Amelia Jane Hoskins

Female

Exeter

United Kingdom

Profile Information:

Profession / role:

Designer-Maker

Company / organisation:

Shamanic Nights

Website (if you have one):

www.shamanicnights.com

My primary role in relation to fashion is:

Business Owner

I am looking to discover or buy

Organic silk, organic linen, organic cotton, bamboo,organic silk, off cuts/ends of rolls. Recycled silk and linen.

About me / About business or organisation:

AMELIA HOSKINS; sole trader business AMELIA JANE DESIGNS; fashion label SHAMANIC NIGHTS. Returning to fashion making after 25 years, I am committed to using recycled fabrics and other fabrics from sustainable sources. I use good quality cottons, linens, linen-mix, silk, with some viscose mix; almost all sourced from charity shops, which gives an extended lifetime to newish under-used cloth, saves on landfill space, and reduces my carbon footprint when I don't buy new. Its also great that the cost of fabrics donates to the local charities. Any new fabrics purchases in future must be organic or fair trade types. Ideally I will buy from cooperatives in poor countries/regions, to support womens' groups.

My starting motivation, following a long period in hospital, was to create comfortable, colourful DRESSING GOWNS and ROBES for leisure homewear, as nothing was available in good cottons and linens. From initial on line presence, I took commissions and because customers said they would wear the robes out in public, I was further inspired to plan JACKETS and DRESSES with patched fabrics.

Future work will also be patchwork bed covers featuring silk paintings; designs will be influenced by world-wide symbols representing a spiritual connection with art and ecology. Off-cuts from the painted silk lengths will then feature within the garments. New painted silk panels will be incorporated in Spring 2013 (as they were in the initial garments).

Currently testing the market with craft stalls, street stalls, and handcrafted websites. This enterprise is part time due to other teaching work, but I am happy to take made to measure commissions.

Career history / Company history:

SELF EMPLOYMENT: TEXTILES/MAKING/PAINTING

FREELANCE TEXTILE DESIGNER: Printed Furnishings 1989-95.
Studio painter for Studio Agencies who also sold my own designs world wide. Le Plongeon Designs and Jane Spencer & Associates

SILK PAINTER: Wheelcraft Heritage Centre Devon 1995-6

SEAMSTRESS:'Where are you now' Independent at Topshop 2007-11

MADE TO MEASURE: own business in Gibraltar 1980-82

HOME FURNISHINGS MAKER: Gibraltar & London 1984-94

MURAL PAINTER/FURNITURE PAINTER: 1997-2012
own business www.heritagemurals.com

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