What makes us humans different from most other animals is our inherent desire to make things; tools & objects that improve our lives. It may have started out two million years ago as simple stone tools but as we have evolved, so too has our aptitude to make.
Skilled craftspeople have defined every generation since time began. From the glass-blowers of Murano, Italy, to the rug-makers of Turkey & the origami masters of Japan, we still live in a world where craft is revered despite, or perhaps because disposable & mass produced objects so define our time.
For the vast majority of human history each item we used was produced by a human hand, by someone who had learnt their craft from preceding generations. So within each object went centuries of knowledge & experience. In an age where almost everything we see & touch is standardised & churned out by a machine, the power of the handmade has never been greater & more appreciated. The work of expert craftspeople can transport us back through our own heritage whilst simultaneously connecting us to the here & now.
When I began NIXEY in 2016, I knew from the outset I wanted to find a traditional sporran maker rather than a standard handbag manufacturer to create my designs. I hoped that by turning to true Highland artisans, I could draw on a wealth of acquired knowledge & I wasn’t disappointed. The workshop I found in Perthshire was seeped in tradition yet had its feet firmly placed in the world of modern leather-making. Some years ago the workshop incorporated Nicoll Bros. into their business allowing them to draw on sporran manufacturing expertise going back to the year 1834. Inspiring the name of the first NIXEY bag, the 1834 marries together the workshops traditional techniques with modern design & leather cutting technology to create something that’s fresh & relevant.
When in 2018 the NIXEY collection grew to include tartans & tweed designs, again it was to the work of traditional craftspeople that I turned. Using weavers mills with histories dating back to the 19th century, the fabrics within our designs are proudly made in Scotland by talented artisans who design, dye, warp & weave these beautiful Scottish textiles. The fabrics have a truly timeless appeal, offering authenticity & a uniqueness which means they could only ever have been made in good old Caledonia.
In a time where we are questioning how, where & what we buy as consumers, the focus on quality over quantity is something that we certainly stand by at a NIXEY. We respect the leather each of our bags are made from & as such we are not in the business of fast fashion. Our bags are handcrafted to last, designed to be a timeless addition your wardrobe & even handed down, as the best leather items often are. It is with great pride that each of our bags represents the combined skills of a number of British artisans & our hope is that our bags will be treasured & enjoyed by generations to come.
Stone chopping tool. Utensils such as this are the first known human technological invention. This could be used to chop branches, cut meat or small bones. Copyright The British Museum.
The workshop incorporated Nicoll Bros. into their business allowing them to draw on sporran manufacturing expertise going back to the year 1834.
Scottish Weaving Mill. There are so many processes involved in creating the distinctive tartan fabric; winding, dyeing, warping, weaving, darning & finishing. Here the ecru yarn (ecru is the natural creamy white shade of wool) is wound onto special flexible cones which are used for the dyeing process. Copyright Lochcarron.
