March 11, 2010
davidmetnicole's david page
It had been a while since I'd visited Davidmetnicole. But I knew they'd be a great place to get props and those special little touches that set off a shot for a recent shoot. After one failed mission there - closed for a refurbishment - I returned a few weeks later. Oh, what a cornucopia of rubber stamps they have! And not mass-produced ones from China. No, these were old-fashioned stamps used in offices when filing cabinets were made of wood and phone calls were made via a switchboard. Then I came across images of their home shot for Vogue Living, and realised that I actually have the photo of the flowers in a glass lantern tucked into my reference book. It seems David and Nicole have always held a special place in my heart.
Which words best describe you? Eclectic, organised, disorganised.
What was your first job and what path have you taken since? Difficult, never been big on a "career" did mainly whatever was interested in. Worked in everything from set design, through to horticulture and forestry, to retail. Loved them all, but retail is where my heart lies!
What's the best lesson you've learnt? Double check everything, even if it sounds simple and everyone understands and it all looks fine, run through it again just to be sure.
What's your proudest achievement? The store (davidmetnicole) it¹s our own company. Not working all hours for someone else's dream and that's always the best!
What's been your best decision? To stop moving around, place to place, job to job etc and settle down. You can only truly achieve something once you stay in one spot for a while!
Who inspires you? I must say the modern "man/humanity" does not often inspire me. The world is too caught up in making money, celebrity and the next big thing to be truly interesting. I always naturally seem to be inspired by past humanity in general and the amazing things that were achieved in a time before computers, the internet, the highly mechanised world we live in today! These people were truly amazing and we owe them a lot.
What are you passionate about? Well made (anything) very rare now. The throw away society is destroying our planet and it's for all of us to step up, demand quality products that last and can be repaired and importantly ...be prepared to pay for them.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Listening and talking to my Great Great Nana. I was too young to properly have a conversation with her while she was alive and she lived through the most interesting period in human history from late Victorian through to the 60s. She died in the early nighties. She was one of Queen Victoria's official knitters and knitted all of the Queen's tea-cosies and met her several times. She survived a Zeplin attack in London during the First World War, and was an air field medic serving with a hurricane squad during the Second World War... amazing!
What are you reading? Brave new world.
shop images davidmetnicole and others via moodboard