The lord mayor’s banner
London’s eclectic cultures and traditions have been a goldmine of inspiration for my work, whether it be digging deep into the history of button suits a la Pearly Kings and Queens, researching heraldic badges at the College of Arms, or delving into the archives of ribbons, buttons and threads at the Haberdashers Company in London.
In 2019, I was approached to make a banner for the new Lord Mayor of The City of London, William Russell, and it was a perfect match – combining history (lord mayors of London), tradition (Pearly Kings and Queens), and my favoured materials (haberdashery). The ceremonial banner was to be a celebration of the rich history of the Haberdashers Company of which Russell is a member, as well as his appointment as Lord Mayor. Haberdashers is one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, a merchant guild of London (founded in 1324).
We discussed the designs at the Mansion House, the Lord Mayor’s official residence, where I shared my ideas with the future mayor. In addition to the banner, I was also asked to design 300 pewter pots made as gifts for dignitaries.
The banner was created using thousands of silver buttons, hand sewn on to a rich blue velvet backdrop. Two glorious prancing goats are depicted supporting the traditional heraldic shield. The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers is celebrated with needles, bobbins, pins, scissors and safety pins, reflecting its historical involvement in the trade of haberdashery. On the remaining two sections are the coats of arms of William Russell’s family and the Haberdashers. The banner also incorporates the Haberdashers’ motto, Serve and Obey.
Now, if you enter the Haberdashers Hall, you must first pass by The Royal Jubilee Banner I created for the Queen (later purchased by the Haberdashers Company). Then, if you glance upwards towards the Minstrels Gallery, you’ll glimpse the sparkly silver-coated buttons of the intricately designed Lord Mayor’s ceremonial banner. I love to make history!
