Evening guys, this is the first post for bloody months, the longest I have ever left my blog between writing since I started it, so I apologise. You're probably wondering if I have a good excuse though right? Well I have . . I've spent the last ten months creating a brand of my very own, exciting stuff!
Since it's October again and after my shocker of a Birthday post last year, when I was pretty down, finances getting on top of me (it's actually got a whole lot worse) and my outlook of general life (better) this year I have given success another shot - I've only gone and done something I always known I've had in me! That's to build a brand of my very own! Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling And The Stoned.
I'm going to quote myself here from last years birthday post 'My true thoughts at the minute are - if no one wants me to create for them, I will start a brand and create for myself! Would that work? Who knows but I'd love nothing more to build something I'm proud of and be my own boss'. A year on from writing those words and I'm sitting here with just that, my very own fucking brand. Everything in place, everything ready and waiting, I am actually really fucking proud of myself. I didn't start the year with the premise of going out there to start a brand, I sort of just did one thing after the other and ended up with a business. . it's a weird feeling, everything just fell into place.
I have had some luck over the last year, actually showcasing my work in an exhibition on the west coast of Scotland which was a great confidence boost in the early days of starting my journey of being a potter and working with clay. I feel like all the jobs and experience I've had over the years, has sort of put me in the perfect position to know a little bit about how a business needs to be set-up, each failure and even success in my past has all sort of taught me everything I need to know to start my own brand. The best bit about all the jobs I've had is that I've had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people along the way! I've been able to use all that to my advantage, everything from cold calling companies, liaising with printing companies, offering my services for discounts, been a people person, using the odd bit of charm here and there and being in the right place at the right time. That's not to mention all my super creative friends doing big things of their own and have generously given their time to help me along the journey from designing logo's to modelling, even lending hard cold cash, they've all being fucking legendary and I literally could not have done it without them! A huge thank you to all my pals & family, you know who you are x.
So what's the deal, what's it all about and what am I selling, what does it mean? The Rolling And The Stoned, well, what can I say, it just came to me. Clay the medium I am working with can be rolled out, the clay is then fired, turning a once soft object hard - hard as stone. Stoned also has a little wink to the olllll Jeffery, which a few of my pieces might include. The name of the brand also is a nod to the rock n' roll legends themselves, my favourite The Rolling Stones. I actually looked up Rolling Stone mag when I was researching the name and came across an amazing story, which again, it's a YouTube watch I ain't getting into right now! The Stones themselves are quintessentially British and that's exactly what I want my brand to sum up and reflect back on too!
Cups and saucers again (might have given you a little insight into what I'm making there, but wait for it) are so British, the whole fascination that Britain has with breakfast or afternoon tea is something which I have been influenced by. A lot of older style high tea sets have a royal British feel, with their coat of arms, their logo, the stamp, the seal on the pottery of which old British factory it had originated in. I love it, British pottery needs a revival, a sexy, luxury, high end shot of life once again and that's exactly what I'm bringing to the party! Oh baby you better be ready!
Here's a snippet from the About Us on my new website:
We are The Rolling and The Stoned, we're a luxury ceramics brand with a naughty side. Inspired by the subversive culture of the 70's and 80's; The Rolling and The Stoned evokes all things sexy, luxury & jet-set. Each piece tells a story from the morning after the night before, adorned with eclectic mementoes such as stubbed-out cigs, burnt matches, lipstick stains and cigarette ash.' I feel that it perfectly sums up the brand and right now that's all I have to say on the matter.
The whole journey of building a brand of my own stems back to the problems I was having this time last year and sort of the year before that, and maybe the year before that too! That was me not getting as much videography work as I wanted or having a real chance to create and brand something for a job which I bloody adore doing! Obviously with The Rolling And The Stoned I have saved a lot of cash that I would have had to spend on a videographer and photographer but I happened to know a great one who hasn't worked in months/years, always wanting a chance to prove himself. So I threw him a bone and took a chance giving him the job of branding and marketing TRATS (The Rolling and The Stoned) and oh did he deliver. . Wait that was ME!
The brand is based, designed and made all within the U.K. everything I've used down to the napkin in your order is made or based right here in the United Kingdom, supporting British companies, getting the best quality possible and keeping my carbon footprint of the brand minimal. I wanted it to be luxury, from the first impressions of the packing to what the narrative follows inside the box (which is all eco friendly by the way).
Fear not as if you just want to sit and listen to my story so far, I imagine there will be a very lengthy YouTube to watch tonight at the bottom of this post! Go check out all my YouTube's which I have been documenting from the very start, back in January. You will have to take a look across on the website, if you want the coolest espresso cup on the market, look no further! Obviously this won't be the end of the Unidentified Rocker but this is the new age of what I will be using my blog and IG for. Think of it as behind the scenes of building my brand with of course the odd mix of fashion.
As always, cheers for reading, really appreciate it!
