Last Thursday, 21st November, we launched our new collection in Bristol. It was a great evening, and a monumental one for our brand, as we welcomed Lucy from Mountain Threads into the fold! Woo hoo! Lucy's presentation about all the processes was something else. The depth and detail of what, and who, goes into each garment was captivating. Keep your eyes peeled as this information will be up on the 'process' and 'about us' pages of the website shortly. My introduction to the evening was heartfelt, emotional and a little jumbled, as ever! This is what I wanted to say : see below I thought it might be nice to read as a blog - enjoy ... Welcome everyone...
It was magical – the complexity of what Tamay & Me symbolised for both of us had been shared. What we had both been dreaming of became a reality. And there was an enormous sense of lightness that we had achieved something big.
Dearest jacket, Thank you for your beauty. The pinks the blues and and all your hues. You are so soft and gentle. You remind me of the time I spent in Vietnam back in 2008, the months I spent with Tamay and the extraordinary process of sitting and sewing for hours and hours. You helped me to come of age. You have taken me though my hippy years when I rejected the society I came from and back again into womanhood and eventually home. You have inspired me to accept some things as they are and given me the courage to change the things I can. You represent how slowly slowly stitch by stitch I can make a difference. I...
Tamay & Me is an almost all women business ... (We do have 1 man on the team.) For me, the Dzao woman represents the ancient woman. It is magnificent to see in real life. I have always romanticised the ancient woman. A connected woman. A strong woman. The Dzao women are strong. They are proud. They rule the roost at home. Almost all of them are the breadwinners. Dzao women get up between 3-4 am each day. They are farmers. They are the most exceptional embroiderers. They make their own clothes. They have lots of kids. They look after their elderly. They cook healthy fresh food everyday. They chat and gossip. They move through each day...
The Dzao people live and breathe ethical. In the West, we are trying to re-find a way of wearing clothes that don't cost the earth. The Dzao have been doing it for centuries in the most beautiful way. The Dzao make their own clothes. They make them with pride to show off their skills and their identity. Every year a Dzao woman will make themselves a new set of clothes. A pair of trousers covered in embroidery and a jacket with the finest tail piece, sleeve embroidery and a panel of embroidery on the back. The embroidery is their finest tradition. It enables them to identified as Dzao. When they go to the market, when they are on...
