Tiba + Marl was created in 2015 by London duo, Anna Tizard and Lydia Barron. Both mothers, they spotted a gap in the market for contemporary, trend inspired parent changing bags. Anna, a former Bag Buyer for Urban Outfitters and Topshop, and Lydia, a Footwear and Accessories Designer for Kurt Geiger and Sigerson Morrison, set about to provide cool parents with a range of cleverly designed, super functional changing bags where an edge of cool always comes as standard.
We caught up with Anna for the latest in our ‘My London’ interview series.
Favourite neighbourhood:
I should say where I live (Ealing), but I think my heart will always be in Notting Hill, around Portobello Road where I lived in my twenties. I used to love wondering down Westbourne Grove along to Portobello with my flatmates and hanging out in the local pubs and going to Notting Hill Arts Club. Nowadays we go for Mexican family lunches (albeit with a Margarita!) at Taqueria, and for cinema and brunches at The Electric Diner on Portobello. Farm Girl is always a good bet for a delicious lunch. It’s fun just walking around the markets, and checking out antiques, jewellery, old books and records and street food, and I always find the lure of the shops like Matches (and Ottolenghi) on Westbourne Grove.
Favourite place for brunch:
Love a weekend brunch at Riding House Café just off Oxford Street. You can park free outside on a Sunday, and we always go for an extra hit of caffeine at ‘Kaffeine’ opposite afterwards. I like walking down the quiet streets in Fitzrovia early on a Sunday, feels so weird being in town when it’s so quiet. Normally we’ll do a circuit of Liberty, Arket and Urban Outfitters after.
Best coffee in London:
My friend Oksana runs The Electric Coffee shop in Ealing, and their coffee is just THE BEST in London. They have their own roastery and are absolute coffee aficionados.
Favourite gallery or museum:
We love hanging out around the museums in South Kensington with the kids. Always such great exhibitions at the V+A, I loved the Frieda Kahlo one but I really like just going for a wonder around the corridors and sitting in the courtyard in the summer with the kids splashing around in the water. The basement of the Science museum is also amazing for kids (take dry clothes for them for after!) As a family we’ll be hitting the Ice Rink at the Natural History Museum. All very kids based ‘culture’ – but if we are without kids we really like the Natural Portrait Museum lates, and having a cocktail in the rooftop looking at the city views.
Favourite place to shop:
The wonderful world wide web! My favourite fashion and lifestyle websites are Goodhood.com and MATCHESFASHION. Amazon for buying Prime last-min kids presents and also for various vitamins and supplements! I find ASOS for next day delivery is so useful – you can get anything from a re-usable coffee cup to a new exercise outfit, to a red MAC lipstick. Farfetch.com is amazing for finding obscure, sold out designer items (also we are stocked on there too)
Favourite place to find inspiration:
Instagram scrolling late at night always delivers, accounts like @dietprada @gucci @selfservicemagazine @sheerluxe or I love interior IG accounts like @houselust @victoria_road_restoration @homeplaceonline. Obviously living in London and just walking the streets is a constant source of inspiration, and I love seeing what people are wearing, particularly when wondering around Soho and East London. We love shopping in Paris and Florence when on work trips, and inspiration trips to Tokyo always blows my mind.
Best London destination for a date:
With two young kids and a busy business I’d go on a date anywhere! We usually end up heading into Soho and going for a bite to eat at Greek Street Soho House up on the terrace, and then cocktails around the round bar as we love their Soho Mule cocktails.
Favourite park:
Love Hyde Park, I used to walk home through it from Oxford Street back to Notting Hill, and I just always enjoy the energy of it. Nowadays I love just walking through the park on a cold sunny day, visiting the Wooden sailing ship playground (if you are a parent you will know) and the Diana memorial in the Summer. Walks by the Serpentine and then popping into the Serpentine Gallery with a coffee can’t be beaten, and it’s always fun to hire a row boat on the lake.
Your sanctuary in the city:
Autumnal trips to Kew Gardens, it’s so beautiful this time of the year with so many lovely winter colours. I love all the cacti in the Princess of Wales Conservatory or wondering in the new Temperate conservatory – but mainly it’s just beautiful and calming walking amongst so many incredible species of trees and then I am a sucker for the shop at the end.
This season I’m loving:
I’m currently in that early happy winter mood where you are really pleased it’s now cold enough to wear jumpers and coats! So I’m loving anything wintery in particularly corduroy, cashmere, hiking boots, our new Mirror Metallic Kaspar Knapsack, ambles down Marylebone High Street getting festive in the Liberty Christmas department. I keep buying signet rings for my fingers and dark glittery eyeshadows (for all the parties I’m not going to!). Every year I buy (and lose) an Acne pansy beanie – and it’s time to get this year’s version! We are just launching a collaboration with UK made 100% natural brand Honest beauty it includes an amazing All Purpose Balm that is great on dry, damaged skin and as a lip balm – so this will be with me at all times.
