COMPANY PROFILE 11 When did you start up and why? We started around 2004/2005, I went to a millinery class on a whim and loved the craftsmanship and creativity required to make a hat. After a couple of years of learning on the job and developing my profile, I launched my own brand. I was stuck in a corporate career that didn’t fulfil me in any way, so it was an easy choice to launch my label when the opportunity arose. What prompted you to launch the business? There was certainly a gap in the market for beautifully crafted headwear with a unique aesthetic and a more contemporary edge. I’d had a number of good sales and a growing client base, so launching full time was the obvious next step. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? Headwear and hair accessories aren’t exactly necessity items - they really do fall into the luxury sphere and so any changes in consumer spending habits absolutely impact the business. Covid lockdown, of course, was intensely difficult – all normal hat-wearing events completely stopped, and so sales did as well. Keeping the brand ticking along in those difficult times is definitely the biggest challenge. Tell us about your product offering. Our product range falls into three main categories: • Occasion Hats (our heavily detailed and often extravagant pieces for racewear, weddings, parties and other events) • Everyday Headwear (our less formal pieces - headbands, straw hats, berets, fedoras and baseball caps) • Hair Accessories (claw clips, barrettes, scrunchies and scarves) What are your most popular products? Our two bestsellers are our ostrich feather ‘puffs’ – brightly coloured explosions of light and colourful feathers – they’re so much fun to wear and are light and comfortable; and our pompom headbands – perfect for so many different occasions and available in a wide-range of colours, these pieces offer maximum impact at an attainable price-point.
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