One Sunday wandering around Columbia Road I came across such a beautiful shop...Is this sounding like a fairy tale? Ok, I love Columbia Road the whole atmosphere, the type of people there, everything about it, in the beginning this steamed from the dreaded Sunday's when we were much younger, being dragged down through the crowds as Mum insists on having the house full of fresh flowers, to today when I can't wait for my Sunday's to stroll down and wander in all the beautiful shops, one of my favourites being one I found at the end of the flower market, Jessie Chorley. I knew I would love it just by seeing the little open across the doorway, and every single thing inside didn't fail to disappoint!! I wanted to buy the whole shop it has such a real handmade with each piece individual feeling.
I then went on to find their website, and this too had exactly the same feeling as the shop, and another little story to share. Originally from Snowdonia north Wales Jessie now lives and works in East London, since 2008 she has run this small concept store on the famous Columbia Road alongside her long term friend and fellow maker Buddug. They met whilst studying art foundation and both moved to London to study independently. In 2004 they started to collaborate realising they had similar themes within their work and also shared the same dream of one day opening a shop.
It all started one day in August 2005 with a simple stall on Broadway Market in London leading on to opening their dream shop in an attic at 146 Columbia Road and in the Summer of 2010 they moved to the ground floor of 158. Their work compliments each other beautifully, with their shop decorated in their signature vintage homemade style. Hand embroidery bunting, vintage petticoats and decoupage picture frames hang in the window an invitation almost to go back in time. Inside a traditional kitchen dresser stands adorned with an array of in-house made enamel plates and jewllery, journals and covered gift boxes lay on lace edged clothes covering vintage tables. The shop encompasses the warm feeling of discovering a one off.
Jessie specialises in hand embroidery as a form of drawing, alongside applique and colllage. Using paper machet from pages of books combined with stitching and embroidery of vintage and worn fabrics. Together these form such creative unique keepsakes, and journals, pages of books are seen alot throughout everything in the shop, ' The form of the book and traditional story telling is a constant inspiration to my practice.'
And clearly its not just me, I agree completly with all the thoughts of the shop displayed on their website....'I found Buddug Humpreys and jessie Chorley's sweet scruffy little place: An Alice in Wonderland den of bunting, prams, paper machet, tin hnadbags and handwritten love letters, its one of the most interesting looking shops that I have ever seen, a labour of love and a perfect mirror for thier stock. I could quite happily live there....'
Such cool & creative pieces I love that dress hanging in the fourth pic. :)
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