Young designer Otis is reaching for the stars

THERE may be a recession going on but one Swiss Cottage entrepreneur has shown it is possible to buck the trend and succeed in business even when times are tough.
Otis Batterbee, a 28 year old designer and businessman, specialises in luxury travel accessories which have been snapped up by fashion-conscious celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Mariah Carey.
The key to his success he says has been to source all his materials locally to support UK textile mills and manufacturers.
“It is very easy and cheap to use fabrics made in China, but I have always insisted on all my fabric being milled in the UK, and all my products manufactured in the UK,” he explains. “In my small way I am trying to support UK businesses, because if you don’t look after them it has a knock on effect in the form of job losses.”
A graduate of the famous St Martin’s College of Art and Design, the Hampstead born designer realised his dream of running his own business when he began trading last year – just in time for one of Belsize Park’s most famous residents, Gwyneth Paltrow, to order a pinstripe travel eye mask (pictured) as a Christmas gift for husband Chris Martin.
The business has flourished, selling accessories including luxury stripe and check handkerchiefs and grapefruit scented travel sprays online and through high end department stores like Mayfair-based Fortnum and Mason. The British Musuem will follow suit in September, selling a ‘quintessentially British’ collection including corduroy eye masks and Oxford tweed washbags in ‘public school’ colours.
Although the accessories are targeted at men they maintain a crossover unisex appeal, which could be why they caught the eye of another female transatlantic star.
“I know that one of my hot pink eye masks went into a gift basket from a television company for Mariah Carey,” laughs Mr Batterbee. “I like to think of her wearing it on a Lear Jet on her way to somewhere exotic!”
Men’s clothing is the next step with the launch of a knitwear collection of hats and scarves in time for Christmas, while plans are afoot to start selling to European stockists. However, as successful as he has been the entrepreneur says he will avoid moving too fast in the future.
“You could get into trouble if you expand too quickly, especially in this economic climate,” he explains. “Right now it is easier to stay in the UK and keep a close eye on my retailers, which is important because you have got to make people want to do business with you. I am grateful for every order!”
Otis Batterbee products can be purchased online at www.otisbatterbee.com

Hampstead Theatre looks to local community for inspiration

COMMUNITY, modern technology and the loss of interaction are the themes at the heart of a special new play coming to Hampstead Theatre.
‘Us’, a new comedy by award-winning writer Jane Bodie, has been written with the community in mind and poses the following question: if advances in technology are making it easier than ever to stay in touch through Blackberries, e-mail and mobile phones, then why does it seem that we are communicating less with each other?
“We’ve all adapted to using technology but it seems like we’ve forgotten how to connect on a basic human level,” explains Ms Bodie. “The play looks at how people would cope if they were stripped of this technology.”
The play marks the 50th anniversary of the theatre, which wanted to pay tribute to the local community that has been instrumental to its success as well as being the target of its outreach, education and youth theatre programmes.
“We throw our doors open to the local community and produce theatre for the community, which is what makes our plays successful,” says Eric Dupin, Creative Learning Director at the Theatre, who directs the play.
“We have a big team of people working on several projects with schools, workshops and regional theatres. This theatre belongs to the community.”
Hampstead Theatre commissioned Ms Bodie to create a production that would weave together stories of the people of the local community, so she consulted several local groups, including elders (60+), schools, the Hampstead youth theatre, Heat + Light, local Somalis, ESOL students, and even a female Rabbi.
“When I was approached by the theatre and told that it was a community project, my first thought was ‘Oh’,” she says, indicating slight apprehension.
“But then I looked up all the meanings to ‘community’, and found one which defined it as ‘a common space with interaction between people’ which got me thinking.
“Every group I spoke to, whether they were elders, kids, the Somalis or the ESOL students, talked about technology and how they communicated with the world through things like the internet but talked also of a growing sense of isolation.
“For example, I was struck by a much older woman who said that she felt safe but isolated, and remembered that a younger person I had spoken to earlier said almost the exact same thing. It was illuminating.”
With a cast of professional actors and non-professionals selected through open auditions, the play sought to include characters from a variety of backgrounds, ages and races, with cast members ranging from 13 to 65 years old.
And at almost two hours running time it is a giant of a production, covering the substantial subject matter of how groups of society can reconnect with each other by putting technology aside and finding common ground, whilst seeking to render the various community groups faithfully.
“It’s one of the hardest plays I’ve ever written, a massive job,” admits Ms Bodie. “It needs to be both truthful and celebratory, and represent people respectfully and authentically, without poking fun at anyone.”
However a difficult a job that sounds, most of the cast and crew thinks she has pulled it off. Cast member Mike Roberts said: “When my agents rang up and told me it was a community project I was worried it might be a bit worthy, but it is a wonderful, rich and poetic script which is a joy to work with.
“What’s great about the play is that it celebrates everyone’s differences but shows they can still come together. It shows that being in different communities shouldn’t breathe exclusivity and that when people are thrown together, they realise not their differences but what they have in common.”
Jane Bodie is hopeful that the production will entertain audiences of all ages and backgrounds whilst giving them food for thought.
“When I go home after rehearsals I feel enlightened and hopeful. I think everyone can take different bits from the play as there are lots of positive things in it.
“In good plays, writers ask questions and I wanted to ask why we are losing interaction with each other. If there are any answers to that question, it is that we should try to regain true interaction with each other.
“The play doesn’t suggest that if we do that everyone will live happily ever after, but what’s the harm in trying?”
The play runs at Hampstead Theatre between July 28 – 31.

