這天約了朋友去Hastings —— 一個位於英格蘭東南海岸的小鎮，在海邊進餐，伴著碼頭旁機動遊戲傳來震震的尖叫聲，感覺很超現實。之後我們乘巴士前往舊城區，驚喜發現不少有質素的古著店和慢活時尚店，走著走著，發現了一幢以自然米白為主調的服裝店。
「那時我來到Hastings 當侍應，有一天，我看到房東在這維多利亞時期建築物的窗戶上貼了一個出租告示，這正是我想像自己的店 —— 是一座古老的建築，具有真實性和工業感的。我和團隊花了多年時間才將這建築物修復成今天美麗的模樣。」Warp & Weft 創辦人Leida Nassir-Pour娓娓道來。
「舊城區是一個由獨立小店組成的緊密社區，儘管我們由非常不同的個體組成，作為區內的一分子，我會感覺自己在一個大圖景中發揮著作用，而且我們都盡力互相支持，發揚這社區。」
一切就從2009年開始，「我只製作人們會珍惜並保留多年的產品。我們的工作亦與重視這些原則的客人產生共鳴。」Leida認為要創造周到的設計，並具有專業工藝和優質材料的產品，需要時間和熱情，因此真實性和可持續性自然會從過程中伴隨而來的。
On this day, I hanged out with friends in Hastings, a charming coastal town on England’s southeastern shore. Dining by the sea, the sounds of screams from nearby amusement rides added a surreal touch to the atmosphere. Afterward, we hopped on a bus to the old town, where we stumbled upon an array of quality vintage shops and slow-fashion boutiques. As we wandered, we discovered a clothing store adorned in a natural, creamy white.
“When I envisaged the shop, I visualised an old building with authenticity and a feeling of industry. It was when I was working as a waitress that I saw my landlord put up a for let sign in the window of what is now my shop. The building needed a lot of work and over the years, with the help of my team, we have restored it to being the beautiful store it is today,” shared Leida Nassir-Pour, founder of Warp & Weft.
“Being part of the old town, which is a tight knit community of independent thinkers and shops, you feel that you play a part in a much bigger picture and although we’re made up of very different individuals, we all try and support each other in promoting the area.”
It all began in 2009. “It was important to me that I only make products that somebody would love and keep for years to come. The nature of our products appeals to a customer that understands the importance of these things.” Leida believes that when products are approached with thoughtful design and handcrafted and executed in quality materials, the process inherently demands time and passion. This dedication naturally fosters authenticity and sustainability.
記得當日從地下沿樓梯上一樓，轉角時立刻被車衣間吸引住，偷偷窺探工作人員在討論製作，然後一位衣著典雅剪裁獨特的女士走過來，那就是Leida，她帶我們到另一房間，裡面掛滿米白色胚布造的樣板，她向我們介紹，先選款然後可自由挑選布料度身訂造，而每個款式都有標示製作時間，而定價就會因應布料價錢和製作時間而定。
I remember ascending the stairs from the ground floor and being immediately drawn to the sewing area, where I peeked in to see staff discussing their craft. Then, a stylish woman with unique tailoring approached us—it was Leida. She guided us to another room filled with samples made from creamy white muslin. She explained how customers could choose designs and select fabrics for custom tailoring, with each style clearly labeled with its creation time, and pricing adjusted according to fabric choice and production time.
「如果要我選擇一個我最喜歡的設計… 布達佩斯民間馬甲 (Budapest Folk Gilet) 或許就是其中之一！這種設計將世界和歷史濃縮在其中。我們會為男女顧客製作這款服式，只是剪裁因體型略有不同。它在日常面料（如乾油棉）或正裝面料（如棉斜紋布）上都同樣好看。我總是喜愛看似廣受愛戴但在街上卻找不到的設計！」
15 年來，Warp & Weft 創造了一個小家庭，他們來自不同的背景 —— 戲劇、時尚或設計圈，在店面和工作室中扮演著不同的重要角色。
這裡大部分產品都是內部製造的，也有一些漂亮的手工藝品是由印度的家庭式手工業生產的。「很高興我們能夠支持他們，同時也可以為客人帶來不一樣的東西。」Leida説。
“If I had to choose a single item as my favourite: the Budapest folk gilet is probably the one! It is a design that encapsulates the world and historic influences in our garments. We make this garment for men and women, only the cut slightly differs for body shape. It looks great in an everyday fabric, such as a dry oiled cotton, but also suits a formal fabric such as a cotton moleskin. I’m always happy with a design that seems to have wide appeal but is nothing that you’d be able to find on the highstreet!”
For 15 years, Warp & Weft has cultivated a small family of artisans from various backgrounds, whether it be theatre, fashion or design, they bring with them a range of talents and experiences which are reflected in the products.
Most of their products are crafted in-house, but we also feature beautiful handmade items from reputable cottage industries in India. “It’s a pleasure to support them and to also know that we have something different to offer our customers.”
「如果我們都更重視自己和彼此，就不可能會購買廉價和不道德的產品。現在很多人都在意他們吃些什麼，從食物的來源和食品行業中動物福利的角度多加考慮，其實我們應該以完全相同的方式來考慮我們所有的選購。
令我難過的是，許多試圖保持高水準、才華橫溢的設計師、製造商和工匠都沒有得到支持。如果我們都在態度上作出小小的改變，事情就會改變了。」
“If we all valued ourselves and each other a little more, it would make it impossible to buy cheap, unethically made products. A lot of people now consider what they eat, in terms of how it is sourced and the welfare of the animals within the food industry, we should consider all of our purchases in exactly the same way.
It saddens me that a lot of talented designers, makers and craftspeople that attempt to keep standards high are not supported. If we all made small changes in our attitudes, things would change.”
「店子本身便是一件創作，需要花上大量的時間、精神和專注，所以沒有太多剩餘時間做別的事情，雖然養小狗必須要帶他去散步，也總算能迫使我暫時離開工作！」 Leida笑説。
“The shop itself is a creation that took a lot of time, dedication and focus and therefore doesn’t leave much time for anything else! Although, having a dog that demands a walk now and again does force me to leave!” Leida laughed.
