I recently visited Craft Central, an organisation which has supported and nurtured British design talent for over 30 years, for its bi-annual open studios event Made in Clerkenwell, promoting excellent craft and design.
Housed in two Victorian buildings, over 100 UK designers showcased ceramics, jewellery, interiors gifts and one-off fashion pieces alongside traditional and contemporary crafts. It was lovely spending an afternoon sipping mulled wine and choosing Christmas presents, as buying handmade is much more personal than gifts from the high street, especially when you can meet the makers or commission unique pieces.
Plenty caught my eye - like this delicate porcelain teapot from London-based Japanese ceramic artist Makiko Nakamura and this quirky silver handcuff necklace by Jessica de Lotz - but the only thing I bought for myself was a silver handmade hair accessory from milliner Rachel Black.
The British designer was fed up of seeing hats that wear women so created a range of elegant, stylish headwear which women can feel comfortable wearing. This simple, striking butterfly clip is so versatile; it can be worn to the races or a wedding as an alternative to the now-obligatory boring fascinators, but it's smart and discreet enough to wear for work. Because life is too short for saving things for special occasions, that's what I say...
