Designer - House Of Coco Magazine

Business May 23, 2019

#WOMENWORLDWIDE: ANGELICA HANLEY BUILT A CREATIVE BUSINESS BASED ON LAUGHTER

Angelica Hanley is the inspirational, thoughtful and funny owner and entrePUNeur of ACouplePuns, a company that creates unique cards guaranteed to make you and your loved ones laugh. Angelica talked to House of Coco about what she sees are the challenges of being a #girlboss who moves around a lot, turning a challenge into a business she can take with her wherever she goes.

“I show up for my business every day”

Q. Tell us about ACouplePuns, what inspired the business?

A. Sharing laughter and connecting people! I think greeting cards are the best place I could have started. I started ACouplePuns 2 years ago after moving across the US with my husband – who is a Navy Pilot. I felt for a lack of better words, homesick and displaced. Having moved from the East Coast where everyone in my life was 3 hours away I felt a bit isolated in my new home in Texas. It wasn’t the big city experience I had back home where I had an abundance of social circles and hobbies and being an introvert was more of a choice rather than something I felt forced on me.

I had to work a bit harder to make Texas feel like a home and really put myself out of my comfort zone. It’s that feeling that inspired me to start something I could take with me wherever I end up utilizing my talents and my professional experience (military families move around a lot). I ended up with this amazing gift that is ACouplePuns. I remember setting up at my first market and seeing how many people came by and laughed with me over my cards and told me why one specific design is perfect for someone special in their life. I still look forward to this at markets and I love when customers leave little notes thanking me for coming up with something as silly as a puny card. I don’t think they know how much bliss that brings to me and it’s what keeps inspiring my creativity….and puns.

It’s funny thinking about this now because we’re gearing up for yet another cross country move up to Boston this summer and instead of feeling discontent I’m already getting the ball rolling and reaching out to local women’s organizations, shops and hunting for opportunities to share my cards in the new city. I set out to create this thing I could take with us and I’ve done just that – and it almost feels as if it’s on accident.

HoC. Where did your love for play on words and puns come from? Did you get a kick out language as a child?

Angelica: Ever since I was a kid I have always been the comedian of my friends and family so for me to turn my love for laughter into a business comes to no surprise to those who know me. The puns thing started to gain traction when my husband and I were dating long distance. We would communicate via puns throughout the day and it made the distance seem shorter because I was always laughing and seeking out fun puns or word play to share. When we would have the chance to see each other I would take photos of him and write a punny caption about what he was doing or an object he was holding.

I shared these photos on Facebook and Instagram and my friends began to encourage my punny antics and share any sight of a pun with me. I realized how much people enjoy sharing puns so I began brainstorming how I could expand this network of fellow punny individuals beyond my own inbox. I always dabbled in artsy passion projects on the side so deciding to couple my love for art and puns into something that allowed people to share laughter was pretty easy! It just clicked! My cards are inspired by things I love, places I travel, pop culture and now that I have a decent following many designs are inspired by the things my community of “punny people” want to see.

HoC: What’s your favourite pun? Or is their a favourite topic you enjoy coming up with puns with for?

Angelica: Oh goodness!! ALL OF THEM! Every time I think I have a new favorite pun I find another. I think I’m also influenced by how much I love the art attached to the puns I turn into cards BUT if I had to pick one it would be “entrePUNeur”. If I ever write a book someday that will be the title. I always refer to myself as a Female EntrePUNeur – turning everything into puns and building a business out of dad jokes and art.

HoC. Where do you get your inspiration from? Do you keep a note of puns to illustrate as you think of them or hear them or do you set creative time to work?

Angelica: Until recently I was working a full time job in advertising while running my business on the side (aka early morning, lunch breaks, evenings & weekends) I barely had free time – I guess being far from my family and friends was actually a blessing because it gave me the mental space to turn this idea into a business. I’d try and set aside the weekend I didn’t have markets to spend time doodling and coming up with new art. But in terms of thinking of the puns and drawings I see inspiration EVERYWHERE I’m always seeing things and thinking of silly punny phrases. For instance, I’ll walk into a grocery store and see the vegetable section and “Peas Romaine Calm and Carrot On” will come to mind. If you follow me in Instagram, you’ll see how my brain works. I see things and share the punny thoughts. Many times, this is what inspires the cards. One of my best-selling Valentine’s Day cards came to mind while my husband and I spotted a giant fondue fountain. I took a photo of him and said, “I want to FONDUEL you” and then turned that into a card.

