Tarr&Fether

Images from Tarr&Fether

Ongoing from my previous post about being a better shopper, I am going to be frequently unveiling some fantastic independent brands and sustainable labels that you may be interested in getting to know and possibly investing in! As I am from Sheffield I am going to be supporting my local area in particular. The North is known for many things, cue jokes about farmers and common accents, but Sheffield itself is known best for its successful manufacture of steel. We are proud of our diligent working class heritage but the determined can-do mentality hasn't been left in the dark ages. There is so much creativity and ingenuity in my homeland and since my time working for Exposed, our own entertainment and listing magazine, I have had a new revived love affair with the city.

So, in this post I go back to a feature interview I did with new jewellery label on the block, Tarr&Fether by respected fashion and music stylist Natasha Lyons. Like most printed publications there are often word limits you have to restrain to but with a blog the beauty is that posts can pretty much be as long as you can natter. I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you a gorgeous jewellery brand who is breaking the mass commodity obsession and heralding a staple stampede on hand-crafted pieces. With their discrete, barely there aesthetic this is a quiet image making a big shout for independent commerce.  

Why did you decide to create a new jewellery brand? My background is that I’ve been a fashion and music stylist for the last five years so have always been on top of fashion brands available but never found a jewellery company that I adored. I love jewellery, but more timeless pieces that you could mix and match rather then one big statement piece that you could only wear for a season, and I always found the pieces I did like were either badly made or overly priced. I had wanted to create a brand for a while, but it wasn’t until a running accident left me unable to style for a couple of months, I able to actually start Tarr & Fether.

What is the meaning behind the name? The name is from a story by my favourite author, Edgar Allan Poe – The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether, it’s a story about an insane asylum in the South of France.  The names behind the pieces of the Comrade Collection and The Inherited Collection are after good friends.

How did you go about building the branding and designs for the label? As I previously said, I used to be a fashion stylist and have worked alongside many other brands to help create their branding so it’s something I am quite able to do myself. I wanted a timeless branding that was easily recognisable and I had the super talented Lord Bunn design my logo for me.  Bunn is a good friend so he understood my likes and dislikes and the logo was designed relatively quickly! I want the customers of Tarr & Fether to be excited once they receive their jewellery, so everything is packaged in a handmade linen bag which sits inside a white linen box which again was locally produced by a company who also produces presentation boxes for Fortnum and Mason, Ralph Lauren and the Olympics to name just a few!

What was the influence behind the simple aesthetic? I love the street style in Stockholm, it’s simple, layered and timeless, I would have to say that was the inspiration for the simple aesthetics.  As I keep saying, I wanted to produce something that was purely timeless so you could wear it continuously, layer it up to make it more personal or simply wear just one piece to create a statement.  Jewellery should be fun to wear and you should enjoy picking different pieces to wear together!

Was you at all inspired by being based in Sheffield? I have to be honest and say that the currently collections weren’t inspired by Sheffield at all, The Pre Collection was sourced worldwide and the ‘diamonds’ from the Comrade Collection are from New York, however the ideas I have for the future, definitely with the men’s collections are inspired by Sheffield’s background.  I’m very proud that all of my pieces are made in Sheffield, as have my packaging and the logo was designed by a fabulous Sheffield artist, I think it’s nice to promote that it’s “Made in Sheffield” something which will live long in the new year when I am starting to hallmark all pieces I sell.

Where do you get the pieces produced? I hand make every single piece! I am such a perfectionist that I prefer to sit in my studio and make everything myself, that way I know that everything is to a standard that I would want it to be if I was the customer, plus I find it very therapeutic!

Where can you currently purchase the jewellery? You can currently buy the jewellery online www.tarrandfether.co.uk and my men’s collection is available from The Inherited Store in Broomhill

What current jewellery brands do you rate? I absolutely adore Dominic Jones’s jewellery, it’s absolutely stunning and something that’s really quick unique! Yunus & Eliza, I love their fantasy style pieces and locally I love Lui Made It, beautiful necklaces that I am lucky enough to own one of!

You say you want to oppose our insatiable appetite for fast fashion, what do you think is the driving force behind mass consumption? I think because we are constantly exposed to changing trends we want to keep “up” and stay on trend, and because shops like Primark offer you the chance to buy into these trends for less, people don’t stop to take time to really understand what styles suit their personality and body shape.  I think it’s a shame that people think they ‘have’ to buy into certain trends each season, maybe spend a little more money on a staple piece that will last you longer and you’ll be surprised how you feel towards it!

Do you think as your brand offers staple items that last it is more ecological and sustainable? I would like to think that my brand does offer staple items that are more sustainable, therefore being more ecological! Every item I make I take the time to make sure it’s solid and it’s not going to break, you don’t want to be wearing a piece of jewellery that you are constantly worrying that will break, you want it to become a part of you and almost forget your wearing it. Like I said, I make everything myself, including soldering the pieces so I know that everything is withstanding.  You’re not going to stay loyal to a company, if you the piece you previously bought from them broke after 2 wears, and I would like my customers to be loyal to the brand.

What is next for the brand, any future collections or collaborations? I have a lot of exciting plans for Tarr & Fether, I’d like to move into a bridal range for the womenswear and traditional men’s accessories to be worn with tailoring.  There are also talks with one of my celeb clients about creating a collaboration, but I cant say more!

Will you want to expand the brand in time to be available in concessions around Britain? I’d love to be able to have a shop in each major city stocking Tarr & Fether and eventually all over the world! I am currently in talks with a shop in Italy so watch this space!

Finally, what is your personal favourite piece from the Tarr&Fether collections? I have to say the Martin ring is my favourite piece from the Comrade Collection, I don’t go a day without wearing it, but I think that’s because it was the first piece I made myself.  It depends on what I’m wearing, or the plans for the day but I often load up on the rings and usually have a Herkimer diamond piece hanging around my neck – what’s a better way of advertising then wearing it yourself?!

Interview originally for Exposed magazine.