As we are all encouraged to stay working at home during these difficult times, we connected with friends from some of our favourite brands here at Hip to get an insight into their worlds. This week, we caught up with David Keyte – Founder and Designer at Universal Works to check in on his current situation at his home in Nottingham.

Hi David, please introduce yourself and your role at Universal Works?

I’m the co-founder with my partner Stephanie and I’m the designer of UW, I do some other useful stuff sometimes, at least I tell myself I do anyway.

Where are you currently in the world?

In my office at home. I am lucky enough to have a spare bedroom that we made into an office 10 years ago when we went from two people working on Universal Works to three, and the kitchen table became a little too small to work on. It is not really been used for several years but now I am back in it full time!

What’s your guilty pleasure working from home song?

Eagles Hotel California,  as right now it feels like I can check out but never leave!

Your go to comfy WFH piece from Universal Works?

Canvas Track Trousers every time.

Sofa, desk or garden office? 

Well home office , so I guess desk

Current media diet?

I am still working 8/10 hours a day to be honest, I have more to do in this time than ever. I still check all the normal stuff online: my news come from the BBC world service, The Guardian website or the New York Times website. Im reading a book a friend gave me called “The View From Flyover Country” about the forgotten America and like most people when I have some time at the weekend I catch up on Netflix box sets, like Ozark and Schitts Creek.

Which objects at home are keeping you sane?

Workout classes on line, Spotify play-ists and alcohol (or is that doing the opposite?!?)

What things in life have you come to appreciate more during these times?

The biggest things is friends, I miss them lots so I appreciate them more. I am connecting online a lot, in the UK on the next street and across the globe. But I miss hugely hanging out with them. 

If the world went back to normal tomorrow what is the first thing you’d do?

Well most likely I’d go to visit one of our makers as I like to be around the garments we make, but maybe first I would slip in a visit to the park, kick a ball around with some friends or go to the pub with a couple of mates and talk for hours about nothing, enjoying every moment. 

There’s usually a silver lining with all tricky situations, what’s yours?

Spending more time in house, weird but I travel a lot in my job and its great to spend some time here, even if its forced. 

Stay up to to date with David here view our latest arrivals from Universal Works here and keep an eye out for more in this series over the next few weeks.