HoC: How did you go about deciding on your wholesale business model?

Angelica: My wholesale card selling journey started with an e-mail from the owner of a gift shop with multiple locations. At this time I was running my shop out of a storage container on my living room couch. I was printing cards in very small quantities and expecting to sell one or two a week. While reading the e-mail I got lost in acronyms and spent hours on google trying to interpret and figure out the cost to charge before responding. I actually had NO idea what I was doing or how to price my product for wholesale but I said YES and trusted my resourcefulness to figure it out. The buyer wanted these in 5 days, of course! Thanks to a background in marketing I knew what kind of printer I needed to work with and I sent them a request for an estimate as if I were my own client! I quickly sourced envelopes, packaging and canceled my plans so I could package and fold these cards and meet this buyers deadline.

ACouplePuns was supposed to be my fun creative outlet and not something deadline driven but this felt natural so I didn’t even notice at the time. I’m used to making sense of chaos to get client work out the door so before I could even realize what I had just done, I shipped the package priority and opened the door for high volume wholesale PUN sharing! I’ve since done my homework and buttoned a few things up but not much is different. I was able to quickly assess the cost per card, retail market cost, wholesale cost and minimum order needed to profit before I responded to that first request and my prices have stayed the same. It was a little luck and a little trust in my resourcefulness that helped me totally “fake it ‘ til I fulfilled it” and now look at my hobby like an actual business. Fast forward a year later and I am selling in over 30 shops in Texas and a few others nationwide. I have a predictable monthly revenue allowing me to invest in storage space, print my product in bulk and be ready ready to jump when a rush request comes in!

HoC: What do you think of print fulfillment companies or shop hosting sites, is there an impact for indie card designers?

Angelica: I’m yet to work with a fulfillment company but it is something I will be looking into now that I’m aware of the volume of cards I’m selling and have the time to do the proper research being that this is my full time job now. I LOVE Etsy! I actually host my website through Etsy and have a regular shop page. I’ve gone back and forth trying out different hosting sites but the amount of traffic I get to my regular web page just doesn’t justify the high premiums and selling fees they charge.

Etsy has a phenomenal product called “Pattern” and it allows me to have my own branded website but have the inventory and listings pair up with my regular Etsy shop. Sure, it doesn’t have all of the bells an whistles as other websites do but for me this works just fine – I can share images in my gallery, host a blog and the emphasis is on the products. Millions of shoppers use Etsy so I think it would be silly to not focus my time on updating listings and keeping my shop refreshed. It’s contributed to a lot of my success on the direct to consumer side and helped me grow my business.

HoC: What do you think are the biggest challenges to running your own business?

Angelica: Asking for help, being aware of what you don’t know, accepting things don’t have to be perfect … oh and time. I’d say location is a contributing factor but after doing some reflecting, I’m glad I was living in a smaller city when growing my business. It was easier to put my name out there and participate in markets that contributed to the confidence that has gotten me where I am now. I just don’t know if I would have been able to grow as fast if I were in a saturated market. Also, the internet and many groups such as the Female Founder Collective have bridged that distance gap and provided me with the connections and resources I would have in a larger city.

I recently quit my 9-5 and thought I would have all of the extra time, but I quickly realized its now just filled with everything I couldn’t do while working full time. I’m wearing all of the hats right now which is fine but I want to grow and I want to not only be cards but build my brand to be the go-to source for anything and everything punny. I suppose I also need money for that. I’ve really just been working on building the brand with a cost-effective product so that I can someday (hopefully soon) bring on a team that can help me bring my vision for ACouplePuns to fruition.

“I faked it until I fulfilled it”

HoC: What’s the best piece of advice you were given when setting up your business?

Angelica: I didn’t really get and personal advice, but I have received a handful of advice via podcasts and books. Whenever I’m working, driving or even cleaning I’m always tuned into a podcast usually about women entrepreneurs and their business journeys. When I started this I didn’t really have anyone in my life who was doing something similar but I soon became immersed in this small business world and now my life is filled with receiving and giving advice. It’s amazing how one idea can really shape the way you communicate and what you bring to the world even outside of your regular “work tasks and business”. I’ve learned to be smart about growing and that’s the reason I have not gone broke trying to add new products (although very tempting). I’m focusing on that brand as I mentioned earlier.

“Learn your early lessons on someone else’s dime”

HoC: What advice would you give to our readers who want to start their own business/be their own boss?

