Byline: Tina Miles

THEY'VE been best friends, students and even mums together. Now Nina Halliwell and Clare Wilson are business partners in a new venture which they hope will take the fashion world by storm.

Nina, 31 and Clare, 30 both from Prescot, started to design and make a range of handbags, corsages and wrist cuffs in October 2003 under the name of Nook and Willow.

They began by making one bag every two weeks in Nina's spare room, but now have a summer and winter collection available to buy over the internet.

Jewellery Brooch

Nina says: ``We wanted to do something different, because we felt that the women of Liverpool wanted something different other than the usual designs. We feel our range is exciting and unique ``We both had a background in fashion and thought we could bring our skills together. ''

The women met back in 1989 on an art foundation course at Knowsley College. ``I moved to London to do a footwear design course and worked with several fashion companies and Clare did textiles and design at Wigan, '' explains Nina.

``After 10 years in London I'd had enough.

``I had stayed good friends with Clare and she was doing jobs she didn't really like, so we put our heads together and came up with the idea to set up our own business. ''

Banquet handbag Replica

Nina says: ``Clare's like a sister so I had no worries about teaming up with her. ''

The women have a growing range of fashion items including wrist cuffs priced at pounds 40 and handbags in the style of 1920's-1940's underwear, ranging from pounds 130-pounds 250.

The winter collection is made of soft leathers and boasts a natural and rustic theme.

``We both love handbags, especially vintage ones.

I have a background of working with leather and making bags and Clare has a good knowledge of textiles and design, so we brought the twotogether, '' says Nina. The women have big plans for new directions in the business.

Clare says: ``In three years we hope to have a range of shoes. I absolutely love shoes.

``I'd love to include them in our collection and hope to run workshops to teach others how to make their own shoes and bags. Eventually we hope to open our own store in Liverpool. ''

And Nina has her eyes on a celebrity clientelle.

``We would like to see our bags on models like Kate Moss and Sadie Frost. They are quite quirky and like vintage designs. ''


embroidered patches But for now the friends are concentrating on their launch party at the Newz Bar on August 19.

Says Nina: ``Things are going even better than we expected -- we are giving the business our best shot and want to push it as far as it can go. ''

n The range is available at www. nookandwillow. com.

CAPTION(S):

IN THE BAG: Nina Halliwell and Clare Wilson with some of the bags they have designed and made themselves under the name Nook and Willow


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