War & Drobe + We Resonate

Lizzie and I met and the rest, is the beautiful thing we love to call, history. It was a mutual friend of ours, Venice that thought we’d have a lot in common and introduced us at the beginning of 2019. While the three of us talked, Venice casually said, “Your headbands made from Lizzie’s vintage scarves would be really cool.” Lizzie and I looked at each other and with that a collaboration was born!

In the style of truly slow fashion we took our time bringing the idea to life. We would meet up for cups of tea at the Tate and carefully consider which silks best complimented each other. Before we knew it, it was November and our collection was coming together. In a chance encounter Lizzie introduced me to Clare, founder of Retold Vintage. We mentioned we’ll be releasing our new range of headbands soon and Clare suggested, “Why not launch them on my website?” Again, Lizzie and I found ourselves looking at one another and thinking “Why not?”.

I have to admit, when Lizzie first handed me her vintage scarves so I could start experimenting with shapes, I was nervous… to say the least. I instantly valued the trust she put in me with such precious and rare materials and I found myself hoping that I don’t mess this up! As I started cutting, I felt transported to a different time. It’s difficult not to think about who previously owned a vintage piece when you have it in your hands. I thought about the designers that created the prints and the journey it went on to end up rediscovered by Lizzie and remade by me into a headband.

It can be a challenge when collaborating to bring together two brand identities but working with Lizzie felt so natural. We have so many like-minded values and interests which fed our creation and let it grow into something really unique. The initial inspirational images Lizzie shared with me instantly resonated with me. I got to it and started working on creating the pattern which would bring our design to life. Once this was done and I had a chance to start sewing them was when I realised each headband demanded to be brought to life as an individual.

It was important to Lizzie and I that not one piece of the vintage silks we used were wasted. As with all vintage items, there are marks left behind when they were worn by previous owners who cherished them. Lizzie carefully pinned small pieces of paper onto the material as a symbol of where these imperfections could be found. As I cut the fabric, I avoided the symbols Lizzie left behind like potholes, making sure to cut around them. It meant that the making process was more laborious but we both wanted to preserve these beautiful scarves and make them wearable again. Every small piece, no matter how tiny was kept aside meaning this was a zero-waste project, something we are both really proud of.

Each headband has a character of its own and speaks a story that is told by our individual imaginations. Lizzie and I both created womenswear brands because of a love for creativity and a desire to share a story. Lizzie drew her experience at McQ to create the beautiful with only a positive impact on the world. War & Drobe was born from my mother’s personal story of defiance and my deserve to create positivity from it. This collection sees these patchworked together in larger than life hairbands for those who find beauty in what has been.

After the success of the first launch of our vintage silk headbands we have decided to keep creating them. To say we were thrilled with your positive response is a huge understatement. We cannot thank you enough for your support and shared love for the handmade and preserving precious vintage materials. Subscribers to the mailing list will be the first to know about future releases so if you haven’t yet please sign up!

With Love, Nina x