Angelica: Learn your early lessons on someone else’s dime. Sure the idea of working for yourself is AMAZING but I’m here today because I spent my early career leaning lessons that helped me grown both professionally and personally. I rely on every success and every downfall I’ve experience professionally to help me run my business. While ACouplePuns may only be approaching 2 years old the Entrepreneurial mind I’ve always brought to my work is years ahead. I can’t stress how important it is to work for an organization that is organized and helps you lay a foundation and then maybe even one that is not so organized but challenges you in different aspects such as how to work well with peers who challenge your views and process you trust to work.

I’m able to market my business because I worked in marketing for 8 years, I’m able to sell my cards because I have developed professional skills enabling me to communicate with people of all backgrounds and I’m punctual and quick to respond because I’ve always worked in deadline driven environments. I know how to source products because of my experience in marketing production. Someday when I have a team working for me I’ll also have both good and bad examples of leadership styles I want to bring into my organization. Also just stay consistent. Some days you won’t want to do anything but just send out the e-mail, fulfill the order, respond to the people commenting on the content you share. It’s a numbers game and eventually it will pay off!! I show up for my business every day and that has contributed to a lot of my success.

www.acouplepuns.com

Australia May 23, 2019

#womenworldwide: find out how Elinor Alm turned holiday inspiration into a business

Elinor Alm is the co-founder and designer of Bequia Beach Bums, a easy to wear swimwear line made up of simple styles but playful prints for your next adventure. Their debut collection is limited edition with only 50 pieces of each swim short print sold in beach boutiques in Bequia but fear not, they have an exclusive limited number available online. We found out how Elinor started the brand and what her top picks are for you to get your hands on this summer.

House of Coco: What was the inspiration for Bequia Beach Bums?

Elinor: I’ve always loved travelling, and have lived across the world from Stockholm to Taipei, Shanghai to London, Chile to Australia. If given a choice between material things or experiences, I would go for experiences every time. But in an ideal world I wouldn’t have to choose! I hunt for original souvenirs whilst out exploring the world. I advocate artisan and high quality instead of fast fashion. When I arrived to little Bequia, I loved the place but found myself leaving empty-handed. It was there the concept of Beach Bums was born.

HoC: How did you meet Bengt, the owner of Bequia Beach Hotel, and how did the decision to launch a swimwear beach line evolve?

Elinor: I actually met Bengt the first time in Bequia, my boyfriend invited me on holiday and to meet his dad. After a few more visits to his hotel; Bequia Beach Hotel, I recognised a gap in the market to capture the essence of a small lush Caribbean island & it’s story in an exclusive collection of beachwear. With my knowledge in textiles and product development, I proposed to Bengt to create our very own unique beachwear brand; serving as a lasting memory for guests to take home and with them on their next adventure. Bengt loved the idea of synergies of a beachwear brand and today Beach Bums helps to attract guests to the island and hotel.

HoC: How did you go about designing the line?

Elinor: As a designer, you take inspiration from different times and places. Due to my background in product development I am confident in the design process and have production contacts in China from living there. I begun to sketch my collected ideas, from patterns to practical solutions and material choices. I decided very early in the process that the collection should be smart, conscious and with good quality and finest workmanship. All patterns are inspired by the lushness and laid back life in Bequia, available in limited quantities of up to 50 pieces. My goal has always been to have the collection produced in Bequia, unfortunately the experience and capabilities cannot yet be compared with China. Despite this, Beach Bums will proudly present an artisan collection together with a local learning centre in Bequia late 2019. The best part of being the entrepreneur and a designer is to continually evolve the brand.

HoC: What do you think are some of the challenges of running an independent fashion business in 2019?

Elinor: Challenges of today are also the opportunities. The world is your playground and the competition is tough. To be your own boss forces you to work hard and believe in yourself – something that is not easy to manage every single day. It’s about hard work and a little bit of luck. Being an independent woman is all about surrounding yourself self with other strong, powerful women and men. You can do a lot by yourself but you need a core group that can fuel you with good energy.

HoC: We love your use of older and diverse models in your campaign, how important is diversity and representation for your brand?

Elinor: It’s very important! Central to the core of the brand’s identity is representation by real beach bums – people that enjoy life to its fullest! Borders between different cultures and ages are increasingly blurring. I love the idea of confident people who don’t feel like they have to fit into a certain personas as a result of societies’ expectations. If you’re a silver fox but want to wear the same on-trend shirt as your grandson – well go ahead! Live life to its fullest!

