I’m Nadia, I have a passion for creativity in a variety of forms.

From a family of makers, I remember as a young child our weekends were spent collecting old glass bottle tops washed up on the shore & broken tiles from Poole Harbour, to create pieces of art using plaster.

In teenage years, I have always shopped second hand at markets and charity shops, finding fun in reusing items, living a creative and sustainable life was a natural way of living.

I would enjoy finding old retro table cloths for £1 and making then into bohemian style ponchos. Buying men’s oversized T - Shirts, reworking the collar and wearing them as an off the shoulder dress. My style has always been very ‘‘off trend’’.

During my 30s I experimented painting on various surfaces such as metal, wood, brick walls, fabrics - I loved playing with different elements.

Then painting went into a new path in 2019, when my awareness of how fast fashion impacted our planet & eco system started, after watching a documentary on the Rana Plaza collapse.

1134 garment workers died, 2500 were injured and 700 children were left without parents – an avoidable event, caused by the neglect of the safety conditions of the garment workers. The way I viewed high street brands changed.

I started researching more into the industry; the lifecycle of an item, what happened to it when it reached landfill? What impact does it have on our planet & ecosystem?

This is where F.E.R.N was unfolding.

Having worked for both high street retailers and charity chops ~ I have seen delivery trucks holding more packaging than clothing for the latest trends, to back of shop chaos where unwanted donations were sent on another truck just to become landfill. I decided to transform the energy I felt when saw the reality behind the scenes - into one of productivity.

I already had heaps of fabric off cuts and jewellery items ready to become something new. Over the years I kept certain beads & jackets thinking ‘it’s too good to throw, one day it will be of use’ …….

Values

The creations are intended for people to buy a ‘forever piece’ one that would not end up discarded next season or end up in landfill.

Help to raise awareness on the impact living a throw away society has on our planet and to encourage people to be more conscious when purchasing items and really think; How was this made? Who made this? Can I make it last?

To demonstrate that 2nd hand or reused does not mean of lower quality, it can be just as beautiful as a sparkly new item.