What the heck is going on at Cecily Clune?!
A 'sticky beak' look at behind the scenes...
This is how my desk looks right now- the happiest of places experimenting with cardboard and glue! If there is magic to be made, it has to start here, with very humble origins. The tools of trade are graph paper, a flexible curve, set square, cardboard, scissors, glue and paper tape! Cardboard creations emerge and are worn for days testing how they wear and how they look until I fall in love with it. Then and only then - do we progress to a professional model. I hope you will find this interesting? I always am curious about other people's lives and so I thought you might want to know what's been going on at Cecily Clune because we have been awfully quiet for a long time. Knee surgery and Covid have played their part...both stopped me from travelling and walking - production became impossible!
In Production Right Now
We are in production as I write with a new design, a repeated favourite and a re interpretation of that favourite 🤔 🕵️
My small factory in Hui Zhou, owned and managed by the impeccable Mr. Oshima, offers next level workmanship. I trust everything they make - they are meticulous in their details. Edge paint is my benchmark of how well a product is made. Theirs is done by hand ensuring it will not peel or crack. Here are the zipper headers drying after the edge paint has been applied.
The products made by hand in this small factory are luxury because of the individual attention and the high level of craftsmanship. It is up to me to provide the design and the raw materials. I do this to the best of my ability.
Sneak Peak at What's Coming Very Soon
We are using some new leathers this time for Cecily Clune - pebbled leather from near Venice in Italy - in four colours- soft pink, tourterelle grey, orange, and traditional black. We are also making a new design in an experimental leather - just a sampling quantity to see if you like it. It is a leather developed by a large global brand for their bags that we saw in the tannery and made it our own by using the same technology but changing the print. It is lizard printed but on rubberised leather- I absolutely love it - it's intensely matte black, absorbs the light and looks very very chic with the tiny lizard print. It is also water repellant. Cannot wait to show you. If you like it, I will make more as only a handful will be made this time.
Plans for 2022
Finally, travel plans are afoot! I am heading to Izmir in Turkey in December to discuss plans with a small family run atelier to use the exceptional resources available in this country. Hint. The LV tannery is next door! 2022 will see Cecily Clune reaching a little more internationally by collaborating with curated online marketplaces for designers - one has physical shops in London, NYC and soon Sydney - I intend to use these! However, we will always remain a direct to consumer brand with Cecily Clune control.
Choices to Make - Talk to us!
There are so many decisions to make and so many choices. Talk to us!! The creative process is always a collaboration and sometimes the designer's vision must bow to the needs and wants of our customers. You want a wide strap - we will make it. You want a softer construction- we hear you.
It is super important that I ask, engage and listen with you and I want you to respond.
Tell us what you think - reviews, photos, replies to emails, blogs and social media - whatever, have your say! It will only result in us learning and creating better and better products that you want to use.
What You Told Us This Week
I cannot tell you how happy it made us to receive numerous responses to my email about Black Friday and our decision NOT to give a discount. It was affirming to know that our values aligned - we put heart and soul and immense effort into making every product at Cecily Clune perfect - and we offer it at the lowest price we can. Discounting devalues the items that our skilled artisans have put their hearts and hard work into.
We believe in buying something not because it’s cheap, but because you love it. We believe in 'buy less, buy better'. This is why we don't markdown our bags. They are for years, not seasons.
If you treasure something that is beautiful, excellent and you can’t stop looking at it, chances are you will not be concerned about whether it was discounted or not! Timeless design and excellent quality, made to last, is a treasure that passes from one generation to the next. We encourage you to join our LIST- this is where we can offer you value and inside intel about all things Cecily Clune.
Made by Cecily Clune
Everything we make at Cecily Clune must have these 5 benefits:
Character Quality Beauty Integrity Heritage.
Thank you for reading this blog and we hope we can bring you some products next year that you will treasure.
We would love you to join our LIST to be a part of the journey.
Kindest
Libby Thomson
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