Making fashion flow

Cat Nash, aka The Spoon Lady, has been upcycling cutlery into jewellery for 15 years. Here, the daughter of a fashion historian explains how she has also gone back to her roots – textiles – but in the most sustainable fashion

I grew up in a creative household, with dressmaking, knitting, crochet and embroidery part of everyday life. To have one’s own sewing machine and cutting out shears was considered a life necessity. My father owned a large collection of historical costumes and gave lectures to local groups and Societies from time to time. So, I was surrounded by shape, colour, and design from an early age. Natural then for me to study textile design at college, followed by a year working for the famous Liberty store. Later, I spent a further two years studying silversmithing and set up my own workshop, so I could work and run my own business from home.

I am now a mother to a sixteen-year-old and a wife to an amazingly tolerant husband. I work three days a week at a jeweller’s shop in Norwich. The rest of my time I run my own business, designing, making, and selling both clothing and jewellery which is 90% up cycled.

I’ve been a sustainable designer for 15 years – everyone else is late to the party! Although it all started with up-cycling sterling silver cutlery, I just desired to work with fabric again.

When the pandemic hit, I was working two jobs and making jewellery/trading at events. I wanted to make more clothing, but I had no time. In the first lockdown, I made about 350 items of clothing. For the first time ever, I had time on my hands, I designed and made the patterns as well.

I reimagine and reuse the wonderful skill and creativity of the past, such as embroidered tablecloths and fine crochet tray cloths and doilies, to make modern day original fashion. I regard this as my full-time job, and it is my passion.

I was lucky enough to be able to use the largest room in our family home as my sewing/creative room but have now moved to a studio in Norwich where the clothing hangs and can be visited by appointment, and I have a sewing area. I consider it a safe place for body conscious ladies.  

Part of our garage has been converted into a fully functional jeweller’s workshop. From here I create jewellery using items of silver that have already had a life and purpose, but that have been disregarded, and rework them into unusual desirable items of jewellery for a new era.

Fashion is changing. I believe that body inclusivity is important, so I design free flowing garments that complement a lot of body shapes, and which can be worn and look good on many sizes. I try to work in a free size way and measure each garment design. As I cut them freehand, they do vary, which helps to incorporate many more shapes.

In the summer we hit the road each weekend with the collection and trade at many music festivals across the UK. That is when I get a true understanding of what I do. I love to see people trying on my clothes and seeing themselves look different and feel comfortable – a sense of freedom perhaps?

My Style is a Boho collection of art clothing using all sorts of vintage textiles. Another reason my style is perfect for festivals is that I design for many body shapes.

I spent 10 years living and working in Chicago selling ladies fashion when I was in my 20s and take a lot of my inspiration from Donna Jessica clothing, Flax clothing, and Blue Fish clothing. Although my designs are nothing like theirs, I just realise there is a market for unusual, original, wearable, functional art which can bring freedom and joy.

Fashion from Vintage can be found at St Marys House Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1QA – via appointment on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Call Cat on 07730454782; and Sustainability Station, 16 Exchange St, Norwich NR2 1AT, Monday to Saturday; plus various music festivals up and down the country. 

Featured image of Cat Nash by Teele Dunkley