Rouge World

Handwritten

Handwritten is all about women - their femininity, sensuality and confidence, but with a total awareness of the need for practicality and low maintenance in today’s world, and is a collection for all women, of all ages, shapes and sizes.

Handwritten was launched in Spring/Summer 2008 by Tanya Sarne, the original founder of Ghost label.

Tanya Sarne was born in West London in 1945. She worked as a school teacher before marrying art house Film Director, Michael Sarne, in 1969. Tanya founded fashion label Ghost in 1984 following a split from her husband, and with two small children to support, transformed it into one of Britain’s most successful and enduring designer labels.

The secret lay in the fabrics she developed machine washable viscose that looked like stiff grey net curtains when woven but, when shrunk and dyed in muted colours, takes on the appearance of vintage crepe. These remarkably practical yet delicious fabrics lend themselves well to thirties style bias cutting. Coupled with Sarne’s resolutely woman friendly mindset - Ghost designs could be worn by the ultra slender and heavily pregnant alike - Ghost became a staple of every fashionable wardrobe for over twenty years.

At the end of 2006 Sarne sold Ghost to an investment company, however, she could not sit still and launched her much-anticipated new fashion label, Handwritten.

The very special production process Sarne developed over the years at Ghost, incorporating textile conversion into design, results in a unique group of fabrics which are machine washable and have natural stretch. Colours are soft and muted. Silhouettes follow the lines of a woman’s body with flattering proportions. Styles are simple and versatile and will take the wearer from day to night.

Ecologically Friendly

The fabrics are all derived from wood. Bushes are grown specifically for this. They are cut down and grown again. Fabrics are bio-degradable and therefore eco-friendly.

“I design to de-stress and give women confidence in their femininity and daily lives”
Tanya Sarne