the
FUTURE
At
age 30, with a unique legacy behind them, Alchemy
could be forgiven for resting on their laurels. Understandable
perhaps, but not if you’ve ever met the studio’s
designers and craftsmen – for them Alchemy has
become not just a career, but a passion. Throughout
the studio’s three decades of history, the company’s
been characterised by experimentation and innovation.
When success bred competition, it’s always acted
as a catalyst for creativity at every level. As a
small example, Alchemy always unveils their new trade
stand at the London Edge alternative fashion exhibition.
While most exhibitors favoured the traditional midnight
black and imperial purple hues of traditional Gothic,
for 2007, Alchemy’s Geoff Kayson decided to
pay tribute to one of the most Gothic episodes in
the work of the venerable Victorian author Charles
Dickens. The result, inspired by the decayed, opulent
boudoir of the macabre matriarch Miss Havisham, was
a striking space enshrouded in antique cream silk
with baroque picture frames. Geoff was only disappointed
that the rest of the team eschewed his vision of a
display cascading with cobwebs and dust!
Of
course, the core of Alchemy’s future lies
not in such stands, but what they display, and there
was no shortage of fresh lines and designs to entice
customers old and new. No company likes to tip their
hand too soon, and it’s tempting to employ
the old ‘watch this space’ adage here.
But we’re confident enough in the skills of
artisans and designers to trump cheap imitations,
to give a peak into a few imminent projects. Throughout
Alchemy’s 30 year history, we’ve concentrated
on pewter as a medium that’s perfect, both
for the results our craftsmen can achieve, and as
a way of ensuring their designs remain within the
range of our customers’ wallets. However,
we can no longer ignore the increasing demand for
Alchemy in silver, so expect a new prestige range
of metal-wear in the very near future. We’ve
also been approached by prestigious companies in
the music and fashion fields, with intriguing proposals
for some exciting new collaborations, in addition
to a few totally new concepts of our own that could
put Alchemy in the doghouse! Meanwhile, in the workshop,
Geoff has been puzzling over recreating a unique
example of medieval glassware that’s confounded
other craftsmen. We’ll yield to that temptation
to say ‘watch this space’ here, or better
still, drop our new press contact, Gavin Baddeley,
a line for the latest from the Alchemist...
For more information contact: gavin.baddeley@blueyonder.co.uk
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