Our Story
Curated goods; made for you, your body and home.
Here at Ondine Ash, we find you beautiful and sustainable objects from highly skilled, independent makers working largely by hand. We source from around the United Kingdom, occasionally further afield and paying close attention to those working close to us in the South West and Cornwall. Our maker’s create in small batches, giving each piece its own unique character and creating perfectly individual gifts.
Where ONDINE ASH BEGAN
A SHIFT TO SLOWER
The brand began back in 2016; founder Ondine, wanted to create something impactful but with a slower pace after fourteen fast-paced years as a fashion buyer.
Her curiosity into how things are made has led her to create a retail space focussed on simplicity and transparency; a brand that tells the stories behind the products and help us move towards buying better and buying less.
Forever inspired by textiles
It starts with cushions
Her previous career had brought with it extensive travel to source and visit factories. Having just returned from a trip to Africa, she started to design and make cushions from the beautiful vintage mud cloth fabric she found in Mali.
These were the cornerstone of her first homeware collections, which she grew organically and started to sell online along with pieces from some of her favourite ceramicists and other makers.
The brand finds its home
Cornwall bound
Soon came a move with her family to Cornwall. Here she was able to open her first brick and mortar shop; ASH in the Old Brewery Yard in Falmouth. She took on her first member of staff, Emily, and grew both her own line and curation of pieces from other small producers.
It was here at the first little ASH in The Old Brewery Yard that Ondine made influential and lasting relationships with her neighbours in the courtyard. There was plant specialist Tor, who shared her love and knowledge on houseplants (and her stock when she moved on to pastures new!) and Ellie of the then slow fashion shop Oaken who’s mohair socks we lovingly stock each season.
Doubling Down
A bigger shop
In February 2023, Ondine took an opportunity to move to a bigger, more prominent shop space in Falmouth, sadly leaving the Old Brewery Yard behind, but only moving down the road to the bottom of The Old High Street.
Our current space has huge windows on two sides, meaning lots of natural light - good for us and good for our ever evolving stock of gorgeous houseplants.
The extra space meant room for a more of the good stuff! A purpose built wooden hanger holds a mini jungle of houseplants and we expanded our book, candle ceramic and textile collection.
Growing consciously
more small-batch makers
We continue to slowly and consciously grow our collections - both online and in our shop, keeping the stories of our talented makers at the centre of everything we do. We have found some wonderful Cornish companies to work with here, Falmouth has creativity in its heart.
THE DAY TO DAY IN FALMOUTH
Ash on the High street
We are now a team of five - Ondine, Jess, Alice, Mads and Jen. We carefully pack each of your orders whilst looking after our wonderfully verdant shop each day.
We would love to meet you in person and you will find even more treasures with us here in Falmouth! Seasonal vintage and antiques, small batch cushions sewn by us and special one-offs by our makers.
Some things don’t hang around long enough for us to list them online!