How do you keep your designs fresh and current? Do you follow trends? We tend not to launch new collections each year but instead choose to add new designs gradually to our current ranges. We are always chasing the next idea that will both challenge us as designers and strike a chord with our loyal followers. Its all about having fun with new ideas, pushing the boundaries but staying true to our core value of keeping it simple. It’s the simplicity that makes the designs unique to us, not always easy to achieve though. What sets you apart from your competitors? What’s sets us apart is that our designs are printed on glass as opposed to canvas or paper. It’s also that all of our illustrations are drawn by ourselves and therefore unique to us. We have developed a way of framing the glass prints which create a three-dimensional quality. How are you finding the current climate in the UK? Is it affecting business? The last few years have thrown up many new challenges, however, we are very pleased with how business is going in the UK. We have learnt to keep plenty of materials in stock to prevent shortages during busy times, as we have always taken pride in a fast turnaround time. We are committed to keeping our prices affordable during this difficult time of rising costs. Are you active on social media? How is this important for the business? We are active on a number of social media channels but it has never been a huge part of our business strategy. It has always been a platform for us to show that there are real people behind the business and to provide updates on new products. There will always be the customer or potential stockist who would rather contact us through these platforms rather than other methods, so we feel its important to stay connected. Do you have any advice for new businesses starting out in the world of gifts? Try to be different from the rest and stand out from the crowd, do one thing well rather spreading yourself too thin, especially in the beginning. Research the market and know your competition. What can we expect in the future from the company? For now, we intend to keep moving forward with great new designs. We are also exploring the idea of incorporating our designs into other products. BLACK HEN DESIGNS T: +44 (0)0353 949880592 www.blackhendesigns.com 79 UP AND COMING
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