The fashion in raising money

A HAMPSTEAD boutique owner has raised more than £30,000 for Cancer Research UK.
Dominique Cussen, owner of Designs on Rosslyn Hill, has been supporting the charity for the past five years.
Ms Cussen said: “It makes me feel good to raise money for such an important cause. I have been donating to Cancer Research UK, as everyone’s lives seem to be touched by cancer somehow and this is a way of helping towards vital research into the disease.”
The boutique, which has been running for 27 years, is renowned for its second-hand designer items including upmarket fashion labels such as Prada, Chanel, Missoni and Fendi.
Customers sell unwanted clothes, shoes and accessories to the store, which are then snapped up by fashionistas eager to pick up a bargain.
Stock that goes unsold or is unsuitable for the store is donated to Cancer Research UK, which then sells them on in one of their 600 shops.
A spokeswoman for Cancer Research UK said: “The money raised by ‘Designs’ with the help of its customers will now be used to fund groundbreaking research into the prevention, treatment and cure of cancer.”
Ms Cussen, who has seen close family and friends succumb to the disease, said: “My brother-in-law and father both died from cancer, so it is a very important subject to me. One in four people is struck down with it at some point in their lives, so it is an issue that affects everyone.”
Ms Cussen is determined to continue her fundraising efforts for the charity and even beat her previous record.
“The total I have raised so far is only the tip of the iceberg, as I plan to double this amount in the future,” she said.

Actresses hit streets of Hampstead

A COMIC film aimed at the older female audience is being shot in Hampstead’s bohemian streets.
Starring Toyah Willcox, The Power of Three centres on three women in their 50s who team up to transform their lives and fulfil their lifelong ambitions.
Filmed primarily in Hampstead and Belsize Park, the film promises to showcase the highlights of north London as well as celebrating the power of friendship and community.
Producer Ann Cameron said: “The story is all about our shared experiences. We’ve all been there, and we look at life in the same way.”
Ms Willcox plays Michelle, a struggling film director who is finding it hard to crack the highly competitive old boys’ network of the film business.
Friends Olivia and Lizzie, played by award-winning actresses Brümilda van Rensburg and Robin Craig, decide to pool their strengths to help Michelle realise her dreams.
In a case of art imitating life, the plot bears an unmistakable resemblance to the making of the film where the trio of female producers Ms Cameron, Yvonne Deutschman and Thereza Snyman decided it was time to tackle the lack of feature films portraying older women.
Ms Cameron, originally from Canada, said: “We realised that no-one was making movies for people like us, so the inevitable question was – what are we going to do about it?”
In the past five years they have worked to turn an original idea into a script, canvassing support among fellow film professionals and coming up with the simple concept of dividing out proceeds according to the contributions.
South African entrepeneur Ms Snyman said: “Everyone involved takes ownership of the project, because they are the project.
“The enthusiasm and commitment is amazing.”
After the groundbreaking success of Calendar Girls and Mamma Mia, two films that dared to cast older actresses in leading roles as opposed to the usual character parts, it seems the film industry is finally grasping the potential of older women.
Ms Deutschman said: “If we’d been doing this two years ago we wouldn’t have had as much interest, but now the over-50s is rapidly becoming a proven film-going audience.”
The Power of Three will premiere in London in the autumn.
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Acid vandals target community angel

AN ELDERLY Hampstead Garden Suburb woman fears she is being targeted in a spiteful hate campaign after vandals covered her car in acid and grafitti.
Mary Mulvey, of Queen’s Court, Hampstead Way, woke up to find her red Peugeot ruined after a corrosive substance was poured all over it. Graffiti had also been sprayed across the back and sides.
With much of the paintwork ruined, the car has effectively been written off.
The incident is just the latest and most serious in a spate of attacks targeting the 72-year old.
Ms Mulvey discovered the vandalised car last Thursday morning.
She said: “ I felt sick when I saw it. This was not just a little bit of graffiti – it was a nasty, aggressive attack.
“No other car nearby was touched. So it looks like mine was deliberately targeted.
“I don’t know why they did it. Perhaps they just wanted to deprive me of my car for the holiday weekend.”
The retired psychologist had been planning to drive down to visit her daughter in Colchester for a long weekend and a special treat – a double celebration of Easter and her birthday. But the trip had to be cancelled.
Shocked friend and neighbour Monika Sokol said: “It is very nasty. The car is absolutely destroyed.”
On at least four occasions in the last 18 months, Ms Mulvey has found spit on her windscreen and back windows. She suspects these incidents may be linked to the attack last week.
Although the area is largely peaceful and friendly, Ms Mulvey believes some people have made an enemy of her.
On various occasions she has reported recent verbal abuse and aggressive anti-social behaviour to the police.
But she is generally popular in the neighbourhood where she has lived for the past decade, and has become known for her kindness to neighbours and for her community work.
Miss Sokol added: “She is a an extremely helpful person who is always helping out in the community.
“She will drive neighbours to the hospital or shops, and she is always listening to other people’s problems and giving out advice.
“I have never met anyone like her before. She is a little angel.”
A Barnet police spokesman said: “Officers investigated but there were no witnesses or CCTV and no opportunity for any forensic investigation. The victim has been referred to victim support for further advice and assistance.”
Police are appealing for any further witnesses or information on the incident.
Anyone who can help should contact Barnet Police on 0300 123 121 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.