Etsy Shop ShoutOut – ZUTusine

It’s a brand new Etsy Shop ShoutOut and this one goes to the Etsy shop ZUTusine!

ZUTusine is run by Charlie Arnold who says that her first love is designing and making. ZUTusine is a France-based Etsy shop and in it Charlie sells hats, including rain and sun hats as well as textile products such as aprons, bags and ponchos… All of which she sews by hand.

On a personal level, designing and creating runs in her family – her hubby David is a furniture designer and maker and  from time to time you’ll find some of his pieces in Charlie’s Etsy shop. In fact, when you visit her Etsy shop (or take a look at the treasury down below) you’ll see that her hats are sitting on a hat block which was made by David.

Charlie herself has extensive training in art and design, she graduated with an MA in Fashion from Central St. Martins School of Art and Design in London along with contemporaries like Alexander McQueen, Wakako Kishimoto, and Elisa Palomino. After graduation, Charlie got married, started a family then worked as a part time textile tutor and freelance print designer until her husband got an Arts Council Crafts residency for a year at The Bowes Museum in County Durham.

Moving can be discombobulating sometimes but Charlie seemed to take it in stride… It all started when she was asked to curate an exhibition of 1950s dress prints. After that, she worked for a number of years as a freelance curator of design exhibitions and her specialty was the works of various British designer-makers.

And then… Another move… This time to France!

Charlie and David settled down nicely and made a home with studios and workshops that reflected and showcased their creative vision and which also simultaneously housed their work and family… which now included 3 sons! 🙂

Charlie started off working with French designers from Saint Etienne on an exchange project with the UK. This eventually culminated in exhibitions in both countries. In her own words, Charlie says:

Now that we own a comfortable living and working space I have gone back to my first love of designing and making – hence, my shop on Etsy

ZUTusine opened in 2013; because she was already involved with British contemporary craft workers, Charlie said that she was always aware of Etsy from the beginning. However when she decided to be her own boss again, she knew that Etsy would be a good testing ground for her products (as well as a confidence-builder).

I asked Charlie, as I always like to ask Etsy sellers, what the inspiration is behind the products she creates. She said it stems from what she likes for herself. She says that because her clothing preference is simple, minimal, understated and stylish, though they have to be clothes that fit with her work-based, practical “craft workshop” country style life.

It is her desire that her clothing reflect her passion for a more urban, subtle, avant garde design.

She added that because she can’t really afford to buy many clothes and always has something in mind that she’s looking for but often can’t find, she sells her creations in  the hope that others will buy them, appreciate them, and provide her with valuable feedback.

Interesting tidbit: Charlie and David are working on converting a small wing of their house to make an ensuite guest room with furniture and decor designed and made by them. This is because they found that other designers and Etsy-types were interested in their lifestyle so they are hoping to market it soon on Airbnb. The goal is to have like-minded people go over there to stay and also use their studio space if they want to.

Make a note of that if you think you’d like to visit the Saint-Etienne, Rhone-Alpes region of France.

Keep your eyes on ZUTusine… Charlie is working on a couple of new product lines which will include felt hats and straw hats.

ZUTusine Treasury

Italian asymmetric velvet rain cloche with fleecy lining ZUTusine £40.00	Asymmetric Italian navy wool felt Widebrim hat ZUTusine £40.00	Cotton velvet blue black cloche rainhat with fleecy lining ZUTusine £40.00
Violet formed-felt cloche hat ZUTusine £60.00	Womens pink pinstripe gaberdine fall rainhat with yellow linen lining ZUTusine £40.00	Minimal wool felt cloche ZUTusine £40.00
Asymmetric floppy widebrim denim hat ZUTusine £40.00	New 2 piece minimal denim cloche rain hat ZUTusine £40.00	Womens widebrim denim sun hat ZUTusine £40.00
Floral Flapper rain cloche ZUTusine £40.00	Modern pink cloche hat made of vintage 60’s fabrics ZUTusine £40.00	Asymmetric two tone denim and orange cloche hat ZUTusine £40.00
Italian felted wool minimal cape ZUTusine £50.00	Vintage St Martins fashion collection wedding dress size UK8 US6 ZUTusine £500.00	Denim Waterproof Crossover back Japanese Apron ZUTusine £60.00

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