What’s New

MUCCI : LDN

Fulham residents Josh Tyrrell and Indi Richardson have just launched MUCCI : LDN a new lifestyle brand offering a range of hand dyed customised Nike socks. Josh told Urban Village LDN that the idea for this venture came as a result of the trend for sneaker releases in neutral colour ways and that they saw a gap in the market to provide socks that match; works well with the trend for colour blocking tracksuit sets too!

MUCCI : LDN use eco friendly materials including the dyes and packaging ( FSC certified card). The first colourways are predominantly autumnal with plans to create pastels in Spring / Summer 2022. Urban Village LDN asked Josh how they came up with the name for their brand. “Indi had a list of baby names and Mucci was one of them. Personally I thought it was an awful baby name but it worked well with the whole cosy winter aesthetic we were aiming for. We wanted a brand name that meant something and had different connotations. When I looked up the word “Mucci” it was a term connected to Italian families who dye and stain garments which was just perfect; so we went with it”.

When we spoke to Josh and Indi they were finalising the MUCCI : LDN website which is now up and running! You can also follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mucci.ldn/ They will be adding to the range of socks but currently you can buy a pair of hand dyed Nike socks for £9.99 or a bundle ( x 3 pairs £27/ x 4 £36/x 5 £43). You can also customise your own bundle, think of it as a sock pick and mix, where you can choose your own colours from the range which currently includes nudes, neutrals, greens and yellows. We love the names: 10AM Latte, Olive, Lemoncello, Dessert Rat and Rose Quartz to name a few.

Aside from more colourways and sock styles, Josh and Indi have plans to add to the MUCCI: LDN range and told us that accessories, prints and homeware are all on the cards. We’re staying tuned and look forward to seeing what else MUCCI : LDN have in store!

Green Salon

A long held passion for the environment, a sabbatical and conversations during lockdown led to Fulham resident Lucy Johnson creating the UK’s first sustainable lifestyle consultancy; alongside Rosana Peel, her best friend since school days. The Green Salon helps consumers who don’t know where to start on their journey to lead a greener lifestyle. Lucy told Urban Village LDN “I’ve personally tried to lead a lower waste and lower carbon lifestyle and after talking to friends who wanted to do the same and hearing how hard they found making informed greener choices, I realised that I could do something to help and make it easier and convenient”.

Lucy’s background as a trained psychotherapist and an environmental journalist meant that not only was she knowledgeable about the environment but she also has an understanding of how behavioural patterns can be changed. Lucy says “I was very aware of the serious problem coming our way since the UN report was released in 2018 highlighting how devastating it would be if we go above 1.5 degrees. Seeing so much change due to Covid and with a potential climate disaster further down the road this is something everyone can make a positive contribution to”.

There are various eco makeover packages available from the Green Salon that include how to reduce your homes carbon emissions, make food shopping greener and help cut down on waste. Green Salon gift vouchers make a fantastic present for the climate change warrior in your life, and there is a sustainable brands directory, accessible to all, that lists products / services that have met Green Salon’s criteria; their researchers have done all the hard work for you, so not only do you save time but you avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing. When it comes to making conscious fashion choices Rosana, whose background is in styling and personal shopping, advises on sustainable fashion choices and is on hand to make wardrobe edits. Lucy told us “Rosana helps our clients go through their wardrobes, pulling out items that are still loved but not regularly worn showing them how, with a few nips and tucks, you can change, restyle those pieces and bring a new lease of life to garments you already own. Working with our seamstress Maria, Rosana’s seasonal edits mean you don’t need to buy new items to have that novelty factor in your life because you are coming back to clothing you already own which now has a fresh spin on it”.

So if you’re looking for sustainable alternatives tailored to your lifestyle, delivered in a comprehensive report, with links to recommended companies and need support in making the transition to a greener life, get in touch with the Green Salon team. Hit the inks below to find out more and keep your eye on their Instagram account for their “His n Hers” Christmas edit https://www.instagram.com/greensalonconsultancy/

TARKA

TARKA got in touch with Urban Village LDN as they have recently started running classes at SEACC Fulham. Founded in 2016 by Rufus Gordon-Dean, an ex-Army Captain who served in Afghanistan, he strongly believes that exercise is key to happiness, bringing positivity and perspective to one’s outlook on life. So why couldn’t this be the same for children? Rufus was also influenced by the Scandinavian approach to education; pioneers in Early Years education. TARKA’s developmental exercise classes for children aged 18 months - 7 years are specifically about encouraging organic, positive growth within children and fine-tuning individual skills at a very young age but most importantly we’re told they’re a huge amount of fun!

Oliver Lockheart told us more “TARKA is a space where children can truly be themselves, thrive within a high-energy environment and develop both new and existing friendships. They are introduced to new and wide-ranging themes, from finding the new James Bond to discovering pirate treasure, all while honing their communication, teamwork, agility and gross motor skills. Movement is at TARKA’s core, ensuring children love exercise subliminally because they don’t view it as just exercise, but as a hugely fun and interactive game surrounded by all their friends. Our games are designed to work on balance, teamwork, understanding of others, confidence, leadership skills and general core strength. A lot of these elements are key values which Rufus adopted from the Army and he wanted to instil these into TARKA. All of our Lead Instructors are trained and must undergo 40 hours of training and classes before they are sent out into the ‘field’.

TARKA have got off to a great start in Fulham “a community we’ve always wanted to integrate ourselves in, with lots of young families looking for alternative childcare and a holiday option to free up their own time” and they’re loving the space at SEACC “its new and exciting, light, modern, airy and HUGE. This gives the children loads of space to run around in and be as loud as they like. SEACC has the community at it’s heart, a space for the parents to relax in, work or chat with friends whilst the children are in class and is situated in an amazing park for outdoor summer classes”. Term ends soon but TARKA are running their holiday classes on 16/17/20/21/22 December and also have a partnership with The Hurlingham Club where they will be starting their younger classes (18 months - 3 years) next term on Friday mornings. https://www.instagram.com/tarka.london/

CircleHood at Christmas

CircleHood is a free marketplace and community app where parents can buy, sell, swap or donate second-hand baby clothes and children's items. Fulham resident Nathalie Bernadotte got in touch to tell Urban Village LDN about the launch of CircleHood’s wish list campaign to mark their first Christmas and add some sparkle for those in need. Nathalie told us “the past year has seen an increase in families in need, with many parents struggling with the idea of not being able to give their little ones what they wish for this Christmas. Since Christmas is a magical time of celebration, love, and joy, we want this Christmas to be special for all”.

Nathalie and Hulya, founders of CircleHood and mothers of three, are launching the #WISHLIST campaign to spread the magic of Christmas and help children’s wishes come true. They’re inviting all parents who are finding it hard this year “to share their little ones wish list” and are also asking all parents who are giving away their preloved children’s toys, books, and accessories to list them on CircleHood, for free. Their hope is that wishes match with pre-loved donations and result in big smiles on children’s faces on Christmas Day.

CricleHood has also been talking to organizations and charities to collect as many “wish lists” as possible. Nathalie says “It is not always easy for families to ask for help and this way, by peer-to-peer swapping, it will give everyone the opportunity to accept help. The response until now has been heartwarming with many people donating items and others ticking off gorgeous second-hand and new gifts from their children wish lists already. We believe we can turn second-hand shopping into a unique experience, saving money whilst promoting sustainability too!”. https://www.instagram.com/circlehood/