Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - Page number 113 - September/October 2021

113 UP & COMING When did you start up and what prompted you to launch the business? We started in September 2018. Ceri and I met when working together for a company that supplied retail goods to major tourist attractions throughout the UK and after a lot of planning and Dutch courage, we decided to go solo. Our confidence came with the realisation that these brands trusted us with their name and valued our ability in both product and creative design. We have taken all of this experience and created Goodeehoo. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? COVID – I don’t think I can add to that! Oh, and working with my husband. Tell us about your product offering. We offer affordable, luxury vegan friendly handbags, accessories, stationery and gifts. I am obsessed with handbags and accessories and felt there was a gap in the market as you either pay a fortune for a quality leather item or get stuck with a plastic looking low quality product. Goodeehoo offers quality, luxury goods for a fraction of the cost currently available to the retail market. What are your most popular products? This was the real surprise for me, as we live in such a digital world, but our notebooks are our best selling items by far! Have any styles taken you by surprise with their popularity? They all do well, but one thing I have learnt is, it not always what I love that does well. How do you keep your designs fresh and current? Do you follow trends? Yes, very much so, before the dreaded C-word we visited trade shows throughout the world to get ideas, look online and often headed into London for inspiration from premium brands. Mix that with a bit of Goodeehoo two tone and it has been a winner! Designing the bags is the easy bit and certainly the most fun. What sets you apart from your competitors? Affordability, without compromising on style and quality. How are you finding the current climate in the UK? Is it affecting business? Very much so. Gifting is doing well online but with the shops being closed this was hard for us. We are in 300 stores now and hope to see this continue to grow as time goes on and the world returns to some normality. We are finding that ‘going out’ I 