An inspiring chat with the super talented Christopher Raeburn
The biggest step and catalyst for me, for my staff, whose efforts and dedication are invaluable, and for my company has been moving to our new studio in the heart of Hackney, one of the most exciting neighbourhoods in London.
The studio is a space that has allowed us to breathe, to think, to reflect, to plan, to organise our archives. Moving to the new studio has been a crystallising moment for us all as we focused on the integrity of the company and on our DNA and concentrated on its three Rs, i.e. Remade, Reduced, Recycled. Because, you see, we want to be better, we want to do less but do it better, we don’t want to just be doing stuff for the sake of it. We want to keep evolving new ideas rather than reinventing the wheel, even if we are guilty of re-releasing and reintroducing some iconic pieces from our archives, a decision that was made because we felt that we have been over-productive but also because it fits perfectly with the brand mission and vision.
The studio is a creative hub, a meeting place and a reference point for the local and the creative communities: as a matter of fact, we hold open days and workshops during which we teach our techniques to the general public. We want to run the business in a fair and transparent way, hence the big windows around the studio because we didn’t want to hide away from the local community but be part of it.
The business is now resting on really good foundations and we do have all the pillars to grow in an organic way in 2017 and beyond. The next step, but not for the immediate future, is towards retail. But we have to be extremely cautious, primarily because I want to create a unique shopping environment, a new retail concept that will mirror our studio, a space where customers can come and buy our pieces but also come and create with their hands their own unique recycled parachute silk bag, for example, because we also want to take customisation to the next level.
Retail would also allow us to branch out in areas such as furniture design and architecture as the company already has many different divisions even if we are firmly grounded in ready-to-wear. After all, the format of our new studio is applicable everywhere.
The future is also focusing even more on the Remade, the R in our DNA I am most proud of, and keeping on collaborating with other like-minded companies. We have been very fortunate to collaborate with some of the best brands in the world, including Disney, Woolmark, Fred Perry, Moncler, MCM, Clarks, Porter, Barbour, but we are also very proud of all the times we said no to potential partnerships because they just weren’t right.
http://www.christopherraeburn.co.uk/
by Peppe Orrù
