15 in 2015

News Release: Immediate Release

December 2014/ January 2015

15 in 2015.

2015 will see the 15^th anniversary of one of Edinburgh’s most popular independent retail spaces, Concrete Wardrobe.

It is 15 years since Concrete Wardrobe was opened up by the award winning duo James Donald and Fiona McIntosh as an experimental pop up shop within the confines of Concrete Butterfly, a retail space once situated in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh’s Old Town district.

Originally set up as an experiment in the August of 2000 to sell McIntosh’s own silk screen printed textiles and Donald’s hand woven pieces, along side hand made work carefully curated from other Scottish based textile designers makers. This “experiment” very quickly expanded and became a permanent fixture and Concrete Wardrobe was launched in the December of 2000.

In 2007 Concrete Wardrobe moved premises to it’s current location, 50A Broughton Street, on the edge of Edinburgh’s Newtown, where Donald and McIntosh continue to sell and promote quality hand made pieces from Scottish based and trained designer makers. Jewellery, ceramics, glass and homewares were quickly added to the canon of textile designers that Concrete Wardrobe initially set out to promote. 

Speaking of the upcoming anniversary, McIntosh commented, “We are excited to be entering our 15^th year in business as Concrete Wardrobe and have a few planned events and offers to mark this celebratory year for Concrete Wardrobe. A lot has changed through the 15 years, but we are still dedicated to bringing quality craft made objects to Edinburgh’s high street from some of Scotland’s leading craft makers”

Concrete Wardrobe is from Monday to Saturday 11am to 7pm and Sunday 12 - 5pm.

Concrete Wardrobe 50a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA

ENDS

PR and Co-Owners: James Donald & Fiona McIntosh.

Q&A with Tessuti & PickOne

Fiona McIntosh, Tessuti:

1) Who are you and what do you do?

I'm Fiona McIntosh, a printed textile designer trading under the name

of Tessuti Printed Textiles and co-owner of Concrete Wardrobe.

2) Tell us something surprising about your studio space/education/life experiences.

I studied at the Scottish College of Textiles in Galashiels, which has now become part of Heriot Watt University.  I graguated in 1984 and set up in business a year later.  I work from my ground floor studio within the Albion Business Centre, tucked away behind the Hibernian football stadium.

3) What do you do to relax?

Although it doesn't sound very relaxing I've taken up drumming and joined a band! I'm tutored by my partner who's a drummer and is also in the band along with three other friends.

4) What advice would you give to other makers?

The best advice I can give to other makers is to follow your instincts - if it feels right, do it and persevere!

Jamed Donald, PickOne:

 1) Who are you and what do you do?

My name is James Donald and I am a hand weaver based at Coburg House Art Studios in Leith.  I think I have been working from there for the past 6 years or so.

2) Tell us something surprising about your studio space/education/life experiences.

My studio is in the basement of the building and originally this was a massive grain store, back in the day and more recently was used by Tom Kitchin as a storage space for his bits and bobs before I moved in. It’s a fairly big studio, which enables me to teach from as well as host other workshops.

In my humble opinion we have the best studios in Edinburgh in a very friendly busy space, which accommodates over 80 different artists and designer makers. I would not want to be anywhere else!

3) Where do you see your creative practice going?

Well I'd still like to be “going” to begin with! I have a few ideas up my sleeve that will keep me occupied for a wee while. Expansion is definitely on the cards.

4) Who would you like to have over for dinner?

Oh, that such an easy question to answer! I would have Alison Moyet, Dawn French and Graham Norton over for a few cheery G&T’s

5) What is the best thing about being an independent maker?

Having my own timetable and never really knowing 

what is around the corner.  I gave up my 18-year teaching job last December and I haven’t looked back! Opperchancities arise when you put yourself out there and this year I had the fantastic chance to participate in the World Crafts Council selling event  in Dongyang, China, which would never have happened had I still been tied to a regular 9 to 5.

News Release: Immediate Release

October 2014

A Duo of Distinctive Styles in the Mix

This November, Concrete Wardrobe welcomes the return of the popular Edinburgh-based textile designer/makers, PickOne and Tessuti, who will bring their distinctive styles together as joint Maker of the Month.

James Donald of PickOne and Fiona McIntosh of Tessuti will each be exhibiting the latest additions to their growing collections of covetable and highly wearable hand woven and printed textiles, plus distinctive accessories for the home.

Work by Tessuti this November will include silk and cashmere scarves, cashmere ponchos and earthenware cups.  Taking inspiration from the colours and imagery of mid century design, McIntosh creates her textile pieces by hand dying and then silk-screen printing the silk using the ‘discharge’ method, which enables her to create beautiful colour combinations whilst retaining the original soft handle of the fabric. 

PickOne will be showcasing a new range of woven ties and scarves in seasonal, on-trend colour ways.  The collection is hand woven using a mixture of lambswool, linen, dip-dyed silk, and mercerised cotton.  The pieces have double cloth weave structures, designed and manufactured from PickOne’s Leith-based studio, on a 32 shaft computerised loom.  Each piece is woven to a generous length before being hand finished, washed, air dried and partially pressed, to give each item its distinctive look and feel.

Speaking of the upcoming joint exhibition, James Donald commented, “Fiona and I are very excited about showcasing our work together again at Concrete Wardrobe this November.  As co-founders of the shop, the event has a special significance for us.”

Tessuti and PickOne will be on display at Concrete Wardrobe from 1^st to 30^th November 2014.

Concrete Wardrobe is open Monday to Saturday 11am to 7pm. (Sunday 12 - 5pm.)

Concrete Wardrobe 50a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA

ENDS

PR: Jenni Douglas. Co-Owners: James Donald & Fiona McIntosh.