unusual gifts

https://www.shopcurious.com/

ShopCurious: The original online curiosity shop for slow fashion, unique accessories, unusual gifts, sustainable style, preloved clothes, handcrafted homeware, vintage clothing, wearable art, up-cycled items and arty curiosities for the Curious Cognoscenti

Founded in 2008, ShopCurious is the original online curiosity shop for slow fashion, unique accessories, arty gifts, handcrafted homewares and unusual vintage finds.

Favouring natural materials and fibres, vintage and handcrafted clothing and accessories, designs with personality and timeless style, most of the items at ShopCurious are totally unique one-offs, or are part of an exclusive limited edition. The pieces you'll see on this website are rarely available elsewhere and will only be available to you. 

Curator and Creative Director of ShopCurious, Susan Muncey, says: "Reusing, repairing and recycling are the main ways in which we can help save the planet from overconsumption and absurd levels of pollution. When I buy clothes and accessories today, nearly all are pre-owned, or vintage. That’s why, after returning to school to study for a masters at London College of Fashion, I decided to relaunch ShopCurious to help recirculate and upcycle preloved and vintage clothing and accessories, so they do not end up in landfill. As well as selling stylish things, my aim is to inspire and educate by exploring the stories and provenance associated with the pieces in our collections." 

Kyomaï: Upcycling Japanese Craft Heritage Into Timeless Accessories

The epitome of slow style, ShopCurious’s latest collection of Kyomaï clutch bags and cuffs (coming soon) is a fusion of traditional Japanese craftsmanship and French haute couture manufacture. 

Kimono are secured at the waist and the length is adjusted using obi sashes. Traditionally, obi came from the Nishijin area of Kyoto. The Emperor of Japan was based in Kyoto for 1200 years, until 1868, and, as a result, the most skilled silk weavers in Japan settled in Kyoto to supply the court with kimono and obi belts. Nishijin-Ori (“woven in Nishijin”) are the most lavish obi to be found in Japan, being made on Jacquard looms from silk and gold thread. 

Kyomaï aims to help transfer the rapidly disappearing essence of Japanese culture to the modern woman’s wardrobe, as well as perpetuating stories passed on through time-honoured symbols spun into these artfully handcrafted accessories. The company's founders were not only influenced by their taste for arts and craftsmanship, but also by their appreciation of the painstakingly detailed workmanship in Japan. They admire the way Japan has adopted and perfected techniques from all over the world, and that they honour their skilled craft workers as “Living National Treasures.” 

Maalicious: Jewellery Empowering Female Artisans In India

ShopCurious is proud to be featuring a collection by Maalicious, an inspirational jewellery brand and social enterprise established by visionary New Yorker, Poonam Thimmaiah. Set up to empower the female artisans creating its uniquely arty earrings, each of the company's pieces is dipped in 24k gold, and handmade from sustainable materials, such as clay and wood. Every item of jewellery also has its own story, as does the brand itself.  

Maalicious’s pieces are a curiously colourful combination of wood, Lambani mirror work and tassels. The Lambanis are a nomadic tribe, moving around India with their belongings and cattle. The women are known for their vibrant clothes and jewellery

Maalicious is named after the Indian word for jewellery, ‘maal’, and a playful take on the word ‘malicious’.  The founder’s heritage has been a major source of inspiration: Poonam belongs to a tribe called Kodavas in Southern India, whose distinctive culture is rapidly disappearing. The idea behind her designs is to pay homage to vanishing, traditional art forms and cultures. Each of the brand’s pieces tells a story from India’s “glorious past,” with the aim of “repurposing traditional art by giving it a modern twist.”