Nook & Willow Interview

I went to go and see Clare Wilson, of high-end accessories company Nook & Willow, who design and make handbags and jewellery from their studio in Liverpool, to hear their story and find out how they’re changing the face of handmade goods…

Clare and her friend Nina Halliwell set up Nook & Willow almost six years ago after Nina came back from London, where she’d spent ten years training and working in footwear design and production. Clare has a background in textiles, an influence which can be seen in her designs, but says she’s always loved handbags. So, buying a job lot of leather off eBay and setting up factory in Nina’s spare bedroom, they took existing handbags apart, and made theirs up as they went along. Years later the technique is perfected and it is the high quality finish that Nook & Willow bags are known for. “It’s like a secret recipe!” Clare laughs.

With some stock made up, they organised a launch in Liverpool’s Newz bar, on a shoestring budget, not really knowing what they were doing. Clare explains, “Thinking back, I suppose we just didn’t know what to expect, not least that we’d sell all our stock that one night!” But Nook & Willow were, and still are, unique. They’re the only company in Liverpool making accessories, as opposed to clothes and inevitably Nook & Willow got off to a flying start after their launch. “We were given a free studio with internet and a phone; the press were so supportive as well. We were really lucky at the beginning”

Nook and Willow continued to grow, and soon were stocked in exclusive Liverpool shops, Peach, Cricket and Drome. They then went on to sell on asos.com after Coleen McLoughlin was pictured clutching one of their bags at the races. When stocked in these shops, they create a diffusion line for the particular shop. “We went in and saw what colours they were getting in and designed a capsule collection to co-ordinate.” Clare says. However they don’t work in seasons anymore for their own range. As they say they want their bags to be aspirational, that once you’ve bought you use all the time, and it’s not like throw away fashion. They have a core range in neutral colour ways that they just add new styles to every so often. They also offer another twist, a bespoke service whereby customers can have the bags made in many different coloured leathers and have any modifications made to the design. “Too often, handmade things are thought of as being poor quality and sold at a fair, but we’re changing the face of handmade if you like, with our quality and bespoke service.”

When the recession started, handbags took a big knock and many of Nook & Willow’s stockists had to just concentrate on the big brands, partially the reason, Clare says, for stopping working in seasons. “It is far harder now than it was at the beginning, but it’s so important to keep the momentum going” Currently, the duo’s handbags are stocked in the shop of Liverpool designer, Kirsty Doyle, and a limited number of one-offs are stocked in a local boutique. They say they want to start approaching a few shops in London and Birmingham, plus try for Selfridges and Liberty, the big dream being to get into Dover Street Market. “It’s lovely to have direct sales but getting the right stockists can really raise your profile and would help get our name better known’” Clare explains.

And getting their name known has been something which the local press have been instrumental in doing, alongside their website and press releases. They also have a PR company sending samples off to magazines and the like in London. A few years ago, they entered the ‘Grazia Businesswoman of the Year’ competition and although they didn’t win, they were shortlisted. Nook & Willow were lucky enough to be able to put their products in goodie bags which were received by celebrities including Elle McPhearson and Dannii Minogue, and also had an advert in the magazine.

Luckily for them though, Nook & Willow don’t really have any competitors, at least not in their city. Clare says, “you can’t really expect to compete with the likes of Mulberry and Chloe, and anyway I think we’ve found our own niche with ‘The Forever Bag’”

So what do their future plans involve? They would like to do collaboration with an up and coming designer as a way of breaking into fashion week. “I love Nicholas Kirkwood!” Clare exclaims, “It’s the texture, the art deco influences and the architecture, they’re all very similar influences to ours.” They would also love to have a factory to make the bags, to keep production in Liverpool.

After 6 years of Nook & Willow, does Clare have any words of wisdom? “Don’t be put off by everyone else, be focussed, take small steps, and you’ll get to where you want to be.”

Hannah Ramsay

Check out my fashion blog @ http://www.parade-blog.blogspot.com/