You have a beautiful blog!Archive for the ‘interview’ Category
daisy loves… interview Aspiring Couture
Welcome to our second interview! This month Allison O’Grady, who is founder of the recently launched Aspiring Couture online boutique, talks to us about her aspirations for the design world and tells us about some of her favourite designers.
It’s an exciting time for you Allison as you have just launched your new website aspiringcouture.com. Can you tell us a bit more about it?
Aspiring Couture is an online boutique featuring work from different aspiring designers. Everything on the website is handmade which I have approved myself. There is also a page for custom orders which will give buyers an opportunity to contact their favourite designer quickly and easily to set up a project. There is also a lot on the website about contributing as we are always interested in working with other designers, artists, bloggers, etc. to come up with new ideas!
We will continue to add more designers as well as add new products from our current designers so there will also be something new and exciting going on with Aspiring Couture!
When did your interest in fashion start, and what was the inspiration behind Aspiring Couture?
I took sewing classes as a child, and that was always of interest to me. But, when I was around 15 I just made the decision to be a designer. I was in school at the time and plans change so quick, that before I knew it I was nowhere close to where I wanted to be. About 6 months ago I took a look at my life, where I was, and where I wanted to be. I looked at doing design again, but honestly I wasn’t the best! I had the concepts, but I can’t draw for the life of me! I thought about it and realised – what was I supposed to do when the designs were done? I thought it would be awesome to have a place where people could sell their work. So, i decided to create that place and when I was ready, I could just put my work in the store.
Right when I had the idea I looked online for people just to see if there was anyone like me! I found Laine Jewellery and Sarah Seven. That was pretty much enough for me to see that there are incredibly talented people out there who would probably love the chance to sell their work in a boutique!
Are there any particular designers we should be looking out for from your network?
I have been getting tons of feedback about Feathered – By Blair Nadeau. People love the work! I think it is because she took an idea of something completely different and just went with it! Her designs give people something to talk about! I think it is great and she definitely deserves that!
Other than that I really do love Jesica Milton and Laine Jewellery. Actually so far I have heard people say “so and so is my favourite” and it always seems to be a different designer. They are all incredibly talented people and they are all working off of different ideas. So, I think all of them in their respective markets will succeed!
What service and support do you offer aspiring designers?
I sort of want to say everything! And it really is pretty close to the truth. I say so many times on my blog, website, tweets, etc. to contact me with any ideas! I love working with people and I love talking to people. Obviously I offer support to all designers, put them on the website for free, feature them on the blog, and do whatever promotion I can for them. I would love to get a lot more brand, brand new designers who have maybe a couple of pieces and a real passion. I would love to showcase those types of people, no website, no idea what they are doing, but they just continue to design and sew because that is what they love! Obviously they are hard to find since they are not quite into internet media, blogging, etc. but I know that they are out there – so it is my next project to figure out how to find those gems!
What criteria do you have for designers to be featured on your site?
Honestly it is not very hard! I pretty much search the internet for my blog posts. I post all pieces I absolutely love and would want to wear! I sort of reserve my blog for that because I want a place to show my style through other people’s designs, and so far I have gotten some great feedback on the people I have featured.
I know that there are people who like things I don’t like, and it goes both ways-so I try to be a bit more opened minded about the website. So far I have pretty much contacted all the designers, so they are all things that I love and would wear. But in the future it will depend on how many people I have doing the same category. I do like supporting people who are very nice and humbled about what they do. I like to see that passion from the designers because it really does translate into the clothing they design! But I do welcome anyone to contact me, because the least I can do is help in some way!
What is your own fashion style? Do you have a favourite designer or store?
I like the classic and timeless looks. I like simple and clean items too. I love wearing things like black or white or grey, with jeans, and then having bright yellow shoes or something like that! I also like adding a bold accessory to an outfit which makes it pop but doesn’t overwhelm the whole thing! I think it is important to not be over the top, and I like those more simple looks!
What are your aspirations for the website and the Aspiring Couture brand?
Everything! I want to be able to be able to show tons of work from different designers, give the greatest shopping experience to anyone coming by the site, and be able to expand the name heavily. I want to have a magazine featuring designers and support local sewing programs or school programs for those passionate individuals. I want to be able to help people through the features on my blog and inspire people to follow their dreams.
Do you think online boutiques and shopping are ever going to replace the buzz and thrill of the ‘real thing’?
Oh, I don’t know. Honestly, I have always hated shopping online. I love going in and trying something on and really getting to have it there! Haven’t you ever gone to a store and tried on REALLY expensive shoes “just because” and found yourself thinking about those shoes on your feet for the next week. Then you are back at the store after rearranging your whole life for these shoes! It’s like there is something about seeing the fit and how it makes you look. So, when I made the website I tried really hard to make each piece memorable. I put up many pictures keeping in mind angles, the back, the sides, etc. I wanted to give the person as much of the real thing as possible. I think that if more online stores started doing that, then online shopping has a far better chance, but I don’t think it will ever actually replace it.
Vintage or High Street?
High Street
Jeans on a dinner date?
