Hello! How are you? I hope you have been going well.

Things have been progressing well in the background with LEUT. I'm still in the midst of sampling colours on the fabric. Even though I have worked with fabric before, I haven't printed my own designs, so it’s all a learning process. It's exciting to see a design translated off the screen and into a tangible product. Before I update you on where I am with the printing side of things, I thought it best to go back a bit and tell you more about how things came together in terms of what I will first produce with the fabric.

With endless options when designing fabric and having a few different ideas about what I want to do, I decided to start with something that had a personal resonance.

I have been fortunate to spend time travelling throughout Japan, each time deepening an appreciation and love for Japanese people, the culture and design. I witnessed intricate Japanese craftsmanship within the textile and paper industries, learning more about how they incorporate slower methods while nurturing traditions.

The iconic Kimono, I felt, has always held such beauty, elegance and, of course, tradition. During my last trip there, I wanted to leave with one of my own, so I bought a repurposed vintage Kimono, and it is such a unique piece to wear that will always remind me of my time in Japan. So when it came to designing fabric, I couldn't think of a better template to start with, and I soon got to work with a pattern maker here in London to create a new pattern based on it.

The Kimono also signifies a lot of what I see in LEUT. From the simplicity of the pattern to creating one-off pieces made to last. Married with my simple designs, I see them being a versatile piece and one I hope becomes a treasured addition to any wardrobe.

Inevitably new ventures will always take longer than you think or possibly want them to, especially initially. But this certainly isn't my first time at the rodeo. While it's easy to romanticise fast-forwarding to a point where I have a completed piece ready to sell, and I've definitely romanticised! I'm trying to remain present at every step, enjoy the process, embrace a slower pace.

R Xx