K Avery Stallion, founder of St Leonards, photograph by Tim Stallion

St Leonards goes UpMarket

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, St Leonards is celebrating the wealth of world-class designer makers that live in the area. There’s not one, but three designer maker events – one in the Baker Mamonova Gallery in Norman Road, and two in Kings Road (Claremont Studios and The Kave Gallery). Erica Smith caught up with K Avery Stallion of St Leonards accessories to see what she’ll be showing off this weekend…

K Avery Stallion set up her St Leonards accessories label less than four years ago. She lives and works from her home in Burton St Leonards, but sells her bags all over the world! “Just before Christmas I got my first order from a Japanese store that specialises in high-end British brands like Church’s Shoes which was established in 1873. They ordered 70 pieces from me, and they’ve just ordered another 120!”

K works in leather and natural materials. Recently she worked with the Jerwood to produce a canvas satchel – a fabulous local collaboration to rival the Ally Capellino bags sold at the Tate. She hopes to develop more items for the Jerwood shop to sell. She also aims to set up a permanent manufacturing unit in the area. Currently her bags are made in London, although some of her canvas ranges, including the Jerwood satchel, are made locally to order.

Her new range of canvas totes are proving popular locally as well as in Japan. She promises to have a couple of brand new designs on her stand at UpMarket and is looking forward to getting feedback from visitors about her prototypes, so please visit.

I asked K why she chose to exhibit locally, when her market is primarily international. She said, “I wanted to show support for this new event because St Leonards is growing as a design hub and it offers so much more than just BoHo/vintage fashion. This is a great opportunity to celebrate and market the work of professionals who are working in the area without a local shop front to sell their work. It’s as much a marketing exercise for the area as it is an opportunity for me to display my designs to a local audience.”

K will be at UpMarket in Baker Mamonova Gallery this Friday, 28 March through to Sunday 30 March. The gallery is open on Friday and Saturday from 11am to 6pm and on Sunday from 11am to 4pm and entry is £3. UpComing has the same opening times in Claremont Studios, Kings Road – and look out for the UpAbove open studios on the first floor. Over the road, Kave Gallery has a Pop-Up Flowers theme for the weekend. The ‘UP’ theme is continued with ‘Up the Walls’ by wallpaper designer Deborah Bowness at 1 London Road; a secret sample sale ‘Upstairs at the Admiral Benbow’ and a night of ‘UpBeat’ music by the Lenny’s on Saturday night at Miki’s Bar.

Plus, Whose Wearing What boutique in London Road are having a ‘DressUp’ event on Thursday 27 March.

For more information, visit Upmarket, and UpComing. To see more of K’s wonderful designs, visit St Leonards Online.

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