A clothing label designed for active women driven by adventure and freedom, Burds is the brain child of two denim, leather and lingerie enthusiasts who live the story they are telling. Through initially meeting through the motorcycle community and noticing the lack of feminine and comfortable clothing available to wear both on and off the bike, Tamara Bell and Ame Pearce decided to apply their extensive clothing knowledge and experience in covering thousands of miles of the world on their bikes to bring clothing for all badass babes the world over - pieces to be worn 'cycling, riding motorcycles or outdoors in general, cut to flatter a woman’s body and tough enough to last.' Here co-founder and creative director Tamara shares five definitive senses from her world.
I listen to music when I am designing.
I walk, usually aimlessly, listening to records and the ideas come. My ideas are more concepts than individual pieces. I envisage the whole look book or an outfit idea, what the colours are, what the model looks like, a detail, what colour lipstick she is wearing. I then try and desperately piece it all together on the back of receipts in my bag.
I have a few special places in the world that are important to me, Penzance in Cornwall where my family lives is one of them.
I don’t visit as much as I would like to but I love when I can get down there. The smell of the sea, good old British weather, Cornish pub, countryside cider and home to fall asleep by the fire.
When I was a kid, I was obsessed with ribbon.
My mum would buy me toys and I’d only want the ribbon label that was attached to them with the washing instructions on, so eventually she just started cutting the labels out of t-shirts and giving those to me instead ha. I like combining textures. delicate silks and laces with tougher hard wearing denims and leathers.
Growing up with such incredibly powerful female role models to look up to has massively impacted not only the way I look at myself but also at others too.
Listening to Agent M, Brody Dalle, Stevie Nicks, Tairrie B, Patti Smith, Siouxsie Sioux and Polystyrene - badass women who tell it how it is. My mum worked hard and always encouraged my sister and I to do the same: “I don’t mind what it is you do, just do it well.”
Last year I spent some time in Bali and learnt to surf on Echo beach.
One evening I sat on the board and watched the sun set as the waves started to die down, it was truly beautiful. The colour of the sky was a blur of amazing pink and orange shades. The tranquility. Growing up in London, I am always seeking relaxation, making a conscious effort to stop and just be still. It was the most natural and calming environment I think I have ever been in.