Sharland England by Louise Roe - Content
Sharland England By Louise Roe
ART FORM
Journalist & Designer
LOCATION
London, England
COLLABORATIONS
Sharland England
IN THEIR WORDS
"Sharland was my great-granny’s name; she was elegant and fun—she decorated exquisitely but also knew how to dance on the table in bare feet. I adore that mix and hope to infuse my brand with it."
A CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS NOSTALGIC,
Sharland England brings together designs handmade by the best artisans in small communities around the world, with a focus on time-honored crafts such as embroidery, wickerwork, and pottery.
Its founder Louise Roe has worked in the fashion and lifestyle industry for over 15 years. The former fashion editor-at-large for Glamour magazine, she has also written for Vogue, Elle, The Telegraph, and House & Garden magazine. After a decade living in Los Angeles working in broadcasting, Louise and her family moved back to London. She founded Sharland England after a long-term love affair with all things rattan.
Sharland England’s world features future heirlooms full of personality, like rustic ceramics dotted with motifs that reference an antique terracotta fragment Louise found during her travels; napkins and cushions with embroidery inspired by vintage Anatolian needlework; and all-natural, handwoven rattan tables whose gentle, undulating curves echo draped fabric.
“It’s all about slow, meaningful design which creates objects that last. I love building relationships with experienced artisans to combine local and indigenous techniques with a product concept that I have begun. Tweaking a sample until it’s perfect is a lot of fun and I feel such a thrill when our customers respond with the same enthusiasm.”
The aptly titled Chez Louise is an online resource filled with tutorials and creative ideas. Louise’s own Victorian row home “in a very green, villagey pocket of London” proves a good testing ground for dozens on posts on everything from DIY Christmas ornaments, five tips for building a plastic-free household, and choosing wedding stationery.
Community is important to Louise. “It can be grass roots or colossal, as long as there’s a heart and soul to it. I’m partnering with a friend who paints beautiful stationery to host a candle-painting workshop for just ten people next week. It’s tiny but it’s meaningful, and that’s the key.”
Pam and Jenn were introduced to Louise through a mutual friend and now assist with ongoing collaborations. Louise shares, “They really care about the small details and are aware of what’s best for my brand; we constantly pull back to those core goals. We have an exciting collaboration launching next year, and another in the pipeline beyond that. We are busy!”