BIZ SUTTON
wombles
working with the
wombles
my journey with the wombles & what's to come for
me and orinoco...
Following the press release of my Wombles Degree Project, Spring 2023, myself and Orinoco had caught the attention of The Wombles Operations team.
An invitation to their Head Quarters early Summer swiftly lead to my recruitment as a new team member. From there, my first commission spiraled into exhibitions and brand collaborations.
I am now an official costume freelancer for the Wombles, whilst Orinoco tours the UK as the face of sustainability within the launch of the new Wombles series.
latest progress:
After a successful showcase at the ExCel centre in October, Orinoco will be brought out of hibernation to join the rest of the Womble artifacts touring the UK for the brands re-launch and new animated series.
His first stop will be the Eden Project!
The Eden Project being the worlds largest indoor rainforest is the perfect environment for Orinoco to blend in amongst his earthy textiles and shaggy naturecore aesthetic.
I'm hoping he will continue to raise joy and awareness to new and nostalgic fans of the Womble's. No longer just a costume but a sculptural spectacle, inspiring all makers and activists.
wombles at the excel centre
My time spent with the Wombles in the early summer was in preparation for the Brand Licensing Europe 2023 event held at the ExCel centre, London.
The purpose of this event was to establish new collaborations between the Wombles and other sustainably conscious brands. I assisted Orinoco, my costume, who was the primary exhibition feature.
The event ran for three days, gifting me the opportunity to talk to passers by about my intentions within the Wombles, as well as my own creative journey as a newly announced recipient of the Linbury Prize.
This opportunity also lead to collaborations between myself and other established companies, The Big Issue! As modelled by Orinoco, I was commissioned to produce a new tabard celebrating the union between the Wombles and The Big Issue foundation.
I had the great privilege of meeting Marcus Beresford, son of Elisabeth Beresford whom is the Author of the original Wombles story books. Marcus was the muse behind Elisabeth's creation of Orinoco's character, so it was imperative that he should be introduced to my tribute to that particular Womble. He expressed how proud his mother would have been of everything I had accomplished in the name of the Wombles.
After what was a successful event of mingling, I continue on my own career path with new contacts ranging from independent illustrators to managing directors of companies, like the Teletubbies. But my journey with the Wombles continues with the production of more costumes, whilst Orinoco is ready in waiting to tour the UK.
designing in collaboration with
the big issue...
The top is the initial jacket constructed to serve within my degree project as a reinterpretation of the standard Big Issue tabard, making use of waste materials within the red colours of the foundation. The front and back tabards, middle and bottom, are my designs for the new authentic Orinoco vendors tabard, in collaboration with The Big Issue. I requested old/used tabards worn through by vendors and was in turn donated 12 to reconstruct into the new Womble sized edition. The back of the tabard has been refashioned to function as a litter pouch, constructed from deadstock PVC to imitate the vendors license pocket on the front. The purpose of this pouch is that of a Wombles Tidy Bag, a place to store rubbish and "things that the everyday folk leave behind." The jacket is finished with oversized stitches, mimicking Japanese darning techniques, to further its reworked appearance as if clumsily repaired by the Wombles.
a note from the wombles:
"We discovered Biz and her project through a moment of good fortune.
Biz has smartly used recycled materials to craft this Orinoco costume, setting an example of resourcefulness that reflects the Womble way-making good use of what has been left behind.
Biz's use of the Big Issue tabard on her Orinoco design has sparked a new collaboration for us. We are now working on campaign ideas with the wonderful Big Issue team.
Community is about bringing together like minded people and that's what the Wombles are best at. We applaud everyone who is trying to make positive change.
Which one of us should Biz create next?
I'd like to thank Biz for her wonderful creation, and the Big Issue for their collaboration and support."