Giddy up and they're off...

Yes, I know the title is very vague but it's the best I can come up with at this time of night, and I didn't want to call this post 'another new style'.


Well it is a new Minus style and it is called the Saddle pouch. Why is it called the saddle pou.......... ahhhhh yes I hear you all think it does look like a horse's saddle even with a sort of stirrup. That is one of the reasons it is called the Saddle pouch, but the other is because it is great for wearing whilst riding on things, especially horses. Well, I may have made that bit up as I haven't ridden a horse since I was about 7 years old, but it has been tried on a mountain bike and it worked a treat. You see, the strap is short enough to be adjusted to fit around your waist so not only is it great for walking with but it is perfect for cycling.


The Saddle pouch can also be worn on your shoulder using the strap, or worn on a belt using the wide belt guide, or worn on your trouser/skirt belt loops by using the trigger hooks, or simply used as a clutch purse, or around your waist whether running, cycling, climbing, horse-riding, canoeing, kayaking, skateboarding, well the choice is endless.


A close-up of the stirrup.

And a close-up of the trigger hooks.

Well as they say and they're off and I am too.

Hipster plus colour update

Since the launch of the Minus hipster plus in September 2009 several of the colours have come and gone. However, all is not lost as three new colours have recently been added.

Bubblegum and pewter are the latest to be seen, and khaki green a bit before that.

So the Minus hipster plus is currently available in black, bubblegum, chocolate, khaki green, and pewter. Each one is made in a quality grade brushed cotton canvas that has a beautiful soft touch but very durable.

Two more colours for the Carrylight

The new Carrylight design has had a further two more colours added to the shop. These are bubblegum and black.

Both of the new colours suit the style perfectly, and both fabrics are made of soft brushed cotton canvas.

The new colours can be currently found here.

 

How to go from this to this?

Birmingham New street station. An icon or an eyesore?

 

 Well, apart from watching the tv news and reading local newspapers, I was quite surprised to see that Birmingham New Street station had made it into the latest issue of Surface. Yes, as of this moment, the redevelopment of this 'voted one of the worst train stations in the whole of the UK' has begun. From the era that gave us metal, concrete and 1960's car parks, this station has been with us ever since.

However, change is on the horizon...

Birmingham Newer New street station

It is regarded as being bold and brave. This it surely is... but in reply to the title's question

Answer: GBP600 million and 5 years.

Can't wait...

 

New colours for the Croissant

The Croissant is now available in another two colours, Paprika and Nettle.

Nettle has been an immediate hit since it was first introduced into my shop for the Honeycomb style, and the spicy vibrant Paprika is sure to follow suit.

Both Nettle and Paprika are a ribbed cotton canvas fabric, which is very different to corduroy. Ribbed cotton canvas is handwoven and has a much stronger and quality hand feel.

Currently available in 4 colours:  khaki green, paprika, nettle, black

The Carrylight

Easy to wear, easy to carry, and easy to use. Simply grab and go!

This is the concept of 'The Carrylight'. A new, chic bag with no fuss. The detailing is functional for either creating the shape or reinforcing the workmanship and construction. The bag is fully interlined.

What does interlining mean? Well, a great number of budget/mass-produced bags either use iron-on man made interlining, or no interlining at all. This makes the bag much easier and quicker to manufacture, and reduces costs. However, at the expense of true quality. My interlining is all 100% natural British cotton canvas, sourced from the mills of Yorkshire and made in England. Yes, this does increase the cost and making time considerably as each piece must be individually stitched inside, but a higher quality, more durable finish is achieved, as well as better shaping.

The Carrylight interior is fully lined and includes one large zip pocket, a trigger hook for keys, and three compartments for cellphones, ipods, letters, books, etc...

Currently available in new colours lime, chestnut, and vanilla. Custom colour orders are possible.

English Heritage

Traditional English shirts have always had a renowned reputation of the highest quality, and rightly so. Beautiful fabric, quality buttons, and impeccable workmanship all go into making the English shirt. However, having said that, their style is almost always very formal looking, business-like, or slightly old-fashioned.

So, this got me thinking and designing over the last few months on why not create a modern shirt that has a casual contemporary style but follows the same ethics of the traditional English shirt of high quality workmanship.

I've been developing prototypes of my shirt so that I can compare the fit and workmanship, and see which suits the Minus brand and my design the best. I will keep you posted on how I get on.