wants to recreate through his work. As well as pinned up references, the tiny workspace contains an extensive library of old magazines and graphics books. Hanging in pride of place is a Long Shot Exp. x Angelo Trofa relief textured t-shirt, alongside an abundance of TLSE hats covering every available surface.
“I'm from the North West, I've always lived in the North West, and it gives me a lot of pride�
Do you play on the “Made in Manchester” aspect of the brand?
Yeah, funny being a Scouser because when people meet me they think “Oh it’s all a lie!” But Manchester has Factory Records, Oasis, the Hacienda; it has a near history of incredible, amazing, pushing-the-limits cool stuff. I don’t want to sell it just on that but I’ve been pulling a bit of that in. Saying Manchester, it immediately triggers things in people’s brain. It’s got a good story the North West - so you can use that to your advantage.
In the future, Mike hopes to branch out from merely hats, working from the top down as it were to produce other clothing staples in a similar hand crafted fashion. He beleives the next step is to schedule his design practices to fit within a traditional fashion business in order to reach his goal of being stocked amongst other brands instore.
BRITTANY KEFIRA NOCTUA Silversmith, Liverpool Brittany wears a Cos white shirt dress, vintage painters trench, Clark’s slip-on shoes and Noctua jewellery.
At 21, Brittany is the youngest in the BOF collection of makers. A silversmith working in Liverpool, she started her descent into the industry from a young age. After acquiring no GCSEs, she decided to open a small online shop selling jewellery which she ordered online. Peaking her interest into how it was made lead to her teaching herself the basics before moving to Cornwall at the age of 19 to train as a Goldsmith. Now aged 21 she has returned to Liverpool where she runs silversmithing workshops whilst creating jewellery on the side. From private group classes with prosecco to one-to-one in-depth sessions, Brittany prides herself on equipping participants with simple silversmith skills in a laid back, enjoyable environment. The popularity of her workshops reflects the increasing craze for traditional craft. Selling out as soon as she advertises them online, the hype for handmade is a necessary opposite to the world’s fast fashion addiction. In her eyes, a ring making workshop is becoming a more popular activity than a night out.
“I start from the stone. I draw around it and then plan my design from there.�
What’s it like being situated in the North West?
The Baltic Triangle is so up and coming. I feel so connected. When I first started my class I found it so difficult to speak to people. I’m chatty now, but at the time I wasn’t. Being in Make Baltic, in the shared studio space has changed me so much. I used to get nervous but now I’m fine. My classes are growing in popularity, now I’m covering the whole of the North West. I can’t believe how much it’s changed me just being here.
The Baltic Triangle is a curious part of Liverpool. Formed by old industrial buildings and bordered by dual carriageways, this historic area has become a swiftly-evolving hub for creative enterprise. Make Baltic is the home of Brittany’s studio, perched two floors above the Baltic Social it’s a shared space for creatives and makers alike. Her workspace is a self-confirmed mess. A clutter of silver wires, plyers and half-finished sketches. Her stones are about the only thing in order, systematically placed in Perspex boxes to seek inspiration from whenever the need strikes.
As a maker in the North West, Brittany has no desire to relocate. She appreciates the SOMETHING creative quarter that is rapidly-developing around her. As well as the abundance of creatives all going through similar processes. Looking to the future, the budding young maker hopes to open a jewellery school in Liverpool. Fully equipped to teach classes and share her craft with not only the population of the North West but the entire the country. Her burgeoning passion and obvious talent promise a recipe for success.
“I have a small but perfectly formed work space.”
Max’s perfectionist attitude was key to his success. Reluctant to do anything half-heartedly, he turned a friend’s two-week hobby into a business. Three years on, his British leather goods brand is growing vastly in popularity. Rawhide Custom only use British veg-tanned leather, sourced from a small-town tannery in England, as well as fastenings tried and tested in the UK and USA. Whilst creating bespoke, hard-wearing products, the emphasis is all on quality. A true Northern soul, Max is comfortable in the North West. The hotbed of friendly, like-minded makers means it’s a perfect place for aspiring entrepreneurs, ready to give advice as well as receive it. However, building upon his brand ethos he believes a store in London would very much suit the Made in Britain aesthetic and he is open-minded about moving down there in the future.
