Discover the creative community at Oxo Tower Wharf
20 April 2023
Those who believe that London's South Bank is only for tourists and skateboarders should think again. A craft haven is waiting to be discovered at Oxo Tower Wharf, home to milliners and leatherwork studios, weaving workshops, jewellers and more.
Each studio-showroom is housed on the first and second floors of the iconic Oxo Tower Wharf – whose OXO-shaped stained glass windows on the tower above are a London landmark. These showrooms are open for visitors to browse, buy and commission craft; many also offer workshops, too.
At less than 10-minutes' walk from Southwark, Blackfriars and Waterloo stations, there's no reason not to take a trip along the Thames to explore this hot-spot for yourself. We stopped by to hear more from its designer-makers.
A short stroll down the walkways finds you in the light-filled studio that The Ringsmiths – Ros Millar and Milena Kovanovic – call home. It’s here that the award-winning jewellery duo host their sell-out ringmaking workshops. ’They've grown to become really popular – we get about 300 people a month,’ says Kovanovic. ‘Our classes capture such a wide audience; from 18- to 70-year olds.’ She adds: ‘We’re absolutely loving the space; it feels very spacious and inviting.’
For Alasdair MacLaine, the founder of leather accessories label Wingback – who create everything from wallets to bespoke pens – the joy lies in getting hands-on himself. ‘I really like getting stuck into actually making stuff,’ he says. ‘Having your items in people’s pockets and hearing about their use of them, and how much they enjoy them: that’s so fulfilling.’
Wingback founder Alasdair MacLaine, in his studio at Oxo Tower Wharf. Photo: courtesy Coin Street Grace Lane London. Photo: courtesy Coin Street
Wingback moved in after MacLaine’s team ‘out-grew’ their previous workspace: a move that was, he says, something of a dream come true. ‘I’ve seen so many design brands who have inspired me over the years go through Oxo, and it feels like a rite of passage to be here.'
Bridal and fashion designer Grace Lane, of the eponymous Grace Lane London, agrees. ‘I used to dream of having a space here – I would walk along South Bank and imagine how amazing it would be to work there.’ Today, Lane enjoys working with a glittering client list ranging from Paloma Faith to Simon Cowell – all from her studio in Oxo Tower Wharf.
Whether you're a craft-lover or a maker yourself , there's no denying the riches awaiting discovery here. As MacLaine puts it: 'It’s a wicked place to be!’
