What began as one mum’s solution to a parenting problem has grown into an award-winning British baby clothing and gifting brand. Blade & Rose founder Amanda Peffer tells us more Growing with love When did you start up and why? Blade & Rose was founded in 2010 while I was on maternity leave with my second child, Issey Rose. I was forever pulling her little skirts down because every time I picked her up, all you could see were her tights. Then, as she started to crawl, I had the idea of creating a pair of leggings that celebrated that adorable little crawling bottom instead of trying to hide it. After months of designing and sampling, I created our very first knitted leggings with a character on the bottom. Looking back, that one simple idea changed my life. 16 years later, it’s incredible to see how it has grown into an award-winning British baby clothing and gifting brand, loved by families and stocked by independent retailers around the world. What prompted you to launch the business? I didn’t have a business plan or ambitions of building an international brand. I simply had an idea that I believed other parents would love too. I’ve always been passionate about creating products that are practical, beautifully designed and bring a smile to people’s faces. Once I saw the reaction to those first leggings, I knew I had to give it everything I had. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? Running a family business has certainly been a rollercoaster. We’ve experienced recessions, Brexit, Covid, rising costs and now significant global shipping delays. Every challenge has taught us something. As a small business, we’ve had to be 52
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