Lauren Dickinson Clarke - Behind the Designs
28th of August 2021Lauren Dickinson Clarke - Lauren's Story
Lauren Dickinson Clarke was born in a small English town where she rejoiced in drawing from an early age. Even as a child her sketches would reveal an array of imaginative and dreamlike scenarios.
Seduced by the obscure and the beautiful, Lauren studied Fashion Design where she trained in the discipline of crafting by hand. She was soon recognised for her creative talents and accepted apprenticeships with esteemed fashion houses; Mary Katrantzou and Hussein Chalayan. Before long, a revered position at Alexander McQueen had beckoned. Here, Lauren flourished and practised the art of storytelling through objects & clothing.
Lauren was inspired by the transformative qualities of beautiful clothes. She would watch intently as the stylists mixed the various garments to create a look so sublime, that it was comparable only to art. Lauren wondered whether this same interactive & artistic experience could be applied to objects within the home. After all, shouldn’t art and dreams be a part of everyday living?
And so, with a pen in her hand and a dream in her heart she pursued on a quest to create beautiful objects that would elevate any room into a whimsical & artistic experience. After months of drawing, drafting, deliberation & dreaming (and countless cups of tea) her first creation was finally born and she named it; The Creation of Madam.
The Craftsmanship
"When I entered the new and strange world of retail, I often came under pressure from retailers to manufacture our pieces in China. This request was of course based on us reducing our cost price, and in turn allowing us and the retailer to make a larger profit on our products.
I am proud to say, I have never succumb to these demands. We proudly support our local craftsmen and will always continue to do so. In my humble opinion, there is simply no worthy replacement for genuine artisans who have been honing their craft for many decades. Some businesses are born from the desire to make a profit, others are born from love of the craft.
We are most definitely the latter." - Lauren Dickinson Clarke
"Before our creations reach the hands of the talented fine bone china craftsmen, many months of drawing have taken place in my Notting Hill studio first.
Each creation starts its journey as a finely drawn ink illustration. Such drawings are a labour of love, with each and every one being drawn and re-drawn a countless number of times before being finalised.
When i'm drawing, I often think about the spirit of the piece and the way I want the customer to feel when they light their candle or sip their tea. Life is too short to simply 'create products'. What is really much more exciting, is elevating every day interactions into whimsical and artistic experiences.
After all, a house could be much more than just a home, it could be the gallery of you, your desires and your dreams." - Lauren Dickinson Clarke
WHEN IS A CANDLE NOT A CANDLE? WHEN IT'S A TOOL FOR SELF-EXPRESSION!
"At the heart of all our pieces, lies a desire to give others the means to express themselves. I believe that everyone has a creative spirit and if you can't draw or write or paint, it doesn't mean for a moment that it it's not there. What are candles really are, are a talisman which allow you to say "Hell yes i'm a Prima Donna and i'm going to own that side of me!" Or "I can't paint my heartbreak but my Poet candle says it all for me right now". So however you identify yourself and your feelings, I am making it my mission to ensure that you have a piece in your home which reflects your true you."
The Illustrations
INSPIRED BY MUSES, BROUGHT TO LIFE IN INK
"A real muse lies behind every illustration which adorns our candles; an elusive and inspirational woman who has inspired & motivated the creative process.
Lauren works with her fine-nib pen to capture the spirit of these muses in ink. Such drawings are a relentless labour of love, with each one being drafted and tweaked a countless number of times before being finalised.
Lauren's end goal is to always create illustrations which convey unique character. She hopes that through her candles, others will be able to express their own attitude & spirit."
The Fragrance
MADE HAND-IN-HAND WITH MASTER PERFUMERS
"We strive to produce scents that portray the muse behind the candle, and which allow our customers to express their own unique selves in the form of fragrance.
We work for months to produce fragrance oils that are beautiful, unknowable and full of personality. We source the finest possible ingredients from across the globe, and experiment with a number of formulas in order to produce something truly special.
We hope that you are as delighted with the outcome as we are."
The Hats!
MADE WITH LOVE
(AND SOME VERY NIMBLE FINGERS!)
"Every Lauren Dickenson Clarke candle comes accessorised with a stylish hat, carefully handmade in our delightful Notting Hill studio. Using the most exquisite trimmings we can possibly find (along with some very nimble fingers) we pick, sew, trim and polish these creations to perfection.
It’s a time-consuming process getting these details just so. But of course, we wouldn't have it any other way."
The Fine Bone China
HANDMADE IN STOKE-ON-TRENT
"Like all of our other fine bone china pieces, our candle jars and hats are handmade in England from the finest materials we could possibly source.
The china is shaped by some of the most talented artisans in England, many of whom have been shaping china for over 50 years. We take great pride in working with these craftsmen & women. Together we thrive on producing wares which are held to the highest standards of craftsmanship & imagination.
Naturally, our fine bone china clay is sustainably sourced and our candles are delicately finished with a hand-painted 22 Carat gold rim."
The Wax
All of Lauren Dickinson Clarke candles are made out of 100% Naturual Wax. This is made up of Sustainable Rapeseed Wax, derived from the oil of the yellow rape plant, Cruelty Free Beeswax producted by queen honeybees famed fairly and finally, a sprinkling of natural secret ingredients!
Check out our curated selection
We have thoroughly enjoyed curating our first selection of candles, mugs, side plates and cake stand with Lauren. You can check out our selection on our online shop by CLICKING HERE. All the candles are re-fillable with Lauren Dickensen Clarke re-fill wax, please contact us for more information.
