Archive
'Making Everyday funny' - These products have ambitions beyong sitting around looking pretty. They are attention seekers. They want to make you think. And smile. Conceptual yet commercial, subtley subversive and darkly humorous, the products are attributed a life and personality beyond their function.
These are all my own-brand products, from my first babies the 'Exorcise Book', 'JigsawJigsaw' and 'Castles in the Sky' vase launched in 2006 up to the 'G n Tea' range of ceramics from 2015. For all of these I came up with the concepts, developed the designs, researched manufacturers and outsourced the production.
I have sold my products to many fantastic stockists including Tate Modern, Selfridges, Le Bon Marche in Paris and the Design Museum to name a few.
My company has evolved to now specialising in creating bespoke product ranges, events and workshops for Museums and Galleries and licensing ideas to leading gift companies to develop and sell worldwide.
.........
Many moons ago in 2007, Product Of Your Environment was born in a
disused building in East London - part of the London Design Festival. I
wasn't completely sure what I was doing but the launch night involved
lots of champagne and supportive friends so that seemed fine. The result
of months of blood, sweat and tears, I launched myself and my products
into the unknown. Cue MASSIVE learning curve as, though I was armed with
a BA and a Masters neither of them were in product design... My first 3
babies were the 'Exorcise Book', 'JigsawJigsaw' and 'Castles In The Sky' vase. Their birth was a bit painful (sharp corners, splinters) but I loved them and was very proud.
I went home after the first day with orders - ACTUAL ORDERS! - clutched tight to my chest, including one from Colette store, who I had not heard of. Yes, THE uber cool Colette store in Paris. The buyer had asked me to let her know when they ship. Sure I said, no problem. SHIP? I need to send them by BOAT to PARIS?
Luckily for everyone involved, I have come a long way since then,
adding to my own-brand products every year, all of which you can see here. I
have sold my products to many fantastic stockists including Tate Modern,
Selfridges and Design Museum. I also started attracting commissions
from museum and gallery shops and licensing my ideas to leading gift companies which I didn't even know was a thing when I first started out.
I stopped producing my own brand products in
2017 to focus exclusively on creating bespoke products for
museum and gallery shops.
And the Colette order? Sent by courier. Not boat. Obvs.