Oh definitely (can I wear my yoga pants?)
Biggest obsession – handbags or shoes?
HAHAHA - I am going to have to say handbags. I think I have spent more money on bags than I have on all my shoes (and I have a lot of shoes!) so handbags it is!
Glamour Puss or Hippy Chicky?
…ummm Glamour Puss
Current dream outfit?
It used to be a black dress with coloured heels – I was obsessed! Now, I am going to have to say anything that I actually sew myself and can wear. The accomplishment itself would serve my dreams just fine!
Thank you so much for your time Allison – we love Aspiring Couture and can’t wait to see all the exciting new designers you have lined up!
daisy loves… The Camouflage Company
Louise, you and Corinne are sisters who run your business together. What are your backgrounds and did you always want to work together?
We had a company together called Table Matters selling wholesale antique and modern products for all types of tables. We sold pretty much anything that was stylish, quirky and fun and that went on tables! In 1991, we were approached by a Japanese businessman to take the whole range and do a fair in Tokyo. It was hugely successful and when we came back to London he asked us to open a Table Matters shop just off Sloane Street. At the time, it was all very new and exciting and Corinne designed a fantastic range of porcelain which sold in Harrods and Thomas Goode.
For various health and personal reasons we stopped working in the shop and Corinne went onto design jewellery while I did a foundation psychotherapy course, and went on to do hands-on volunteer work.
I normally like my camouflage on soldiers (!) but the designs for The Camouflage Company are just divine – pretty and yet very practical. Where did the initial inspiration come from for the products?
In 2004, Corinne was staying in the country and saw a gorgeous garden blotted by nasty green furniture covers. It made her wonder if there were any alternatives available which would blend in to gardens and pretty them up. There was nothing around so she set about designing some that did!
What is The Camouflage Company’s philosophy?
The look of all our products is fresh, new and very ‘now’. They are practical, pretty, eco friendly, kindly priced and incredibly useful! The entire range is aimed at brightening up mundane chores with smart, stylish accessories that can be adapted for a zillion household uses. Basically a very different range of bags for life! Our philosophy is really Glamour up your Clutter – make mess look less!!
The designs of your products are incredibly clever and some are totally unique. Where do you get your ideas from and who comes up with the designs?
Corinne is the creative genius and the ideas just come to her naturally. I have to hold her back as she has a brilliant new idea every five seconds! When we started out the Evergreen design made sense as it was the most obvious form of camouflage. However, the Long Grass design was a little more summery. As other product ranges evolved we decided we also needed patterns that were a little more vibrant, which is why we came up with the English Rose and Indie Chic patterns.
It looks like we’re going to be in for a fab summer – what does every glamorous girl need for her garden this season?
Every girl worth her glamour needs to have the Tool Belt, the Panier for working in the garden and the Leaf Bag to make sweeping up leaves a breeze! And of course our fab covers provide beautiful art in the garden as well as protecting your furniture from those pesky summer showers. If it’s a gorgeous day you are going to want to be outside and our boxes and trays are also great for keeping all the bits and pieces you need with you neat and tidy!
Are you both avid gardeners and if so what are you growing in your gardens this year?
We both like natural, pretty gardens, nothing too structured and definitely no ugly green covers! Although we are both townies, when it comes to gardens and the outdoors, we are both country girls at heart. We love all sorts of gorgeous flowers and we both find gardening a great way to relax.
Your products are so versatile – I use my English Rose tool belt when I’m walking the dogs as it’s perfect for biscuits, blackberry, keys etc. What else can you use some of your products for?
The thing about all our products is that everything is multi-purpose!
The Duffel carrier can be used as a car boot sheet – ideal for avoiding the mess when you visit the garden centre. It can also be used for picnics, or for throwing all your clothes into for a weekend away. If you’re a Mum, it’s perfect for babies to play on then simply duffel up their toys for a quick getaway!
My favourite products at the moment are our fantastic Shop Boxes which have a multitude of uses. But the best way to use them is for your grocery shopping! Just put two boxes inside one of our chic shoppers and when you get to the supermarket put the boxes and the bag in the trolley and shop to your heart’s content. But you do have to leave a little extra time as I can guarantee everyone at the till will ask you where they came from! Then just lift the boxes straight out of the trolley and into your car – we call it your box for life!
The Panier is a very stylish alternative for shopping at your local baker, flower market, butcher etc. You can also use it for activities like fruit picking. One friend of ours is an artist and she uses it to carry all her gear around. The uses of all our products are really just limited to your imagination and we are always delighted to hear how people use theirs!
You currently sell your products online at The Camouflage Company. Do you have any plans to open a shop front or expand into different sectors?
The online shop currently keeps us very busy and we are also stocked in John Lewis and Dobbies as well as smaller chains and independents and other websites. We also have distributors in the USA and France as well as Japan, Croatia, Norway, Spain and Belgium so there are no plans for a shop!!
We are also really excited to be working with the National Gallery and bringing out products at Spring Fair – so no rest for either of us for the foreseeable future!
Thank you both so much and we are both looking forward to a very glamorous summer in the garden!
