Life can be complicated. We all know this. From deadlines and appointments to relationships and keeping fit, there’s no end to the things we need to be thinking about in our everyday lives. Which is why we’re such advocates of simple living here at Boody.
Whether it’s through our diets or homes, living simply has enormous benefits on our health and general wellbeing. No one knows this more than Tina Clark, founder of luxury storage brand, Sagitine, whose ethos is to create a premium and sustainable collection of wardrobe storage that captures the “elegance of good design and the impression of beautiful furniture, while being practical and functional”.
And, with the current obsession with Marie Kondo's KonMari method – as described in Kondo’s renowned books Spark Joy and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up – as well as our post last week on minimalism, we’re interested in what Tina Clark thinks about living with less given her brand’s ethos. We caught up with Tina about the concept of living a simple life, the history behind her company and why she’s such an advocate for Boody.
Tell us a bit about Sagitine.
Sagitine is comprised of a range of storage boxes and stands, part furniture and part storage. The aim was to transform storage into a range of good-looking furniture that is stylish in every room of the house.
How did Sagitine come to be?
Like many brands, Sagitine stemmed from my inability to find good quality and attractive ways to care for my possessions. The idea first came to me while I was living in Hong Kong – attending many events and worrying about how to care for my dresses. I also wanted to make sure my dresses would be in great condition when my daughters want to wear them one day.
I searched the world for two years looking for practical yet stylish boxes to no avail. So the rest, as they say, is history.
From this initial idea, how did you land with the brand you’ve created?
I have the team at Vert Design (industrial designers) to thank for that. I worked with Michael Thorogood and Andrew Simpson initially to come up with the stands and all of the materials, and they are my go-to every time we decide to do something new. Sagitine wouldn’t exist without them.
Just like us at Boody, we know that you have an ethical commitment at Sagitine. Can you tell us a bit about that and why it's important to you?
We are all about quality, not quantity. I have always tried to spend more on very good quality clothing and shoes, look after them and wear them for decades. The ethos behind Sagitine is to buy less and take very good care of it. I really don’t like the rise of fast fashion in our world. SO much waste.
All our boxes and the paper lining used therein are made from FSC certified paper, and our aromatic pouches are filled with organically-grown herbs. Finally, our acid-free paper is sourced from Conservation Resources.
What does a typical day look like for you (if there's such thing)?
I have two young daughters, so it’s all about getting them off to school first, then some exercise if I have time. I then settle down to work until pick-up time. The days are always different but mostly it’s not very glamorous things like chasing couriers and working out logistics! The trade shows and shoots are the highlights. I find I’m always thinking about work though, answering emails and doing Instagram posts at all hours of the day and night.
What are your thoughts on tidying up with Marie Kondo?
That’s a tough one. I think the folding techniques are fantastic, but personally, I am not so keen on just getting rid of everything. I am a big believer in buying very little and very good quality. Often these things go out of fashion but will come back again. I have gorgeous designer shoes I have had for 20 years and still wear from time to time. I’ve had black-tie dresses for longer and wear them too.
Would you consider yourself a minimalist?
With furniture, yes, but not with nostalgia – I have every invitation and card and photo I have ever owned. I can almost picture my partner Rob laughing at this question – he thinks I am a hoarder!
What are your top tips for achieving a minimalist wardrobe?
Buy classics and the best quality you can afford. Don’t buy fast fashion – it’s always a mistake.
We hear you're a fan of Boody. What is it about our everyday essentials you love?
I am loving the onesies for newborns at the moment – they are so super soft. We are looking forward to the birth of a baby in our extended family very soon, so I will be stocking up on those!
Tell us why you picked the pieces featured in this article.
We wanted to use a variety of products and colours that worked with our Sagitine products. The shoot was about showing how easy it is to fit a large number of items into a small space, using the Marie Kondo method of folding.
