At Home with JUDE

1// SETTING UP A ZONE FOR CREATIVITY

With more of my work being moved from my studio/shop to my home during lockdown, I have found that choosing a tranquil space at home, next to natural light, to setup a flexible area to be able to get inspired, has done wonders for my creativity. This is my 'creative zone' where I can just be playful and let new ideas come to life, completely separate from my 'work zone' where I focus on the daily administration and running of a small business. Practicing being in this creative space each day and using this time to sketch new ideas or taking up new handwork projects which don't require my industrial machines, I feel I can reconnect with what I love to do in a lo-fi way which has become a kind of meditation and little escape from the daily pressures of running a fashion label during lockdown. There's just something so satisfying and tactile about simply picking up a needle and thread, or pencil and paper to start creating, rather than typing on a computer keyboard or sewing on an industrial - something about the connection from the brain to the hand which comes alive!

2// CREATING BEAUTIFUL SPACES

An ongoing project I have embarked on through the numerous lockdowns, to help bring joy into my home space, is to take neglected parts of the house and turn them into beautiful spaces! This example is a landing at the top of the stairs outside my bedroom, which had just been a bare space for awhile. Since it is the first thing I see each morning when I open my bedroom door, I decided to use it to curate a little space which held some of my favourite things. Selecting objects I collected from past travels, a picture I bought from the talented Melbourne photographer Joshua Sim featuring one of our coats, some greenery I planted in interesting pots, lined with some of my favourite shoes, and the dead space suddenly came to life for me. I feel that by not following any particular rules about interior design and just creating a space that tells you a story or takes you back to some fond memories, something that is truly personal, can just lift your mood immensely.

3// MEDITATION AND VISIONING

I have always been a spiritual person, in my own way. I have always looked at the different aspects of my life as a holistic balance, whether it is the flourishing of business and creativity, to love and friendship, family and community, they all flow into each other to create a stability and harmony for me. Daily meditation has been such a vital tool in getting through some of the tougher times in lockdown, creating that little space to clear the mind, even if it just for ten minutes. A vision board of the future has also helped me to keep pushing forward, creating a personal mood board of aspirations, plans and goals has helped me to navigate some murky waters! My partner teases me that he often finds me in a cloud of incense, doing something mystical... and he's probably right! 



4// LAST BUT NOT LEAST... GETTING DRESSED!

Considering my life long love affair with fashion and clothing, this is probably highly expected! For me, laying out an outfit for the day is a meditation in itself, putting a look together while cycling through the events and tasks of the day ahead. A customer once commented that by getting dressed in his JUDE threads for the day, to walk the 5 meters to his work-from-home desk, just helped him to feel a bit more 'human'! 

In these images, I have curated some of my favourite lockdown outfits - as you can see, I am not a big fan of ironing my clothes, instead going for the 'effortlessly put together' look, well hopefully! You might have noticed that wide leg tailored and more baggy style pants have become a staple for me, creating comfort while still feeling dressed up. I have also shown how I take a base look of just two garments which I wear while working at home, to a more dressed up look with outerwear, shoes and accessories if I need to step put of the house for whatever essential reason - be it to fulfill online sales or buy groceries, I still want to have fun with layering and styling! 

LOOK 1// Here I have paired my favourite, super plush and comfy Mechi Jumper in cotton fleece with my well worn pair of Taylen Pants for an at-home look with a loungy feel. For getting slightly more dressed up to run out of the house, I throw on my Kumi Kimono Jacket which has just the right amount of warmth and comfort, while the loose shape and soft-feel wool suiting fabric helps me to not feel restricted in my daily movements. To accessorise, I have a sculptural scarf by my talented friend Wendy Voon and a pair of well loved Marsell shoes which are not only a fine suede but are also padded, talk about luxurious comfort!

LOOK 2// Finding a new way to wear my favourite all black looks while lifting a mood is to add a pop of colour! Starting off with the Marcel Jersey Shirt layered over a long sleeve and paired with the Plica Double Cuff Pant in the Italian viscose, this has actually become a very useful work-from-home outfit, balancing the comfy-lounge factor with tailored details so that you still look presentable at zoom meetings. For a quick dash out of the house to get a cup of coffee, I throw on a very well worn and loved Wren Shirt Jacket in Denim Chambray, accessorising with a gorgeous ochre coloured Wendy Voon Scarf, vintage leather belt and an old favourite pair of brogues from my friend Francesco Alosi, which have really stood the test of time. 

LOOK 3// This look really embodies comfort tailoring for me -all the hallmarks of traditional tailoring deconstructed and put back together in a different way, mixing in knitwear fabrics to make it suitable for comfortable daily wear. I have worn my Emery Jumper for a few years now and it never fails to pair back with my current pieces! Here I have combined it with the wide leg tailored Taylen Pant in linen cotton twill. To dress the look up and add a layer of warmth for going outside, I throw on the new Sevran Coat which is crafted in soft brushed Italian wool and a twill viscose ponti knit, to give it both structure and flexibility, the perfect piece to wear into spring as well. To accessorise, I have thrown on a hand loomed scarf I bought in Morocco, to lift my mood and remind me of travel memories, along with a pair of favourite Marsell leather brogues.

If you have reached the end of my speel, thank you for reading this rather long post! The unexpected free time today has suddenly brought out the writer in me. These have just been some of the simple things I have done to keep me sane through this challenging time. I would love for you to share with us your own unique ways of creating peace, joy and harmony in your home space, in the comments below! 

Love from JUDE. XOX