Albaray x Notes by Piper: In Conversation with Revere the Residence
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Time to read 6 min
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We've partnered with Notes by Piper, an artist and Co-Founder of Revere the Residence to bring you 3 exclusive Albaray X Notes By Piper Graphic T Shirts.
Revere the Residence is a social enterprise based in Hackney, London that creates an inclusive space to empower learning disabled people age from 16 to 30 years old. Founded by Kate Revere and her daughter Piper, who is autistic, profoundly deaf and with a creative talent to be truly jealous of. Less than 5% of people with learning disabilities are in employment in the UK, knowing this Kate wanted to provide a sociable space for Piper and likeminded individuals where they can be their true selves, creative, and most of all safe.
Our CEO and Co-Founder Paula, met Kate and Piper when she lived next door to them and got to know the family well. This is a cause close to our heart and all profits from these T Shirts will go to Revere the Residence. We caught up with Paula and Kate on what the collaboration capsule means to them.
Q&A with Kate Revere and Paula Stewart
We are so excited to see Piper’s art come to life in our Albaray pieces. We would love to hear more about your story and how Revere the Residence came to be what it is today?
Kate: Revere the Residence started just before lockdown in 2020 and I really thought it would have to be just an idea. But then I realised, actually young adults leaving education with a learning disability would need a space like Revere more than ever.
Being inspired by my own teenage daughter Piper, who is profoundly deaf, autistic and learning disabled. As a parent of a disabled child, you’re always looking into the future and unfortunately that can be more with fear than hope. Where will my child be able to find somewhere to work that’s inspiring, safe, and fulfilling. I knew the options were next to zero so that is why I launched Revere the Residence as a physical shop space in Hackney starting with Pop-ups at my house and markets.
This initial set-up is when I went to see Paula for advice on the products I wanted to stock and all just all round business advice. Simple things like the terminology you use, you can ask for sale or return with suppliers, don’t get 100 of one thing, spread your stock variety to see what works etc. It all sounds quite obvious things but when you’re new to this world its all valuable advise.
Paula's husband, Andy, also had a great vintage fashion shop in Hackney that I used to shop in in the early 00’s and he advised me on how to run a physical space.
Revere has evolved in these 4 short years, from the products to engaging many volunteers with learning disabilities to gain skills in running the retail space. And then having our own in house Revere artists who design lots of own products through art workshops.
We absolutely love the new Albaray x Notes by Piper collection, what initially drew you to collaborate with Revere the Residence? Can you tell us about your connection to Revere the Residence?
Paula: Revere the Residence is based in Stoke Newington where I live, and the founder and mum of Piper was my neighbour. I have always been drawn to Kate’s amazing talent for interiors. Her house was fantastically decorated full of wonderful curiosities, vintage furniture and clashing colours and textures. Alongside all of this hung Piper’s artwork – clever and witty.
What topics inspire Piper when creating her notes?
Piper's notes are written mainly to her imaginary boyfriends and some to me. She is like any other teenager, interested in love and heartbreak with a big dollop of dry humour on the side. She finds it tricky to communicate through language due to her autism and deafness. But, I always feel her notes are her way of magically connecting to people. Piper works in waves, when she wants to. I could never ask her to write a note, that would simply not interest her and she wouldn’t see the point. She writes them or draws purely when she wants to and feels inspired. She loves movies, songs, and TV shows. She always has the subtitles on and this is what gave her the motivation to learn to read and write.
She always has the subtitles on and this is what gave her the motivation to learn to read and write. It took until Piper was 16 before she really started to be able to read any words or write independently. She found a writing app, paused her subtitles and used pen and paper and now she doesn’t stop. Although text messaging really long stories to me is her new thing. She has developed her own font, of large writing mixing lower and upper case letters and big full stops. For example, her I’s are backwards 1’s with large black dot at the top. People go crazy over her font, even though in school she always got told to change it and she completely ignored teachers and did her own thing!
Would you be able to describe Piper’s design process?
Piper is living her life in the way she wants to and I’m sure for many of us it feels so refreshing and natural that she is able to express herself without fear of what people think or if they like what she creates. Her art is for herself. She knows people buy her art and they tell her and she just simply says proudly - I do it myself. Piper still has many medical difficulties and spends a lot of time in hospitals, her life is far from easy but she really is the strongest person I know.
The other beauty of Revere the Residence is Piper and all the other Revere artists and volunteers get to see and hang out with each other. Social isolation for learning disabled young adults is a huge reality and many tell me how they feel so lonely in adult life but coming to Revere which is a cool space for them to be, where they are treated equally to everyone who shops there has changed their lives. We say very clearly we do not exist for pity or praise but trying to level the field.
Can you tell us why this collaboration is important to Albaray?
Paula: As 3 female founders and mothers, when we started the business, we always wanted to make sure we supported charities that we felt connected to. When Kate told me she was starting a social enterprise, I was so inspired by her determination and drive to create something for young adults with learning disabilities whilst also navigating her own life complexities with her daughter Piper, who has learning disabilities, alongside two younger siblings.
By collaborating with Revere the Residence, we want to help spread the word about this amazing social enterprise and to showcase the talents of Piper and all the other amazing creative young adults that work at Revere the Residence. The 3 T Shirts are unique and carefully considered. Owning a store in today’s retail climate is difficult, never mind the added complexity of a social enterprise, so Kate deserves all the help and support we can give her.
How do you feel about the collaboration between Notes by Piper and Albaray?
Kate: I’m so grateful and excited for the collaboration between Albaray and Notes by Piper. Not only do I adore Paula but I love that both our businesses started at the same time from Hackney and came out of a really crazy time in this world. I always treat myself to one or two Albaray pieces each season.
From good basics to swimwear so to see Pipers notes on three T Shirts is just brilliant and I feel super proud. Not only are the T-Shirts brilliant but I know that Piper's story and this collaboration will touch parents like me of learning disabled children that could be at the beginning of their journey and give them hope. Our kids are brilliant and shouldn’t be invisible.
Do you have a favourite note from the collection?
Kate: Piper's favourite note is 'Okay Bye', she says this a lot, 'This is not my idea of a swell time.'
My favourite note is - 'You make me think you will change my life'. Piper wrote this to her imaginary boyfriend but I read it as the thought I had looking at her in her when she was born, lying in her incubator. It was true she has changed my life and for the better.
Paula: My favourite note is 'Okay Bye'. This was the first artwork of Piper’s I saw years ago in Kate’s house and it always made me smile.
All profits from the T Shirts will go towards vital funds needed to continue to run Revere the Residence.
