Global Gemz

Leren Connor, founder of fashion brand Bambis Den gives a sneak peak of her time spent in Leipzig Germany during summer 2017, and an insight into her plans to move the brand forward going into 2018...

I’m writing this blog at 5.30am on a Flixbus to Berlin, after spending a couple of days in Leipzig with my friend. It’s the 6 weeks holidays, my friend has wanted to have my mini me for a couple of weeks during the holidays since she moved out here two years back. It’s only now that my daughter is almost 10 I felt comfortable with it. So here I am on my way back to England without my left arm and chatter box. It’s crazy how quickly children grow up, it only feels like yesterday that I was bringing her home from the hospital, come October she will be double figures and rocking 10...as much as I will miss her I know she’s going to have a great time and this is such an amazing experience! I would of liked to stay in Germany for a few extra days although this defeats the point of why she’s out there, I haven’t seen my friend since last year and I would of liked to spend some more time exploring and chilling BUT work calls, that custom jacket isn’t going to sew itself and the last time I checked chairs were incapable of painting themselves!

Although it was a flying visit for me, we did manage to get a couple of activities in and Tori did show me some of the main town in Leipzig, the last time we came to visit we explored art exhibitions, food markets and the local parks so it was nice to go and see the town, which by the way is incredibly beautiful. We flew in on Wednesday to Berlin and travelled to Leipzig by the good old Flixbus, if you're a regular traveller of Europe you'll know all about these green beauties. On our arrival we hit a lovely beer garden ate some food then headed to Toris apartment, after dumping our bags we took advantage of the heat and hit the lake with Bandit (Toris very bouncy dog). It's a beautiful lake and even more captivating with the sun setting upon it, surrounded by nature walks, a small park for the kids and lots of wildlife, if you're lucky you might come across some wild pigs, deer and plenty of birds of prey. If you're visiting Leipzig I recommend you visit Lake Auensee, west of the city centre located in Wahren.

Leipzig town is a great place to see and explore, full of high buildings, original brickworks, independent shops, quant little cafes and a booming market square. Whilst wondering around we decided to take a look inside St. Nicholas Church, a popular attraction here and on entering I could see why. I'm not a religious person and generally don't spend a great deal of time in churches, however I have seen a fair few in my time and I do enjoy the history of churches, I like how each one is crafted differently from each other, from the high ceilings down to the floor works not to mention the intriguing paintings. Whether we look at them this way or not, for me churches are art especially the historical ones, I would heavily recommend you visit St. Nicholas Church as you won't be disappointed with what you see in here. 

Tori and mum Sharon have been super busy starting a new vintage business called My So Called Disco, after settling naturally the first thing I did was have gander at the rails of old treasures, and I'm happy to have walked away with a new dress to promote for them as well as a cool retro sports top...winning! And if that wasn't enough I rocked to the lake in a vintage 80s two piece, find them on Instagram and check out what vintage wears they have for you.

A few months back now I met a wonderful man called Fredde, he popped into my work with an alteration, we got chatting and before you know it we became hippie friends. Since then it’s lead me to making him a custom paisley jacket as well as manning a 10m by 4m stand at a lovely little local he's running. Before I crack on with the festival information I should probably tell you why this happened the way it did and what the stand is all about. Last year I decided to take a break from working to much, I needed to step back a little, my head was all over the place, I wasn’t focusing on my work as I usually do and I believe this was my body’s way and my heads way of saying “you need to rest” we really should listen to what our bodies need more often because if we don’t we just end up in a mess. I had plans to work on a new brand but it to be more of a movement, not just a place of fashion but a place of creativity and art full stop. Fredde asked me to trade at his festival but in all honesty I wasn’t prepared for this, mentally or stock wise. I had a great run at last year’s festival and the only pieces I have left is end of lines and sample pieces...hardly enough to dress a stall to make it look welcoming! With me taking a year off I had no intentions of stressing myself and making myself ill trying to whip up pieces, I explained my concerns to fredde and being the absolute legend that he is, we came up with a plan.

Turns out that he needed someone to man his 10m by 4m marquee as it was a mini bar, I told him about my new brand idea and he said “well there’s no time like the present, let’s combine the two” being the opportunist I am I couldn’t agree more with his statement. I do like taking my time with things to get them right but I’m also very much a go getter and if something presents itself to me, well it’s mine for the taking. We've been working closely together over the last two months and I’m seriously excited about where this could lead not to mention how cool the stand is going to look, he’s given me full control over it and is letting me do it up as I please with my brand new brand idea. I've manned and dressed many stalls at festivals and shows in general however this is going to be a bit different, it's not just going to be about what clothes and funky stuff I have in stock but more of a creative movement and even though it's actually happening I still feel totally weird putting it out there.

I'm still working things out with the new brand and even though things are getting done such as logos, designs even having other creative people on board, to me it's still not ready so I guess this festival will be a great way to test the waters it will allow me to focus and get right exactly what it is I'm trying and want to achieve with it. The things I can tell you about my new venture is this, there will be glitter and sparkles, festival attires and geek sheeks, creative entrepreneurs, workshops, music, arts and crafts, workshops and more...exciting right? I know I am but also slightly nervous, you know when you have a great idea and it's so great that it actually scares you, this is it for me but I love a challenge and I can't wait to sink my teeth in it.

The festival is called OSFEST this will be it's second year and it's located at Bent Lane, Church Broughton, Derbyshire. I love watching something grow, I've done a few small festivals and I thoroughly enjoy them more than the big ones, the intimacy is far more rewarding and watching them grow is a blessing, something I very much like being apart of. The studio has looked like a bomb site for the last two months, I'm creating a chill area for the stall so I've been busy painting chairs all different colours and designs, headbands in the making for work shops, antlers on the go for shoots, custom orders being made one of which is for the wonderful Fredde not to mention my standard work on the go...S.O.S!!! Fredde has been one of those people that come in to your life when you least expect it but also when you most need it, he's already become a friend who I feel like I've know for ages, we bounce of each other creatively, he's also got an amazing VW Camper van that he takes me out in, we're having a day at his boat this week to go over more things for the festival, I hope to see you there having all the fun, come and find me in BAMBIS DEN...did I just say that out loud? it must be real.

Festival season is upon us so there's never been a better time to go check out what's hot in the Den right now! www.etsy.com/shop/bambisden 

Hit the links to follow Bambis Den on social  -  Facebook

                                                                       -  Instagram

                                                                       -  Twitter

...and make sure to stay posted for a Global Gemz / Bambis Den collaboration happening real soon!