Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - Page number 126 - November/December 2021

126 FINER DETAILS Having worked as a designer for UK high street brands, Jane Lanario launched Mabel Sheppard to innovate the market… When did you start up and why? I launched Mabel Sheppard in 2019 after spending over 25 years spent as a handbag designer for UK high street brands. What prompted you to launch the business? I was approaching 50, very unhappy in my job, and left without really knowing what I was going to do. I had been designing gloves for House of Holland alongside bags, and they sold really well. I spotted a niche for quirky designed leather gloves – no-one else was doing this. I’ve always had a love of vintage and combine this in my designs. The brands Mabel + Frederick Sheppard are named after my paternal grandparents. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? My company is just me, I do everything including design – the part I love – and selling; I have sold to over 20 UK boutiques, the Imperial War Museum + RAF museum, as well as stores in Amsterdam and Japan. I also pack parcels and keep up with paperwork, which is the side I dread, such as stock taking and accounts. Another challenge was COVID-19 – it hit sales in my boutiques hard last year. I also haven’t taken a salary yet!