SOPHIE WOOD, BRIMSTONE: MEET THE DESIGNERS

SOPHIE WOOD, THE FEMALE BEHIND THE FEATHERS OF HAT BRAND BRIMSTONE

Sophie Wood is in-store with LDC for the first time this November and we are LOVING her beautiful collection of unisex fedoras, pork pie hats, boaters and floppy hats. 

Not only is she showcasing her pieces, but she will also be exclusively launching a brand new product with us on Saturday 24th November, 3-5pm. We can't wait to see what she has in store for us in this intimate Meet the Designer afternoon over bubbles.

What's more entry is FREE so it's the perfect Saturday afternoon treat. Sophie launched Brimstone in 2017 after a long pursuit to find the perfect Pork Pie hat and failing, therefore taking it upon herself to make it. Sophie draws inspiration from things personal to her; from her time spent living in various cities and countries to specific encounters with people and places.

The Brimstone collections are all finished by hand by Sophie in her studio. We caught up with Sophie in-store to talk about her inspirations, creative process and try to get a sneak peak into what's next for Brimstone.

Tell us a little about your brand. 
Brimstone creates hats and accessories that have been inspired by places, people and things nearest and dearest to myself. What makes us different is our focus on city living- designed by city people, for city people.

What is your creative process for creating new pieces or collections?
Usually it starts with me jotting down my ideas/inspirations and creating a mindmap with colours, shapes, fabrics, key words etc in my design journal; I then create a moodboard and get some swatches to pin on to it.

Next I sketch the design so I can really visualise the way I need to create it. From there I locate my fabrics/feathers/trims etc and start making samples. When I’ve got the right design it then gets photographed along with the others in the collection et voila!

Was there a catalyst that sparked you to start your own label?
I had been searching for months for a specific type of pork pie hat with feathers for me to wear but found I struggled to get one small enough for my head- pork pie hats are made in the main for men, so I thought to myself, ‘I’m just going to make one!’

I’m now on a one-woman-mission to prove pork pies aren’t just for men! I also saw a gap in the market for hats to be marketed exclusively to city people. There’s lots of beautiful hat companies aimed at countryside living but being a city girl myself and a big hat-wearer I wanted to create something that fit my lifestyle and the clothes I wear.

Where do you seek inspiration from for your collections?
Everywhere! A big part of Brimstone is the stories behind each design. I wanted to create pieces that meant something to me and something I could invite my customers in to be part of so they know exactly how places/people/ideas became the finished product that they are today. All the stories behind each design are detailed on my website and I share them as much as I can through social media to really engage with my customers. 

Why have you chosen to partner with LDC?
To work as a collective with LDC and the other brands involved allows Brimstone to connect IRL with its customers. As we predominately work online it is great to get the opportunity to showcase our products and get to know our customer base on a personal level.

Discover Sophie's hat in our Anti-Black Friday concept store until 25th November at 64-68 Charing Cross Road (Leicester sq station), or sign up to her free product launch event this coming Saturday here