Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - March/April 2021

46 When did you start up and why? We began planning Motif in early 2018, and eventually launched in September 2019. It was a long time in the making! We timed our launch for Top Drawer AW19 and had a great reaction to it. What prompted you to launch the business? We’ve long had a passion for art and design and also have a love for mints! We suddenly realised there was a real gap in the market – particularly the higher end market. In design driven environments – be they boutique gift stores, museums, galleries, farm shops, department stores – anywhere a little more premium, and not just functional. You wouldn’t really want to stock what we would call commodity style mint brands. Instead it’s much nicer to have an exciting, beautiful product that someone would buy not just to freshen their breath, but because it’s a desirable object in its own right. That was something we felt really well placed to fulfil with Motif. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? Aside from a pandemic, the main challenge has been trying to get people to see mints as something other than a commodity item. That they can be stylish, fun, a key accessory, and giftable! Tell us about your product offering. Our main product offering is beautiful, limited-edition tins filled with sugar free mints. We take our cues from the worlds of fashion, interiors, art and pop culture ensuring a series of collections that are as diverse as our customer base. What are your most popular products? The Geo Bright and Architectural collections have been stand-out favourites. People love the bright colours