Two works by Bena who create works with animals as motifs.

Until Sep 2003, the shop was known as Animalalien. Why change the name? Claudia says: ‘Animalalien was originally a name of the band I was in. I studied womenswear but when I left college I rebelled against fashion for a while and went hanging out with musicians and things. I carried Animalalien with my own label, which once having been for about a year, wasn’t actually the identity of what I was developing as concept of the shop. and now (as Made by Hands) it’s all coming together, more relevant to us. I am also very anti- G*P, N**T, they are all short names and Made by Hands is the opposite.’

Prouvost and Father make one-off jackets. Here in the photo is a reversible one created using blankets and old sheets. £ 150

Claudia chooses her designers from various sources – from colleagues (Rachel Cattle used to teach with her at Camberwell College of Art) to friends to those she met at a trade fair. But now a lot of people bring in their work straight to the shop and she no longer visits markets to recruit.

Sweatshirts by one of the designers, Remote Control

The shop is still developing – it is being created to represent areas inside the home, such as kitchen area (with the fridge) and the living room area (with the wallpaper.) With the development of each of the designers and the shop itself, more original and innovative ideas are bound to be in store for the future!

Made by Hands
Address: 117 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DL
Tel: +44 (0)20 7613 0934