Fine City Friends: stationery & fashion accessories

As you drive into Norwich, a sign welcomes you to ‘Norwich, a fine city’ and it is this signpost that has provided the inspiration for the namesake of this fine, creative trio.

As graphic illustrators, their imaginations run wild in the trinkets that they produce. With a cute fridge magnet costing a purse-friendly 50p, owning one of their little creations won’t break the bank. Other treasures such as broaches, notepads and bags range from just £3 to £6.

Fine City Friends are no strangers to the hip craft scene either. They have been going for around three years and have had stalls at Bust Magazine’s Craftafular and the bi-monthly Clutter City fairs in Norwich.

If you can’t wait to get your mits on Fine City Friend’s cute wares, come back for Craft Crunch’s competition to win some of their inspired and stylish merchandise.

Names (from left to right): Memo (24), Gemma Correll (25) and Kate Seaward (25)
From: Norwich
Are: stationery and fashion accessory designers
Brand/label: Fine City Friends

You can find out more about them at their website here. Memo’s online shop is here, Gemma’s here and Kate’s here.

I Like Birds: fashion accessories, jewellery

Be prepared to fight your way through the adoring crowds if you want to peek at the treasure trove that is the I Like Birds stall. Each member of this trio specialises in a different discipline: sewing, enamel and jewellery-making.

In just three years, they've managed to get their work into retailers across the UK including the Red Door Gallery (Edinburgh) and Stiffkey Stores (Norfolk). Treating yourself to their designs won't break the bank either - two pairs of earrings for a tenner, a necklace for £15 or a scrabble letter ring for a fiver (I had to fight the urge to re-arrange these into rude words).

"We met when we were working with a jewellery designer and it was pretty tough to make a living back then. But we've since managed to find a balance between creativity and pricing that makes our work affordable but also allows us enough of a margin to support ourselves."













Names: Buddug, 25 (left), Emma, 25 (right) and Jessie, 29
From: Columbia Road, Shoreditch
Are: fashion accessory and jewellery designers

The trio's work can be found in stores across the UK. Check out Emma's website here, Jessie's here and Buddug's here. Catch them at their I Love Birds stall on Saturdays at Broadway Market in Hackney or at the Sunday Upmarket at Brick Lane on Sundays.