Ring a Ring O'Roses Silk T-Shirt
A sophisticated silk tee, designed, printed and made in England from Sabina Savage's sand-washed Crepe de Chine, giving a dusky, matte finish. It features a straight, boxy cut and simple crew neck, fastening with a single mother-of-pearl button and loop at the back of the neckline. The stepped hem allows for a longer length at the back, and the garment is French seamed throughout.
This contemporary, motif-style placement print features a beautiful botanical illustration of a peony flower against a dusky grey-blue ground.
100% silk, dry clean only. Lindsay is 5'6" and wearing the small.
Ring a ring o’ roses, A pocket full of posies, A-tishoo! A-tishoo! They all fall down.
It’s now generally accepted that this iconic nursery rhyme refers to the Black Death that devastated London in the 14th century, in which no one, not even royalty, was spared. In Sabina’s design a rag doll kitten gazes at the viewer with a satin ribbon around its neck and head. The kitten sits atop an illustration of Buckingham Palace, worn and ripping at its edges, suggesting the vulnerability of the monarchy. Meanwhile, an abundance of roses burst through the poster, continuing to chip away at the establishment.
Every Sabina Savage design is hand illustrated, telling the story of the collection through the composition and details. The scarves are drawn in full, and the four corners of each scarf hold individual elements, ensuring the wearer will display a different feature however the scarf is folded. Each illustration takes around six weeks to complete.
Rhymes of London
Each verse paints a picture, soft and serene, but if you look closely there’s more to be seen.
Sabina Savage’s uses Mother Goose rhymes as the backdrop for her Spring 2025 collection. Developed for children, these rhymes gained mass popularity in the 19th century with their appeal blossoming into the Victorian era and beyond. Having said that, nursery rhymes are often based around historical events and there are often hidden meanings within their words, some with dark connotations.
In her research, Sabina was struct by the parallel between nursery rhymes and the visual representation of animals during this time - the innocent, docile imagery masked or smothered the true nature of animals. At the same time, domestic pets and women served similar functions in Victorian culture and iconography, being symbols of servitude, compliance and mildness. During this time both oppressed groups broke chains thanks to advances in natural science and women’s rights. Darwins scientific breakthroughs were challenging prior notions of the animal kingdom, while the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies was founded in 1897.
Sabina’s designs reflect Victorian England’s habit of putting tame animals on a pedestal, often infantilized or anthropomorphized. She literally puts them on a pedestal, seemingly serene and idealized. Look closer and you’ll see these plinths crumbling beneath them - they are unable to support the weight of these romantic expectations. Meanwhile, the melodic tones of nursery rhymes are a perfect analogy for Sabina’s designs: something beautiful and charming thinly veils a deep and serious message.
