BAGS FOR LIFE
Embracing slow fashion and a spirit of adventure, Mark Musgrave designs organic backpacks and clothing from his workshop on the Cornish coast
Mark Musgrave designs bespoke backpacks from his workshop on the Cornish coast
Ididn’t set out to start a business,” says Mark Musgrave, sitting in his Helston studio comparing swatches of mustard- and khaki-coloured canvas. “It was more a side project that got out of hand.” Mark’s ‘accidental’ business is backpacks – bags sturdy enough for a wilderness hike but stylish enough for a city commute or a student campus. Today, he is perfecting the prototype of his new ‘Logan’ rucksack. With a weatherproof waxed cotton canvas, sturdy cotton webbing and custom stainless-steel buckles, it’s named after Logan Rock, one of Mark’s favourite haunts for walking on the Cornish coast. “Everything we do reflects my joint passions,” he says. “Slow fashion and spontaneous adventure!”
Growing up in Yorkshire, Mark’s first foray into fashion was a series of holiday jobs in high-street clothes shops. Still at college, he was watching lots of exposé documentaries and becoming increasingly disillusioned with the industry. A few years later, while studying business at the University of Sheffield, he volunteered for a social enterprise in Romania, where Roma women were hand-crocheting beanie hats. “It blew my mind to see how making a product could benefit a whole community,” he says. “The project wasn’t based on handouts, but rather giving people the tools to earn a decent living.”
For Mark, the trip was a game changer. In his final year at university, he won a business planning competition. Inspired by what he’d seen in Romania, he decided to use the prize money to establish an enterprise that reflected his stance on sustainability
“Everywhere you go here, you’re surrounded by nature. Being in the wilderness gives me the space to let my mind wander”
and ethics. “I wanted to provide an alternative to fast fashion,” he says, “to create clothing and accessories made with natural and recycled materials and to collaborate with makers who are paid fairly for their skills.” He called this company The Level Collective.
DOWNTIME DREAMING
For several years, the business was just an adjunct to the day job. Mark worked full-time as a graphic designer, while developing his business idea in his downtime. Keen that his products reflect his passion for ethics and the outdoors, he started small, selling the Big Bob beanie hat (knitted by the women in Romania) followed by graphic T-shirts. His first bag – and now one of the brand’s most popular – was the Winnats Roll Top, named after a limestone valley in the Peak District where he and Suzie (a nurse he met while living in Sheffield and now his wife) loved walking.
“Like all my ideas, it started off in my notebook, with more than 30 pages of design drawings,” he says. Those designs eventually morphed into a model trialling different materials that would withstand all weathers: “I’ve since been on a sewing course, but in the early days I’d use my trusty stapler to produce a prototype!” Once he’d finalised the shape, fabrics and features (such as internal pockets for a laptop, passport and pens), Mark needed some expert help to piece it all together. Determined to work with British artisans, he tracked down two seamstresses – Ali (pictured opposite) and Lesley from Francli Craftwear. Six years later, he’s still working with them, creating small batches of 25-30
“I want them to be a treasured item – for people to look at their bags and remember the journeys they’ve been on”
backpacks. “There’s no mysterious middleman involved,” he says. “I’m collaborating with two highly skilled craftspeople who take pride in their work.”
THE CALL OF CORNWALL
Once the business began to take off, Mark decided to leave his regular job and up-sticks to the West Country, moving into a new home in Helston in 2018. “I’m a big fan of Cornwall’s independent spirit. Everyone seems to be doing something interesting,” Mark says. “Everywhere you go, you’re surrounded by nature. Being in the wilderness gives me the space to let my mind wander.”
As a CEO running a small business, his role encompasses everything from creative director to customer service and stock management. “Some days can be quite administrative and dull. Often, I’m just prodding a project along while trying to keep in mind the bigger picture. But once a product’s perfected, bringing it to life is one of the most exciting parts.”
With prices starting at £149 for their Scout waist bag (coming soon), these bags are an investment and designed to last for a long time. “I get messages from students who’ve saved up all their birthday and Christmas money to buy a bag. It’s a considered purchase and that means so much to me,” Mark says. “I add a hand-signed postcard to every order. It might take more time, but it’s important to create a connection between the customer and maker.”
Mark’s products feature weatherproof waxed organic cotton, made in Britain, burnished buckles made in Sheffield and sturdy cotton webbing woven and dyed in Derbyshire. He also offers a lifetime repair service for the wear and tear of a much-loved rucksack: “I want them to be a timeless and treasured item – for people to look at their bag and remember all the journeys they’ve been on and the stories they’ve shared.”
Mark now has visions of a ‘rolling office’, a converted van he can drive out to Cornwall’s many scenic spots (Rinsey Cove is a favourite). “I’m most inspired when I’m away from my desk and to-do list,” he says. “If I’ve been wrangling with a problem, I can often find clarity when I’m in a calm place where I can just be present.” With the Logan bag on sale soon, the next project will be a British-made waxed organic cotton overshirt and knitwear collection made with wool from sheep in the Yorkshire Dales. All the products will be made to the same exacting ethical standards. Meanwhile, Mark will be busy making up orders – and taking his own backpack to the coast for another adventure.