Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - September/October 2020

138 Tell me a bit about how the label was started. What was the inspiration? by Molly&Izzie began in 2015 as a side hustle when I decided to use my graphic design training to launch a range of wedding stationary. This gradually expanded to include art prints based around celebrating important moments. The business grew slowly and by early 2016 I was also designing and producing business stationery for small businesses. I wanted to grow and develop a brand based around me being able to be at home with my daughter and then also my son, who was born in April 2016. How were the initial products developed and what was the response? The first wish bracelet that I designed was actually in response to a local business asking me to design a mix between a business card and a gift they could give out to customers. Years ago, when I was living in France, I was given something similar by a dear friend. The business loved the idea and soon a whole range had been designed. I added them to my retail website and I couldn’t keep up with demand they were so popular. What challenges did you face and how were they overcome when starting the business? The business really took off during Christmas 2016. I had a three- year-old, a seven-month-old baby, our house had been flooded and we were living with my parents. It was definitely a challenge! Thankfully my family are very supportive and helped with childcare and packing orders, it was a huge team effort with very little sleep that first Christmas. We’re now a team of seven based in a fabulous studio, attached to my home. There are still lots of long days and sleepless nights, but it is definitely worth it! What is it that sets you apart from your competitors? I believe that we are able to stand apart from competitors due to our ability to be reactive to market trends. All of our products are produced in house and we can design and launch new products very quickly. We also love to create bespoke products for our retail customers and love to include their own branding on our products. Has the product offering changed since you started and how would you describe your current collection? The original product offering was based around affordable wedding stationary, so it has changed significantly over the our years. I would describe our current offering as a range of design-led products that offer a sense of cohesion across a range of price points. All of our products are designed with retailer need in mind, from the easy to display luxury gift boxes to the fact that every item can be shipped as a large letter – perfect for online retailers. Can you tell us a bit more about the new eco range? We’re so excited to launch our Eco range – we’ve been talking about it for so long that it’s amazing to finally be able to get it out there! The range is made up of a collection of plastic free and recyclable wish bracelets that look fantastic. They are made using cotton cord and coconut wood stars and presented on recycled card with a recycled Kraft brown paper envelope, even the washi tape securing the wish bracelet to the card is made from eco-friendly paper! As well as the eco wishes we are also really proud that all of

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