Bare Reality and Make it British

Doesn't time fly! I've been meaning to write about our busy day on June 4th ever since. What a day it was!

The team in the factory were busy smashing production targets (they did 141% of their target which is PRETTY DARNED AWESOME) and on the same day, I went up to London to do a bunch of things,.

First up, I gave a talk at the brilliant Make It British Meet the Manufacturer trade show at Tobacco Dock. It was a beautiful morning and as I sat outside in the sunshine steeling my nerves and rehearsing my speech (Remember. No-one knows what you didn't say so don't worry if you forget anything) it was a struggle to go indoors and talk my talk but I was proud to follow the man from Dr Martens and waggled my black patent DMs at the audience before I spoke.

I spoke about ten things I've learned. They include 'no-one has a clue most of the time, and we're all doing our best to find out' and 'make it a habit to be brave' and 'ask your customers' and more. I think it went pretty well and there were some nice tweets including one from a woman who said she wanted to hug me and, happily, found me later to do so. The show itself was great - there are SO MANY things being made in Britain! We currently buy our in-pant satin labels and swing tickets from a British manufacturer but it was good to find more of them, and to meet people making jersey in the UK who have odd roll ends that they need to get rid of - if we can get hold of this stuff, even if we can only make 20 pairs of Man Pants at a time, we'll make 'em.

Then in the afternoon an appointment was cancelled so I had some time and I walked rather than tubed most of the way to the launch of the Bare Reality Project exhibition and book. It was a gloriously sunny day and it was a rare treat to be in no hurry in London. As ever, I was early to the launch and we arrived as glasses were still being set out. Held at The Canvas, Hanbury Street, was lovely to meet Canvas Director Ruth Rogers, also of Body Gossip. And then, suddenly, the place was full and it was all go. The images and associated words of the project are incredibly powerful and hearing those words read by Laura, who started the Bare Reality project, and Lucy Anne Holmes of No More Page 3, was very moving. As the night went on, all around the room women were having conversations that they might have not had before about their relationships with their breasts - it was very thought provoking.

All in all it was a busy busy day. Do check out Make It British if you want more things made right here in GB and do look out for the Bare Reality book. Enjoy both!