Fate London began as a collection of images on Pinterest before it was turned into an online shop earlier this year. The duo behind the brand - Louise Bliss and Saffron Hunt - had spent hours pulling together images of things they loved before having their lightbulb “let’s open a shop” moment. You can still see their boards on Pinterest and they have a very distinct and rather beautiful aesthetic which is inspired by “the muted, dreamlike feeling you get from stores in America”, says Louise. This raw, earthy feel is reflected in the range of products - think stone trivets, brass bottle openers and olive wood trays. While a lot of websites are promoting British or Scandinavian design, it’s interesting to find this range of hand-picked items from suppliers in Brooklyn, Portland and San Francisco.
Where can we find you? Online at fatelondon.com (but we like to pop up now and again)
Describe your store in five words: Home Goods Store (Our Edit)
What makes you different? It's all about sharing our favourite things that we have seen and found, whether that be images on Pinterest or items through the store. There are no seasons, brand guidelines or trends, and products are sourced from around the world enabling us to bring new ideas and designs to the surface, as well as exclusivity in the UK on a few items.
How you decide what makes the cut? We might choose something for it's design, materials or because we love the ethos and processes of the designers. Most importantly we have to love it and want to own it ourselves.
What were you doing before you did this? Louise still works at a digital agency, Saffron is a creative director/stylist.
If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? We could sit down for a few hours for this one. To choose one thing: stick by your first instincts. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
What are you most proud of? We've had some help along the way, but pretty much everything has been developed and managed by just the two of us. From developing the concept, designing and building the website, buying each product, styling the shoots and artwork... There isn't an element that we haven't produced.
Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? Our persian rug inspired towels were one of the first things we found and have always been a favourite. They look so good on the beach.
What's hot for 2013? We don't really follow trends but you can always follow what we are coveting right now on our Pinterest board here.
Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.
