GRAYSON PERRY ON CRAFT & AUTHENTICITY

I finally made it down to the British Museum yesterday to see the much lauded Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman exhibition by Grayson Perry.

A couple of quotes stood out:

'Craftsmen make artefacts they think will appeal to visitors from abroad. Sometimes they get it wrong in a charming way. Creativity is often just mistakes.'

'I love fakes for they make us think about what it is we see in the authentic. About how much of our awe in front of a great historical artefact is in its inherent beauty and how much is to do with its auspicious provenance.'

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The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman runs until the 26th February 2012. (Note that tickets are now near impossible to come by, but don't let that stop you trying - it is as good as the reviews say.)

Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Europe from Zimbio

INNOVATION IN FACTORIES

"Innovation doesn't just happen in laboratories by researchers. It happens on the factory floor. The process of making stuff helps you experiment and produce new products. If everything is made in China, people there will gain the skills, knowledge and experience to innovate. And we will be left behind."

Andrew Liveris, CEO of Dow Chemical Co., and author of Make it in America, in Time Magazine, February 6, 2012, p25.

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Footnote: Obviously Mr Liveris' quote was not intended to be applied to Britain. However, I do think it is pertinent.

Photo from the Brompton factory visit, taken in March 2011

JOHN JOSEPH HANNA OF HANNA HATS

"The drive is passion. And pride. When you take all the heritage that you were born with - it's in your blood - and you carry it on, that's the driving force. But if you haven't got the respect and love for the garment and the tweed - to nurture and put it all together - then you ain't going to go anywhere. I think that has died in a lot of companies in Ireland, and England, and the world over. That's what has died.

"I think if small and medium-sized companies - who have had that in the past can relight that, ignite it again and get that drive and passion, and pride, then there is a great vacuum there in the world today for great products that come with that pride. But the passion will be seen in the finished product. There is a market there for it. I think it can be re-established, and employment can go on the up-scale, if we can instill that in the minds of people again."

John Joseph Hanna (of Hanna Hats) from Donegal Town in Ireland, in Conversations on the Coast by Nick Hand.

QUOTE : TIM LITTLE, CREATIVE DIRECTOR & OWNER OF GRENSON

"Our founder, William Green... had begun by travelling to London and taking orders from the finest shops of the time. He would then come back to Rushden and give the work to the craftsmen who all worked from home. When each part of the shoe was ready he would pick them up and take them to the next house where the next phase of the process was completed. After a few years his business had grown enough to create the need for a factory where the workers could come in and work together in a production line, thus making the process quicker and more efficient. We are currently in his second factory, that he built in 1895. "William Green and son" was shortened to Grenson at the start of the 20th century amid a fashion for "brand names"."

Taken from Tenue de Nimes, Issue 8

Photo from Harrison A

PHILIP GREEN CONSIDERS MOVING PRODUCTION BACK TO UK FACTORIES

According to Reuters, Philip Green, the chief of the Arcadia Group, has joined the conversation on UK manufacturing. M&I thinks it is promising that someone of his stature should be considering shifting some production back to Britain.

"When the market is as it is you want to manage as near home as you can. That's why there's some debate about UK manufacturing and people actually opening some new factories," Green told the Retail Week conference.

"Is suddenly all our production coming back here? No. Is there an opportunity to do some production here? Hopefully there is and we're going to try," Green added.

Image from Cooper Stollbrand, Manchester (one of the factories that has recently produced items for Topshop, part of the Arcadia Group)

APC CHIEF 'COMMITTED TO SCOTTISH KNITWEAR'

'I am committed now to wearing Scottish knitwear. I consider it a political statement. It's not even that much more expensive than Chinese knits and it lasts a lot longer.'

It's not often that we enjoy reading interviews with fashion designers but this one with APC chief Jean Touitou in Hint Fashion Magazine made us smile.

A good weekend to all our readers.

Factory image from Robert Noble

DYSON : CHAMPIONING UK MANUFACTURING

'The UK needs to rediscover its talent for making things.' Sir James Dyson, 2010
(from Dezeen)

A GOOD QUOTE OR TWO FROM NIGEL CABOURN

'I've got a real integrity to what I do. I make everything in England, which isn't easy these days. It's a labour of love.'

'I'm not really interested in doing things that don't work in the long term. All of the fabrics I use are really wonderful, really practical. It's clothing for men, after all.'

Taken from a short piece featuring Mr. Nigel Cabourn in GQ Essentials / Autumn+Winter 2010.

Image from Journal de Nimes