When I first had the idea that I wanted to start my own company using only British designers I thought that it would be so easy to stick to the original remit. However, having visited countless trade shows I went through a stage of disillusionment because I knew if I had just gone down the import route I would have been set up much quicker and the products I could sell would be much cheaper. However, I knew had I done this I would have felt a bit like selling out. The rewards have been so great because I have met some lovely people who produce exquisite work, none more so than Helen Drewett who specialises in intricate embroidered pictures. The skills that people like Helen have must be preserved and I am heartened by the return to the textile design courses on offer and it would seem there is a trend to return to the original crafts. My only criticism is that many students are not taught the basics i.e putting in a zip. Without these skills I fail to see how the construction of complicated designs can be achieved.
