Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair

If you want to see the best contemporary craft under one roof you must visit the annual GNCC Fair in Manchester, its an unmissable event. If you share a passion for craft + design and like to meet the makers + creators this wonderfully curated show certainly delivers. Provenance and origin is important in today’s world of the mass produced and being mindful when we invest in new items is how we need to shop. When i source new stock for the store i try to choose items that transcend fashion and seasonal looks. Buying stuff with substance that has been made with passion and soul will last you a lifetime. Below is a brief view of the selection of crafts that stood out to me, some will soon be joining us in the store.

Melina Xenaki - These stunning ceramics are made in London, her work is completely unique and she draws on her Greek heritage and her love of the raw , authentic beauty of Cycladic and early Cypriot ceramics. www.melinaxenaki.com - Cup + Cloth are very excited in showcasing Melina’s collection, keep your eyes peeled for the announcement.

Vicky Higginson Glass - This collection is inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian design and her glass ware is all hand blown. The work is sophisticated with elegant form, complemented with innovative surfaces and perfect colour combinations. A super modern collection that’s timeless and very covetable. www.vickyhigginson.com

Gabrielle Turner - Gabrielle produces these sublime vessels as showcases for her experimental glazes. Primarily working with earthenware clay, taking inspiration from weathered textures and surfaces. gaby.turner@hotmail.co.uk - A selection of Gabrielle’s work is coming soon to Cup + Cloth

Poppy Norton - This collection of design led statement jewellery comes in non traditional materials such as brass + lino + acrylic + wood. Taking inspiration from her love and knowledge of product design and architecture the collection carries a strong graphic identity. www.poppynorton.com

Print Garage - Iain Perry - Iain is an artist + screenprinter creating deeply layered + colour saturated + slow motion screen prints. He prints on wonderful textured paper as well as on wooden boards. www.printgarage.co.uk.

Marina Bauguil - working in paper porcelain, Marina’s work is inspired by the Wabi Sabi concept of beauty through imperfection. I love these dream like tiny figures, so beautiful with individual character and super sized charm. www.marinabauguil.com

Jenny Chan - Jenny celebrates the ordinary women in an extraordinary way, her figurative female sculptures are beautifully crafted and finished in sublime matt glazes. www.jennychanartworks.com

Rob Anderson Metal - Robs metal work is inspired by Japanese aesthetics sensibilities and listening to the materials inherent voice. www.robandersonmetal.co.uk

Becca Brown - The collection of story plates are created using the mono printing technique using oxide inks. These charming illustrations are conjured by strange stories and sayings. Becca builds a narrative on the surface of decorative hand built ceramics exposing brush strokes + fingerprints + making marks to accentuate the relationship between vessel and subject. www.beccabrown.co.uk

Inner Finn Ceramics - Tactile + refined slip cast porcelain vessels which are uniquely decorated and handmade from start to finish. When i picked up these sublime creations i couldn’t believe how wonderful they felt to the touch, it was the most incredible feeling, i’d liken it to an adult comfort blanket, they are absolutely divine! www.innerfinn.co.uk

cup + cloth is born

De Young Museum San Francisco.

Our Story

When Habitat finally closed its Manchester doors in 2011 it was a sad day for all the interior obsessed masses. It was one of the cities last remaining interior stores, having previously lost Heals and Skandium in Selfridges years before. The suburbs were well represented with great interior independents putting the city centre to shame. Hence this was the driving force for us to set up our online store Cup + Cloth. Deciding to start a store on line as opposed to a bricks and mortar shop to reach out to a wider audience (pop ups may be a future project). We are very excited about this new venture we're embarking on and hope you like what we bring to you!

I have always shared an affinity with Manchester, starting my design career as a clothes designer in the city, setting up the independent label Britain with a colleague in the 1980's . Enjoying Manchester during one of its greatest fashion and club scenes was amazing and to be involved amongst that entrepreneurial movement was a special time to behold. Unfortunately the Manchester bomb hit in the late 90's which sadly the business never recovered ( that's another story )

However on the rebound I set up another label called Trip Fontaine, it was extremely successful and provided me with a couple of very exciting years making and customising T-shirts and jeans for great independents around the UK and USA, gaining great press coverage whilst selling my clothes to fashion editors and iconic folk of the time. All this whilst I embarked on a degree course studying Printed Textiles at Manchester school of Art www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk . Gaining a career in Textile Design, working in one of the countries last remaining Silk Mills in Macclesfield. Making 'things' has never left me, along with visiting craft events like the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Show www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk in Manchester and Origins in London www.craftcouncil.org.uk , has provided a constant source of inspiration. I was lucky to visit San Francisco last year, a vibrant, cultural mecca, full of small + independent designer + maker stores, established by people doing what they love. On my return I knew I wanted to create something equally inspiring and Cup + Cloth was born.

Creative mood boards in the Cup + Cloth headquarters.

Our aim is to buy, whenever possible, from Northern independent designers + makers and to support our local creators. Sourcing new talent from the nearby Universities at the degree shows is always our first port of call. The excitement of seeking out new talent and inspirational wares is what Cup + Cloth is about. We have discovered wonderful designer goods from visiting these shows. The rest of the UK will also be explored to seek out new finds, to join the carefully curated selection of home produced goods and are categorised in the Made section of the store.

Designers

Joe Hartley

Amongst our Northern designer + makers, we would like to introduce to you Joe Hartley and his wonderfully pure ceramics produced from his Manchester studio. He graduated from MMU in 2012 and went on to win the prestigious New Designer of the year, his feet have not touched the floor since.  When Joe isn’t throwing beautifully turned vessels you will find him with the arts based collective Makers Dozen and project managing the Pilcrow Pub project www.thepilcrowpub.com

Cup + Cloth is honoured to work with such a talented guy, his range of sublime and honest ceramics can be found in our MADE section of the store.

Joe Hartley in his studio. Photo courtesy of Rob Evens.