Kodes’ Story
6 Years On
My journey started with no craft skills and I never thought I would consider myself creative.
Six years on and I am just about to launch 50 new products asking myself “where did all this creativity come from?!?”
“Maybe my creativity
was always inside me…”
Kodes started in 2015. I knew I wanted a mustard fabric necklace (yes, I’ve been in love with Mustard for THAT long!) but I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for online or in shops on the high street. So I bought the fabric and the beads and learned how to sew the kind of necklace I was looking for. I didn’t have any sewing skills, or sewing machine skills, but I was very proud of the result!
Love for African fabrics
I’ve always been fascinated by African fabrics, so it was only natural that I started buying the ones that I felt had a bit of a retro feel or interesting colours and started creating fabric necklaces, alternating knots with wooden beads which were inside a tube I was sewing together.
It then evolved into making headbands and canvas-style bags.
My favourite part of it was visiting the busy shops in Brixton to hunt for fabric. I’ve always felt like a kid in a sweet shop and I still treasure those moments.
Then I bought a pair of earrings from Oliver Bonas and I wanted a matching necklace. Shame I couldn’t find it and so decided to get the beads and paint to make my own.
— BIRTH OF THE HAND PAINTED WOODEN LINE
New direction
The new acrylic line, 2019
I have always been fascinated by acrylic.
I like how fun and bright the sheets are and how much you can achieve by using it: from colorful animals, to bright and bold slogans.
I set myself a personal challenge: to make acrylic jewellery which instead was a touch more elegant; less fun and colorful, but with more focus on design, inspired by art deco motifs and architecture.
