Talented Artisans And Thoughtful Craft Make For Enduring Homewares

Established in a Wales farmhouse more than 25 years ago, the clothing company Toast has grown its offering to include exquisite homewares produced by artisans, weavers and mills around the world. Despite its evolution, the brand’s values remain steadfast: champion a slower pace and more thoughtful way of life. CEO Suzie de Rohan Willner elaborates on the brand’s mission.

What makers do you work with? We search around the world for artisans who demonstrate specialist skills and techniques. Our hope is to provide a platform for their work to be celebrated and their story to be told in an authentic way. We want to help preserve traditional techniques that otherwise may be in danger of dying out, like a glazed terracotta waterpot handmade in Bristol that is based on a 16th century design.

Why does craft have an enduring appeal? There is a growing audience who wants a more emotional connection to the objects in their home and to the person behind their creation. An increased awareness of our environment and a rejection of “mass” has meant we are choosing to buy less and selecting long lasting and meaningful objects. The recently launched Toast Renewed provides an iteration of this idea. It’s a unique collection of creatively repaired, one-of-a-kind pieces that have been given a new lease on life, increasing their longevity and progressing our circular approach to reducing waste.

Where do you find inspiration? In stillness. It’s about being with people and things that bring joy and make you slow down.

PHOTOS COURTESY TOAST