MAX MCDONOUGH RAWHIDE CUSTOM Leather craftsman, Liverpool
Matt wears a Levi’s Sherpa Trucker jacket, denim jeans, a navy Folk knitted jumper and Steve McQueen chukka boots.
Do you have any desire to move to London?
I think long term that would be ideal. A lot of the stuff I make plays upon the British materials and techniques so having a shop in London would be great. It’s a lot friendlier up North though, even just from brief conversations in London you seem to get a lot more closed doors and everything is almost kept within a circle. In Liverpool it seems a bit more open.
“Small but perfectly formed” is the eloquent phrase Max uses to describe his petit workspace. Housed in the huge, industrial warehouse on North Docks, Liverpool, his studio is a compact wooden cube, attached to a series of other similar makeshift offices. It appears sparse but containing all the necessities for a practicing leather craftsman; a calico banner proclaiming the brand’s logo strung up on the main wall decorating the space. Around ninety percent of the other makers filling the space are male, a ratio which in Max’s eyes reflects the industry. However, it does seem to be changing
In the future, the charismatic maker plans to carry on expanding his business, however is adamant the quality must remain key. Unwilling to lose the handwritten notes and small touches which make his brand unique, Max is adamant they will remain indefinitely. He is currently focusing all attention on attaining stockists to carry his products on a regular basis, hoping to spark stores’ interests with his high-quality, traditional accessories.
“The location of Make Liverpool is ideal. The fact that you’re surrounded by people who are doing similar creative things, there’s a lot of cross collaboration that goes on.”
MIKE PENDLEBURY THE DENIM DOCTOR Tailor, Manchester Mike wears Paul Smith waistcoat, Oliver Spencer shirt, vintage tie and William Gee tape measure.
For Mike Pendlebury, tailoring runs in the family. In 1973, James Pendlebury, Mike’s father opened his very first independent tailoring business in Little Lever, Bolton. Twenty-three years and several workshops later, the studio resides above an old pub on Close Street, Manchester. Once finished school in 1999, Mike was taken under his father’s wing, learning the tricks of the trade and eventually taking over the business himself. First and foremost a traditional tailor, working with denim was more of a hobby, fixing up his old pairs of jeans or altering newer pairs so they were the perfect fit. However, after offering the repair and restoration service to customers he found a huge calling for precision tailoring work with denim. And thus, The Denim Doctor was born. A bespoke denim tailoring service that brings old jeans back to life and alters newer pairs. Clients include Manchester icon, Noel Gallagher, the Manchester United football team and members of the band Elbow who apparently like a particularly skin tight fit.
“I always keep up on trends via social media and read GQ to keep up on things”
How does Manchester as a city influenced your craft?
My father’s tailoring business has always been situated in Manchester, it has a history here. I think being right in Manchester city centre has boosted my business over recent years due to the appeal of visiting the city. I get lots of customer who come on a Saturday, come into the shop in the morning to drop some jeans off and then collect late afternoon. There’s so many things to do and see in Manchester - it has a huge appeal.
The store on Close Street is much like a traditional tailoring workshop. Scissors, spools of thread and scraps of denim spread across the work surfaces whilst framed photographs cover any wall space not taken over by rails of jeans or suits. Elvis, James Dean, Sean Connery, icons of good taste and good tailoring watch over the work. As a maker based in the North West, Mike believes the city has boosted interest surrounding his business. Bringing people from across the country to get their beloved denim restored whilst visiting Manchester. In recent years, Mike credits social media for giving tailoring a resurgence. People want to look good and feel good, whether that’s from a new pair of slim fit jeans or rocking the old pair you owned for years. Dreaming about the future, Mike muses about opening a Denim Doctor store. Specialising in all things denim and taking what once was a mere hobby even further.
“I tidy it up at the end of the day, but if you catch me mid day, I’ll have jeans all over the place”