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DOWSE Design – an insight into the motivations of an independent retailer

DOWSE shop front

DOWSE shop front
Image: DOWSE Design

People open shops for all sorts of reasons.  Making money is an obvious one, but in my experience this is not the main motivational factor for independent retailers.

During my research for this blog series I have been privileged to be given an insight into what really motivates some of the independent retailers in Brighton and Hove. Today’s feature focuses on those motivations and how they feed into the very soul of an independent business.

Profile picture of Susannah Dowse

Susannah Dowse

Susannah of DOWSE is a great example of someone who puts their money where their mouth is.  Unashamedly supportive of buying local, giving ethical principles higher priority than pure profit in her purchasing decisions.  This is a design business which recognises that no matter how beautiful something is, purchasing an item made at the expense of another person’s well being leaves rather a sour taste in the mouth.

This might lead you to the conclusion that in imposing such strict purchasing criteria Susannah has had to make compromises on the quality of her product offering. Far from it. In fact her Brighton based shop offers a richness and diversity of products that will have customers beating a path to her door.

I love the statement that DOWSE is “Part of a movement across the country that appreciates the value of well made and distinctive products made by individuals over chain shops and mass manufacturing, DOWSE makes it easy to make the world look better and be better.”

Keen to know more I asked Susannah why source locally and why a high street in Brighton? I’m sure you’ll agree her answers are fascinating….

Susannah’s goal for DOWSE is “to enhance people’s belief in and value of British design and manufacturing and show that it can be affordable, that buying locally is good in the creative industries as well produce such as food.”

“I’d always thought a destination to find special things was important in every town. Brighton has lots of amazing shops but mainly sourcing from elsewhere, i.e. China. I wanted a shop that was supporting local and British designers and manufacturers. Choosing the best from what’s made locally. I believe that quality affordable design is being made in this country and we should support the people making it. Often these designers are the ones copied by the high street and the items then manufactured in China. The money should be in the designers pockets not some factory owner of conglomerate’s share holders.

Two of Susannah Dowse tiny geometry necklaces

Some of Susannah’s beautiful jewellery
Image: DOWSE Design

I believe we need to keep manufacturing in this country alive and the skills continued to be passed down. Our importing from China won’t last for ever, their economy will become so strong they will end up mainly producing for their own market. Then we’ll be at a loss and have lost our ability to create for our needs.

So to compete with Chinese imports we need to keep creating and making. It is hard to compete online as people are mainly motivated by price in their purchases. We can’t compete with that. So I think to be able to offer diversity and directional design people should be able to see and touch it. And doing that in a great environment is an experience not replicated on the internet. I want my shop to showcase what’s great about what’s going on here and in Europe, things being made by hard working creative individuals and small businesses that make things you fall in love with. It’s hard to do that online.”

Which leads us nicely to Susannah’s second motivation for opening a shop on the high street and why she chose to base it in Brighton.

“I think it’s important to keep our high streets interesting…we need nice environments to stimulate us.”

“Selling jewellery, mid century British furniture, prints, homewards, cards, stationery and more. DOWSE have collaborated with noted local designers Baines & Fricker to create a unique installation for the shop, making the whole experience of shopping much more like a dream and a stroll than a soulless troll through the internet.”

Various interior shots od Hove based Dowse Design

A glimpse inside the beautiful Hove based shop.
Image: DOWSE Design

“I think the pace of life in Brighton here is really conductive for creativity, though admittedly maybe a little too laid back sometimes. It’s a different environment to London of course which has a hugely dynamic creative force. But that doesn’t suit everyone. Brighton offers an alternative, near to London and with all the good aspects of London, i.e. access to culture and and a metropolitan feel, but with a more gentle pace and for some that’s necessary. I’ve lived in Brighton since art school and have worked a lot in London, but I’d stick with Brighton always.

I chose to open the shop on this stretch of Western road instead of the Laines, which is probably where you’d expect to see this kind of shop. I live in the Brunswick area and appreciate the diverse independent businesses there. I wanted to be a part of that neighbourhood. I wanted to provide a destination shop for good design, but also serve as a good neighbourhood shop where people needn’t go all the way in to town to get a gift for someone last minute, but could just pop round the corner.”

