Ruth Cross' exquisite handcrafted purses, made from silk linen, are brought to us by Last Shoe Boutique.
They come in five wonderful shades, milk (purse on top in image 1), coral (purse underneath in image 1), avocado (image 2), scarlet (image 2) and soft pink (not shown) with printed calico inside. They measure: 12cm W (narrows to 6cm at top of clasp) x 12cm H.
'Ruth Cross' was started in November 2004. The company aims to provide unique pieces for an increasing number of people whose interests lie in pure design, rather than homogonous trends. 'Ruth Cross' products are highly unusual and desirable, inspired by traditional methods in a contemporary context. By re-thinking the process of hand-knitting they have created a collection of work from garments and accessories, to homeware and bespoke one-off projects and lighting. These conjure a feeling of history, yet their simple silhouettes are unmistakably modern. Inspiration is drawn from organic forms, which are translated into sharp and striking pieces. Their allure lies in the detail, the quality of the materials and the knowledge of how much care has gone into making them. Each piece is hand-crafted from knitting to finishing, using British knitters and the finest lambs- wool and Cotton from Scotland and England (the company is committed to supporting British industry and small businesses). This process takes about a month from beginning to end per garment, which results in only a limited number of each style ever being produced. 'Ruth Cross' fulfils the desire for the special, reflecting the current cultural shift towards life quality and the value of the individual, over global branding and commerce.
LAST - Brighton's Most Beautiful and Original Shoe Shop Last is the inspiration of Alex Herdman, who trained as a designer and shoemaker for a number of years before opening her first shop in Brighton two years ago. Alex has always been interested in clothes but her life as a shoe designer comes equally from her passion for shape and pure design, she mixes this very special flair with strong ethical convictions. In two months she will be launching her own range of Last shoes and these promise to be something very special indeed. Stroll into her shop in 3 Pool Valley, Brighton and you will experience a special treat. The shoes and accessories on show are not only beautiful, they are made from materials chosen from carefully selected sources. Take a shoe from CYDWOQ (pronounced 'sidewalk') for example. These timeless and sculptural designs are manufactured using environmentally biodegradable, water-friendly based glues. Their special, subtle colours contain no toxic chemicals, they are tanned and dyed with vegetable based constituents. Even the packaging for these shoes come from recycled materials. As one customer observed, CYDWOQ's shoes 'wear in, rather than wear out,' and this is very much the philosophy that Alex espouses in her shop. 'I want my customers to be able to choose shoes and accessories that are not only beautiful and well made but are sustainable in all senses - they are made to last. The sustainable nature of the shoes should also be reflected in the sources and also, wherever and whenever I can, I want my shoes to be 'fair trade' so I make a point of researching where they come from, who's been making them and the factories involved. I think this bond of trust is also important to my customers as well. They'll always be happy to pay a bit extra knowing that the person who made their shoes was paid a fair wage for their skills. This is how it should be.' Last also stocks handmade shoes from Italy from NDC, which are made using vegetable based dyes. Rosamosa from Austria manufactures shoes that are, in every aspect, Austrian - from the production process to the leather and stitching. There are also lovely pumps, boots and sandals from other ethically based organisations such as Buddhahood, Swear, Mellow Yellow, Ben Simon and Peter Jensen.