Timeless classics offer bespoke charm

The old adage “make new and mend” is being given a modern twist in Liverpool as classic, timeless bespoke jewellery booms.

Accesorising has, throughout the ages, been the aspect of an outfit that can make or break it, and with the arrival of new store Hope and Winkle it seems that the present is no different to the past.

Hope and Winkle, which opened its new store in Petticoat Lane on Liverpool’s independent Bold Street only two weeks ago, is filled with antique treasures that have a whisper of modern trends.

The newly opened store echoes the sentiments of the owner, Helen Hope’s, inspirations. Filled with old suitcases acting as viewing cases for Helen’s stunning pieces of jewelry, and adorned with scarves and other trinkets, when you step into Hope and Winkle, you feel like you have been transported back 100 years.

Helen, who studied Fashion and Textiles at Liverpool John Moores University, won a design innovation award and began designing jewellery after she graduated, but it wasn’t until recently she made it her career.

Helen said: “I went to London to design children’s wear, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do, so I left. I came back having sold my jewellery at a few markets and looked at what I could do in Liverpool. Everything I looked at was either fully booked or not the right place for me to sell my stuff, so I started my own market with my friend Faye, and sold there.”

The success of these markets has been huge – not only do they act as a great platform for Helen and Hope and Winkle, it has provided other small local businesses with a place to sell their vintage, quirky, and arty goods.

Helen is very keyed into what her customers want, and she makes it one of her priorities: “You’ve got to pay attention to what people are saying – if the price is right, people will buy. Everyone likes a little bit of luxury, especially at the moment in the credit crunch, and what I offer is bespoke jewellery without the price tag.”

When discussing her inspirations, it’s clear to see the passion Helen has for her business: “It’s all about English heritage, it’s very English, very tongue in cheek, very stylish. I like to take things that people, five years ago, wouldn’t have been seen dead in, and make it something wearable – like making a teddy brooch into a ring. Everything I make is recycled or reclaimed. If someone sees something they like, they can use it as a starting point and I can make something from it.”

Hope and Winkle is not just about recycling though, it’s also about preservation. Helen explains: “People can bring in an item that belonged to their grandparents and I can make it something wearable, something to keep.”

With her store Hope and Winkle, Helen proves that vintage isn’t a thing of the past, it is very much a thing of the present.