We were honoured to sponsor this year’s Wirral Bazaar hosted by the wonderful North West Cancer charity at Thornton Manor and met so many wonderful people and were introduced to some fantastic small brands. Here we show some of the best and the brightest offerings from this years’ bazaar…
To begin with, the marquee was beautifully decorated with hanging string lights and soft white everywhere. The delicate tones of a live choir drifted through from the refreshments room thanks to SingMe Merseyside as people drifted from stall to stall admiring the exquisite displays of homemade gifts and artisan crafts.
The first stall to catch my eye (thanks to their brilliant branding and costume skills) was Grasmere Gingerbread. The friendly proprietor was dressed in traditional garb to complement the history and authenticity of the company, having traded since 1854! The way they have carried the signature blue colour all the way through their product packaging right down to the stall decor was immaculate. We were pleased to see their well-known fresh gingerbread being sold by the block to many happy customers.
The next stall to draw my attention was the interesting Fruits of the Forage, a Macclesfield brother duo creating award-winning wild preserves, cordials and spirits from fruit that would otherwise go to waste. What’s great about their products is the way the ingredients are shown on the front of the bottle or jar. Even their website cleverly displays what goes into each item, with a general “homemade” style and “rustic” feeling about it. They kindly had plenty of products open for sampling and the whole stall was excellently displayed with a knowledgeable and personable employee.
The next stop was this quirky, brilliant homeware from a company called Indigo Prawn run by the eclectic Alex Johnstone. On display were a range of colourful tea towels and patterned aprons, bottles, trays and all sorts of exciting-looking homewares. What stood out for me is the bright logo featuring their namesake, the prawn – displayed on stickers and cardboard banding across the range, contrasting with the different bright colours of the fabrics, all designed by the owner herself. A memorable brand at this event.
Now, for one of my favourite-looking designs, and completely handcrafted logo is the stunningly simple yet elegant branding from Fino Olive Oil. You may well have heard of Fino as they are stocked in quite a few farm shops across England, providing excellent quality olive oil, balsamics and savoury jams. The hand-painted design of the olives goes great against the vivid green/yellow of the oil and even better against the dark backdrop of the balsamic vinegars. What I thought was particularly great was that when the logo can’t fit on the bottle, they still have the delicate yet bold “fino” typeface across the top, along with the instantly recognisable Great Taste award stickers. Susie (the founder of the company) has a great story on her web page about how the business got started, if you’re interested in learning more about the authenticity of these oils and just how good they are.
Although not on social media, this next company has definitely achieved an aesthetically pleasing display and I believe, would do fantastically well in online sales if targeted to the right audience(!) These luxurious printed scarves from Malthouse Sales blew me away, not just with their designs but how soft they felt and how elegantly they sit. It was cleverly set up to show you the different ways you could wear their scarves with complementing accessories. The proprietor, Julia was passionate and happy to talk about her lovely prints understanding the importance of good quality versus cheap fast-fashion available online. The only thing missing from this stall is some clear branding and packaging which can be carried through to the website and social channels with a bit of effort and time to build brand awareness up.
Unfortunately, we didn’t take many photographs or stay long at this next stall due to time constraints but the giftware on offer was absolutely delightful. Just look at those adorable miniature porcelain figures complete with quaint gift boxes! We highly recommend checking out their Facebook page because Wild Moss has curated such an impeccable collection of thoughtful and sweet gifts and trinkets that would be perfect for just about any occasion. It was truly lovely to meet the girls behind the brand here, and you can really feel the love that’s been put into this company and how proud of its image they are.
Nearing the end of our tour of this year’s Wirral Bazaar, we were glad to come across a beautifully laid out stall courtesy of Marsden & Whittle, a Cheshire based home fragrance store dealing in luxury hand wash, reed diffusers, room mists, and more. What instantly stood out about this magnificently set up table was the consistent branding across all the products and price labels. The style of their logo screams luxury thanks to the baroque-esque design and gold accent – even the business cards felt glam thanks to its thick, glossy, embossed design. You can tell before even sampling the product that it’s going to deliver, and after trying the hand lotion we can confirm – it’s a huge yes from us!
Saving my favourite for last, the stall we’d like to feature (and the one we probably spent the most time at!) is the wonderful world of Martha Loves – partly because of how great the owner and staff are but mostly because of how eye-catching and interesting the products look! At first glance, you may think it’s just underwear but in actual fact, the more you learn about the company, its journey and what goes into each and every single pair, the more you fall in love with the brand.
Every single item on their website has been handmade, at their office in Bowtnnog, Wales and is made to last your child for years, even suitable for passing down to siblings. They use the softest organic, jersey fabric and cover stitch all the seams to ensure every part is made super securely and doesn’t irritate your child’s skin or fall down. Not only is it sustainably made, but you can customise your orders to suit your style. They hand-design each pattern and if there’s one you particularly like, you can order children’s and adults sizes all in the same fabric.
In terms of branding, Martha Loves has got it nailed. A bright and fun logo features at the top of their stall banner and they have even sewn a logo onto the tab of each piece of clothing for consistency and pride. Their printed material matches the website and the social channels which are all pulled in together with a soft, family-friendly feel featuring photographs of real-life models and family children in local settings.
We absolutely recommend checking them out, you’ll be thankful for finding them at last.
If you enjoyed our tour of the Wirral Bazaar this year, please feel free to get in touch for more information on any of the stalls featured above. If you see us at the event, don’t be shy – come and say hi!
Written by Yazmin Collister
