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Queenie Browne approached Godiva in May of this year to join the designer showroom and we are ever so pleased she did. Her hand made lavender bunnies and Scottie dogs are not only super cute and Scottish they also fill the shop with the lovely smell of lavender. The beautiful framed prints are really great and at a bargain price of around £35, the perfect home gift and the embroidered framed pictures are extra special. We really love Louise's work, it's feel is very honest and homely, stylish and of course Scottish.
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| Framed Embroidered Bird |
We asked Queenie Browne to complete our Q&A
Hello,
I am …..Louise Jennifer Browne of QueenieBrowne
I
design ………A range of home interiors and women’s
accessories
When
I am creating my typical day involves ……… I am a massive fan of vintage fabrics,
embellishments and accessories which began when I spent 7 years working in a
highly reputable vintage shop in Glasgow. I spend a lot of my time rummaging
around the vast array of vintage/ charity shops in Glasgow (as well as the
internet) to find some amazing vintage fabrics and clothes that I am able to
cut and combine to create my home interior collection. I love the idea of being
able to take an unloved item of clothing and rework it into a loved item again.
When it comes to the actual design process
of my collections, this is a continued ongoing process that changes with every
collection but follows the same initial path.
My starting point for every collection
always begins with some quick 30 second sketches which then evolve and progress
into my images that I use for my greeting cards and prints. The images are then
simplified down using embroidery techniques to create the framed embroideries
and brooches and the animal shapes are then redesigned and simplified again to
create the shapes used for the lavender animals.
When
I am not designing and creating I am…………. I like to
get out and about as much as possible. I work from my own flat and it can, on
occasion, get quite lonely. So I’ll get out, talk to as many people as
possible, go and visit the galleries for inspiration and have a good old dance
to some classic 50s girls bands.
I
get inspiration from …………… As stated earlier, I am
a massive fan of the 1950s and 60s. I love the nostalgia of the bright
colourful prints of the 60s and I’ve always been obsessed with vintage tweeds
and wools. I get excited when I find a really beautiful vintage fabric.
I am also lucky enough to be constantly
surrounded by an amazingly talented group of artists and designers that I have
met throughout the years and I am constantly in awe of the amazing work they
create. I also still visit ‘The Glasgow School of Art’ to use their resources
and as a Masters graduate, it still
eludes an incredible energy. It’s such a wonderful creative hub, full of
intensely creative individuals. I still get goosebumps every time I visit.
Being
an independent designer is important to me because……Being an independent designer
is hard work, but it’s something I would never change.
Being in charge of your own working
environment, schedule and work load takes a lot of determination but seeing
your work being appreciated makes all the time and effort pay off.
Its hard work competing against the mass
market but I think QueenieBrowne is successful in creating one-off, individual
items that people buy and treasure because they know they are not mass produced
and there is not another one exactly the same. I also love that I am in charge
of my own designs and can change and tweak my collection in relation to current
trends. With another recession looming, people are yet again aware of the
importance of up cycling and handmade and I think my integration and love of
vintage fabrics and embellishments incorporates, not only unique, beautiful
fabrics but also highlights the importance of up cycling and not wasting.
I
knew I wanted to be a designer when I was…………… I
always wanting to have a career in the arts but was unsure what path to take. I
studied art and illustration and then realized that I wanted to study Textiles
at Art School. I specialized in embroidered textiles for fashion and Graduated
from The Glasgow School of Art with my Masters in Embroidered Textiles for
Fashion Construction.
Last summer however I decided to start my
own Home Interiors label as I wanted to create beautiful, individual home
accessories that were affordable and accessible to everyone and had an edge
over the mass market.
My
greatest achievement so far is ………Having the courage to go part time in my
current job and allowing myself the time I needed to create my first
QueenieBrowne collection that is now being stocked in 5 boutiques throughout
Glasgow and Edinburgh. It gives you an amazing boost when you realize that
people appreciate and believe in your work.
I
cannot live without………The amazing support of my
family and friends for this past year. If it wasn’t for my parents support and
encouragement, I would not have had the courage to go part time in my job and
make QueenieBrowne a growing success.
My
favourite thing I have ever bought or found is ………
I am an avid 1950s collector and I recently bought an amazing 1950s writing
bureau for only £30. It’s great for holding all my vintage embellishments,
embroidery threads and sewing accessories and I love how it’s turned my living
room into an 1950s time warp.
I’m finally in the decade where I feel most
comfortable.
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| Selection of Lavender Scottie Dogs |
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| Framed Applique Fox |
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| Framed Embroidered Bird |
