7 minute read
ALL ABOUT AUDREY
AUDREY TAYLOR, FOUNDER OF ALL ABOUT AUDREY
FLORENCE MAXI DRESS IN MIDNIGHT SAPPHIRE PAISLEY
Retro CHIC
All About Audrey has become renowned for its vintage and bohemian styles in the heart of Brighton. We meet the woman behind it all
By MARK KEBBLE
Q What inspired All About Audrey?
A In my early 20s I ended up living in many different countries where I had a very carefree lifestyle and was mainly working in bars and hotels, but I also started making and selling jewellery and doing hair braids in places like Ibiza, the Alps and the South of France. At the end of all my travelling I decided to move to Brighton as I heard so much about it, and I started selling jewellery and vintage on market stalls.
Q Why the vintage and bohemian focus?
A I chose the vintage and bohemian era because I am a hippy girl at heart. I always love to travel, setting up stalls in the South of France and the beaches of Ibiza. I loved then, and still do to this day, long floaty dresses (nothing restricted) and because I am a free spirit, wearing boho is perfect when travelling.
Q And why was Brighton the perfect location for your shop?
A I chose Brighton because I wanted to give England a try, in the end it got tiring moving away all the time and I wanted to find a base and thought Brighton would be the best place because nearly everyone that lives here is a bit of a free spirit. I think that's why people like my shop!
PEACOCK PRAIRIE MIDI DRESS IN TAN AND TERMERIC
PEACOCK PRARIE MIDI DRESS WITH BALLOON CUFF SLEEVES IN BURNT ORANGE COLOUR
KHROMA COLLECTION AQUARIA MAXI KIMONO DRESS IN RUBY RED
Q What would we find in your shop?
A I sell vintage items, mainly bohemian pieces from the 60s/70s or anything that maybe came from the 90s that has a 70s vibe. Think Woodstock Festival vibes and Fleetwood Mac style, that's where most of my inspiration comes from.
I also make my own designs and the reason I chose to do that is because it’s so hard to find 70s boho pieces now and there just are not enough items, so I get pieces made up that would feel like it’s from the 70s mainly from recycled fabrics, but sometimes I do buy new fabrics and I make sure that the pieces are timeless and will stay in someone's wardrobe year after year. Take, for example, our Exclusive Peacock Collection that we have been getting made for years now and it still sells so well, it’s timeless.
Q How do you go about creating pieces?
A For me the creation of new designs is a really collaborative effort. I tend to come up with the initial designs myself and then I’ll go in and talk to my team about it. Together we’ll choose colours and discuss different elements like what the neckline should be like as well as fastenings and print combinations. I really enjoy this part of the process because I love the little team I’ve got around me.
Q What inspires these?
A When I’m designing I always start by looking back at old vintage designs, particularly the Adini and Gunne Sax styles which I love, and take elements from them to come up with something new. It can be anything from a sleeve, to the drape or cut of a skirt, to a particular print or lace detail. Then I’ll take whatever element I’ve chosen and adapt it into a new design. I like to make sure that I have casual options as well as showstoppers.
Q What products tend to be popular?
A Really our best sellers are the designs with dramatic sleeves; our bell sleeve styles, like Gemini & Venus, as well as those with balloon sleeves like our Peacock & Lola. I think they all have this element of fantasy come to life. Like when you’ve got these balloon style tops, you can wear them day to day, but then you’ve got these big billowing sleeves that make an outfit a little more dramatic and more unique. Then with our bell sleeve designs, they’re just this fantastical over-exaggerated style that’s still easy to wear and can be accessorised with the rest of your wardrobe to make a festival or party look that’s stunning.
Q What’s planned for 2023?
A For 2023 I will be concentrating more on my own exclusive collections, creating beautiful bohemian pieces that can be worn year after year. At All About Audrey we love long and floaty dresses and I really want to lean into those kinds of ‘wish fulfilment’ styles that really make you feel special when you’re wearing them. I’m really excited for some of the new designs we’ve got coming and I can’t wait for everyone else to fall in love with them as well.
Shine on
Is your jewellery in need of a little spruce up? How Wakefields Jewellers in Horsham will ensure it will sparkle for years to come
January marks a new beginning and is the perfect time to tick off some of your smaller todo’s that often get overlooked throughout the year.
Managing director and jewellery expert at Wakefields Jewellers in Horsham, Melanie Wakefield, thinks that a new year is the perfect time to give your jewellery collection a little TLC. “Your favourite piece of fine jewellery should absolutely last you a lifetime, but it will need a little maintenance from time to time to keep it in good condition,” she says. “We often do not realise quite what our jewellery goes through, particularly when items are worn all day, every day. Booking your jewellery into our workshop can be a little like sending your car in for its MOT, we’ll check over your jewellery and advise you on what work might need to be carried out.”
From the weekly supermarket shop to active workouts in the gym, Melanie explains that our daily routines can have a real impact on our jewellery. “Engagement and wedding rings often encounter metal handles on doors and shopping trolleys that can wear and tear the finish over time. In most cases a simple clean and polish in our workshop can return a ring to its former glory, but sometimes we will find that stone settings are loose or metal has worn thin, which require a little more expertise from our goldsmiths to restore.”
Sharing her top tips on how to ensure that your jewellery stays sparkling for years to come, Melanie says: “It is important to be mindful when wearing your jewellery and to also choose it based on your lifestyle too. Gemstone set rings are a stunning choice, but might prove difficult to maintain if your job requires you to work a lot with your hands. Paying attention and caring for your jewellery will ensure it lasts you a lifetime – if you think a stone is moving in a setting, or you are worried about a ring feeling too loose or too tight, visit us in store and get your jewellery booked in for a check-up. Even if no repair work needs to be done, you will love the way your jewellery sparkles again after a professional clean in our on-site workshop!”
For more details about the full range of workshop and bespoke design services at Wakefields, you can visit the friendly, expert team in store, or begin by browsing online.
11 West Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1PF 01403 264001