The shop is also the studio for DOWSE. You’ll find Susannah there designing and making the jewellery and dreaming up new product lines. Current opening hours are 10 – 6 Tuesday – Saturday 11 – 4 Sundays. 133 Western Road Hove BN3 1DA near Norfolk square.

But if you can’t make it to Brighton don’t worry you can also purchase online, simply visit http://dowsedesign.co.uk/

Interview with Katie from Mother Eagle

Around 18 months ago I had the privilege to join an online course called Handmade Horizons.  Aimed at female designer/makers who are looking to develop their online businesses, this course run by Claire Hughes and Polly Dugdale had a major impact on how I see myself and my business; it also introduced me to fellow designer makers who are simply awesome. One of those lovely ladies was Katie.  Her skill and creativity simply blew me away. This interview has been a long time coming but I’m sure you will agree, well worth the wait……

 

katiesletterhead

 

 

 

1. Tell us a bit more about yourself

I’m Katie, 33 years old, living by the seaside near Brighton with my husband and 2 naughty cats. I studied fashion at university and creativity was my first love, but this became neglected and I have spent my working life in retail. A few years ago I decided to create Mother Eagle as a means to rediscover my art, and she’s been haunting me ever since.

 

Red and Blue anatomically correct embroidered heart pendant

Heart Pendant – hand embroidered by Katie Pixie

2. Lots of designer makers feel very connected to their environment. Has your recent move to Brighton had an impact on your work?

 Mainly in that I haven’t had as much time to make anything! Seriously though, the move down to Brighton was a LONG time coming, I’ve been in love with the place since I had my first holiday here without my parents at 17, and had a wicked and wonderful time. I’d say it’s too early days to see how the physical place has or will influence my work, but I do know I feel inspired and enhanced in every aspect of my life living and working here.

 

White Hawthorn Blossom - embroidered by hand

Hand Embroidered Hawthorn Blossom

3. As a fellow Handmade Horizons course graduate I have had the privilege of seeing the journey you’ve made as a designer/maker. How would you describe your creative journey over the last year?

A huge development! I looked back at my blog archives to see where I actually was a year ago and at that point I was just doing my Death Cap Toadstool stumpwork sampler piece, to teach myself more advanced techniques. It was only in March of last year that I realised embracing my inner-embroiderer was the way to go and I began creating miniature embroideries for jewellery. I went down to part-time employment in November 2011 to really focus on my business but it was going in a VERY different direction up until I started the course. It actually blows my mind where I am today to where I was a year ago.

 

Death Cap Toadstool

Death Cap

4. The choice of materials you use in your work is clearly very important – can you tell us more about the material choices you make when creating a piece?

It’s really very organic to be honest: my mum has a HUGE collection of threads, fabric and equipment, not to mention knowledge passed down over 5 generations. When I started getting into cross stitch again, with my skull pillow (the first thing I made that I blogged about) she gave me loads of it. So I have about 9 boxes of cotton embroidery thread on bobbins, just from her. Other than that, I love colour so when I’m using silk I tend to go for hand dyed, slightly mottled or variegated colours. Fabric wise, for the little jewellery pieces, it has to be thin enough to be sandwiched between the frames. I mostly use very old cotton bedlinen. For art pieces I’m using vintage lace doilies, and they themselves tend to suggest the embroidery – for example the Red Death – a skeleton was the perfect choice for this long thin doily.

 

Skeleton embroidered in red onto doily

Skeleton embroidered onto doily

5. There is a very strong story behind the Mother Eagle brand – how did that come about?

Through the Handmade Horizons course actually! At least that was the catalyst for it. We were asked to create a profile for our ideal target customer, which I did, but then my product completely changed when I switched back to traditional handwork. At the time I was really struggling with knowing how to unite all the different things I was passionate and interested in producing, but wanted to have a consistent brand feel without getting bored with it myself. One day I sat down and this faux-myth just flowed out. Although the fictional muse of Mother Eagle isn’t a customer of course, as an artistic narrative she constantly inspires me and gives me a place from which all my work anchors. She’s a bit like my editor; if I have an artistic choice to make, I ask ‘What would Mother Eagle do?’ or ‘how would this animal/plant/piece of dead body fit in to her life?’ – that usually does the trick.

