Satchel pieces, ready to turn in to bags
Biog
In a culture of throwaway fashion, we were always trying to find well made contemporary leather goods without the high designer price tag, because of this we set about starting SodaKitsch in 2009.
After Ashley graduated in Graphic Design and Ian finished his leatherwork night classes in Walsall, we moved to Edinburgh. Ian getting an apprenticeship with a local bag maker and Ashley completing a summerschool in printmaking.
In our spare time we set about developing ideas for contemporary leather goods & printed textiles, firstly working from a home studio and then as things developed we found studio space surrounded by like-minded artists and designers.
We exhibited at our first show in 2009 - The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Manchester & won 'Best In Show', returning again in 2010.
In 2011 we exhibited at our first international show at The Philadelphia Museum of Art's Annual Craft Show alongside many fellow Seek & Adore Makers.
We are truly passionate about the materials and processes we use sourcing only the finest quality vegetable tanned leathers and screenprint our own unique designs using eco-friendly screen printing inks, and we hope that our customers are just as passionate about their purchases as we are.
60 second interview
Q: What is your favourite colour?A: YellowQ: Who first inspired you to start making/ creating and what words of advice did they give you?A: Ashley - I was always inspired by my grandmother, she was always knitting, baking and making clothes, so much care and attention to detail went in to everything she made, I always knew I wanted to study art & design.
Ian - I was inspired by a family friend in the saddlery business, I always knew I wanted to do something creative with my hands but was unsure which direction to go in. He made me see that Leatherwork was a possibility.Q: Where and when do you most like to work?A: We most like to work in our studio at the Albion Business Centre in Edinburgh where we are surrounded by lots of artists, designers and creative businesses.
We are most productive in the evenings or on long weekends when we have lots of time to develop our ideas.Q: Which season of the year most inspires you?A: AutumnQ: What can't you work without?A: Music, We are either tuned to BBC6 music or making our way through our vast CD collection.
A cup of Tea is always essential!! Hopefully with a treat or two!Q: Whose work do you most admire?A: There are so many amazing artists and designers out there, it's very hard to choose.
We are constantly surrounded by friends that are designers and makers and they inspire us every day.
Q: What is your favourite piece of fiction and why?A: we are both huge fans of non-fiction, about musicians, designers etc. Reading about real life stories is always very inspiring.
Q: What do you do to relax?A: Riding our bikes, stopping off at local pubs for some real ale.
Going for Coffee & Cake
Q: Describe your artistic style in 3 words. A: Classic, Detailed, Bold
No one has written a review for this maker yet. Why not be the first?