With so many “things” in the world vying for our attention and easily accessible do we really need another brand with more stuff? These are questions I ask myself as a maker and designer. Am I a contributor to the problem of oversupply and waste? A sobering thought, and one that lies at the foundation of my work in timeless design. The best way to reduce waste and spend is to buy things that we can keep for a long time. How do we do that? 

A hundred years ago, people were much more adept at this because access to goods was hard to come by. Towns were small and train access was just arriving to the western edges of North America to distribute goods. If you bought a faulty or low quality item you might not have access to replace it for some time if it failed. Every purchase mattered. 

Modern day, we have the opposite problem. The minute we buy something there is always a new, better or more stylish option available – the next day. So of course, the cheaper we can purchase the better, leaving more money behind for a better replacement. You can see where this is going, the rat race we know today of fast fashion and disposable home goods. In addition to the low cost attraction, style also keeps us buying at a fast rate. Where style arcs lasted 5 – 7 years in the mid 1950’s, they now change within 6 or even 3 months. There is always a new trend to jump on to stay in style. Hence the constant shopping and buying. 

What a mess! What can we do to stop the insanity? We need a new way to think about things and stuff to make fundamental changes about how to produce and consume as a society. Helpful experiences such as our new awareness of the vulnerability of supply chains as a result of Covid make us begin to question. In addition, the economic slow-down is making money tight. Every purchase is starting to matter again. 

It may be counter-intuitive but when a style starts to go crazy, that’s the moment I usually step away. I’m fascinated with the idea of timeless design. Creating pieces with clean lines and classic styling that are modern and fresh while also being relevant and useful for years to come. There’s nothing worse than falling in love with a thing and then having it fall out of style quickly. We ask ourselves “Is this trend ending soon or will I still get a year or two out of it?” Let’s just skip all that! Instead, let’s find the enduring styles, the ones that stand the test of time and buy those. 

This is where the focus on timeless design becomes an important asset. We need to stop buying so much, replacing things so often. We need the opposite of the latest trend, we need the thing that never really goes out of style. The best way to look dated is to buy the biggest trend. It will be short lived and show its age sooner than you think. 

Not only is this sustainable because your goods stay relevant longer and it produces less waste. It’s also cheaper because you don’t have to buy as often.

Three values central to my work:

– Natural: As much as possible, use natural materials that decompose or can be re-fashioned. 

– Quality: Make things that last, can stand up to daily use and not wear out before their time. Even be passed on to our children.

– Timeless: Choose clean lines and timeless design that won’t go out of style so quickly. Making the pieces beautiful and fashionable for years to come. 

And so we begin to learn how to live differently. Making intentional choices to buy natural, quality and timeless pieces for our home and wardrobes. This is the beginning of living sustainably and with thoughtfulness. This is how we create a new future not only for ourselves, but for our children and those coming after them. 

Here to help you build your timeless look, one piece at a time   

– Suzanne

Suzanne Faris works from her shop downtown St. Thomas, designing handbags and accessories.
Open by appointment. http://www.suzannefaris.com