Face Behind the Workspace is an opportunity to peek into the often private spaces in which we work, to learn how others organise themselves and create a habitat where they feel inspired.
In this edition, we hear from Patrick Grant, the Scottish designer, founder of Community Clothing and presenter of the Great British Sewing Bee. This year we created a new range of notebooks for Community Clothing, out of their denim offcuts collected in the cutting room at their Lancashire jeans factory.
Patrick's desk at home in Lancashire
What’s the best workspace you’ve ever had?
I had the most amazing studio years back on the River Thames in Wapping in Metropolitan Wharf — huge windows and a goods door opening right onto the water with the most amazing view across to the Isle of Dogs and Canary Wharf. Pretty much like the view across the Hudson River to Manhattan. It was incredible. And then they built the Overground and the rent quadrupled.
The building is on fire — what single item do you grab from your desk?
Jeez, that’s hard, I’ve several treasures on it — a lamp that was my Grannie's, a little yellow glazed ceramic pot that my girlfriend made for me, and a miniature Superlambanana would all get swept up somehow.
What helps you concentrate?
A good night's sleep, cycling or hill walking, and abstaining from booze.
Is there a soundtrack to your workspace?
No, I work much better in a quiet space.
What is your earliest memory of paper?
Probably sugar paper at nursery?
What makes a good notebook?
For me, consistency. I date all of my notebooks, and stack them next to one another chronologically in my bookcase. I like them to line up like a neat row of soldiers.
What would be your top picks from the Mark+Fold range?
The Mark+Fold for Community Clothing A5 Notebooks, indigo and blue.
What do you love most about your work?
The people, the places, the stories, and making great product. I'm lucky to have built the company that I’d most like to work in.
What inspires you?
Everything, everywhere, all the time. I take photographs endlessly, and email myself five times a day some days with the things I hear or see or people tell me about. I'm probably the person I get most emails from.
What career advice would you give to your teenage self?
I can't really rememeber the careers advice I got but I can be 100% certain it had nothing to do with what I do now. So I guess, don’t be afraid to ignore your careers advice.
What aspect of your work are you most proud of?
The positive impact Community Clothing is having – almost 400,000 hours of good work created here in the UK, and counting.