 

Pendant featuring hand embroidered white skull profile

Hand embroidered Skull Profile Pendant

6. Are people surprised at your use of a “traditional” craft in such an innovative and unusual way?

I’m not sure really! I can’t say as anyone’s ever expressed surprise. I would say it’s interesting how different people seem to approach my work from a place they feel comfortable with. For example the different animals attracts some people, the toadstools for others, the anatomical stuff again is a different crowd. Usually it’s the size of the work that capture’s their initial attention.

 

Hand Embroidered Pendant featuring the face of a fox

The Midwinter Fox Pendant

7. We’ve been particularly impressed by some of your recent commission work. What are the highlights of the commission process for you?

I like that it gives me a chance to work on a much bigger scale, and also that it allows me to explore a subject I wouldn’t necessarily go to on my own. I have always said I do  not want to be an ’embroiderer for hire’ and as such don’t want to be trapped having to do a portrait of someone’s puppy as it just doesn’t make sense to Mother Eagle nor inspire me ( I love dogs – just not to make art). However when approached I try to be very open minded and working with the client to know what it is that they love about the subject matter is a good ‘way in’ for me. For example, the Swans piece I did last Christmas. I would NEVER ‘do’ swans ordinarily, but my client’s ideas for the overall piece, and the general bird-theme which is always attractive, plus the classical symbolism, the challenge of a limited palette, and the big scale made the whole thing exciting. I’m working on a piece now which I think will be so cool when it’s finished, and again, has exposed me to different themes and directions I might not have wandered down by myself.

 

Hand Embroidered Pair of Mute Swans

Private Commission – hand embroidered swans

8. There are very strong themes to your collections – where does the inspiration come from and do you feel liberated or constricted by keeping so closely to these themes?

Liberated! But it’s an insightful question because as I mentioned earlier, it was because I couldn’t see how I could unite all these seemingly disparate interests and passions I have as an artist into a cohesive collection for an audience in the beginning. I love/am interested by folklore, animals, symbolism, magic, witchcraft, tattoos, goth, ritual, herbs…Creating Mother Eagle as a character inhabiting this fantasy world in my consciousness allows me to weave all these threads into her story with complete freedom in a way that makes sense to me and, I hope, to my audience.

 

Pendant featuring Ribcage hand embroidered in white onto a black background

Rib Pendant

9. Many people comment on the scale of your work and how amazed they are when they discover the true size of your pieces.  Your stitches are so small we wonder – does Mother Eagle actually work with pixies?

Ha ha! I have had a nickname since school which is Pixie – on account of my elfin like appearance I guess. I also met a psychic once who told me I am actually descended from fairies. So there could be something in it!

 

Iamge showing scale of Barn Owl Embroidery  in relation to human hand

Hand Embroidered Barn Owl Face

Hand Embroidered Barn Owl Face Pendant

Barn Owl Pendant

 

10. What does the future hold for Mother Eagle?

More embroidery, more jewellery, more art, more magical animals, more poisonous plants, more bones…hopefully more exposure and interest and more success!

 

Pendant featuring face of Grey Wolf

Hand Embroidered Wolf Pendant

 

If you’d like to find out more about Katie’s work or purchase one of her beautiful designs here’s the link you’ll need.  Oh and did I mention that she is currently having a SALE with discounts of up to 50% off?!

Website: http://www.madebymothereagle.com/    (including her amazing blog and shop)

Facebook: http://facebook.com/MadeByMotherEagle

Twitter: @MotherEagleMade

And if you’d like to find out more about the Handmade Horizons course click here

 

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Rosie and the Boys is a creative family team with a love of colour and soft spot for parties. Our products are handcrafted with attention to detail, quality materials and a smile on our face! Inspired by Nature and designed with the latest trends in mind, we provide a range of party decorations and greetings cards with a contemporary twist.

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