HoC: With the summer approaching, what do you think is the key piece House of Coco readers should be snapping up from your collection?

Elinor: For men – the Hawaiian Shirt! It’s been so trendy for years know and still on fire. Hawaiian shirts are for all ages and not only for a holiday or the tropics, pair your loud shirt with a pair of chinos and white sneakers and you’re are perfectly ready to take on the city. For the ladies – our reversible bikinis that gives great support and multiple options to style.

HoC: What piece of advice would you give to our readers who want to set up their own brand or business?

Elinor: Seek knowledge. There is so much information to collect just online and amongst friends and acquaintances. Enforce your strong attributes and actively keep your knowledge fresh to stay ahead of your competitors in those chosen fields – be the best! For your weaknesses – seek external help. If you are simply worthless in WordPress – hire someone external and focus on what you are good at instead.

Be persistent! Never quit! Even if you had a bad day and doubt you’ll succeed.

Always be kind and helpful to others, surround yourself with positive and fearless people.

Add value to your product to better your competitors and exceed expectations to retain your clients. And importantly, remember to take time off for yourself to stay motivated and refuel in between all the work & effort.

HoC: What was the best piece of advice you were given in setting up your own business?

Elinor: Accomplish at least one thing every day that will take your business forwards.

Don’t try to please everyone and don’t excuse yourself.

Know your numbers, because in the end it’s a business not a hobby.

Don’t be afraid to fail.

Visit Bequia Beach Bums

Accessories May 15, 2019

#CocoFashion: Bicester Village Launches Celebrating India

A unique concept store highlighting the best of India’s contemporary design launches at Bicester Village, Oxfordshire – 17th – 29th May, and #TeamCoco will be visiting the village to see all the Indian designs, and to sample some Indian street food.

This summer Bicester Village will showcase some of the most exciting talent coming out of India today as the country’s magical spirit and exotic charms sweep through the Village in a colourful celebration of All Things India. Whether India is one of your favourite destinations or you still dream of travelling there one day, you’ll be able to discover all the pleasures it has to offer at Bicester Village.

The Celebrating India concept store has been created to showcase the exciting new voices coming out of India today as well as celebrating established talents, curated by fashion connoisseur, businesswoman, and art purveyor Roohi Jaikishan and fashion editor Sujata Assomull. The unique concept store will welcome brands such as Manish Arora, Pippa Small, Beulah, Behno, Huemn, Dhruv Kapoor, Kanika Goyal Label, Kashmir Loom, Khosla Jani, SZ Blockprints, Tada & Toy, Tiipoi and more.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming a new wave of India’s creative talents to Bicester Village to commence the launch of our summer campaign ‘All Things India’. Collectively the designers showcased at the Celebrating India concept store are leading the charge and affirming India’s position on the international design agenda and, what more vibrant a highlight could we wish for than these six magnificent elephant sculptures honouring one of natures’ most celebrated icons. The Bicester Village Shopping Collection is proud to partner with Elephant Family in support of its valuable work in protecting these endangered creatures.” – Desirée Bollier, Chair and Chief Merchant, Value Retail Management, operator of The Bicester Village Shopping Collection.

Brands to note include:

Beluah – with an ethical ethos at the forefront of this luxury womenswear brand, its timeless feminine designs feature beautiful hand embroidery, sand-washed silks and screen printing. Through the development of ancient craft and economic independence, Beluah continues its mission to create a positive impact on the lives of the women behind its beautiful collections.

Manish Arora – one of the most celebrated and inspiring contemporary Indian designers and one of the Business of Fashion 500. Known for his craftsmanship, playful colour combinations and trademark palette of pink and gold, his eye-catching designs are not to be missed.

Behno – ‘Behno’ means ‘sisters’ in Hindi, which is how the female designers working for Behno are referred to. This globetrotting accessory hero offers modern silhouettes and its instantly-recognisable INA leather mini crossbody from £180. Choose from a palette of summer pastels, pink, saffron, sky blue or yellow.

Pippa Small – Discover the eponymous collection from sustainable jewellery designer Pippa Small, who’s known for her globetrotting adventures, artisan style and ethically sourced materials. Explore the beautiful collection of vibrant gemstones and delicate detailing of this handcrafted jewellery.

Tiipoi – Splitting her time between her design studios in Bangalore and London, Spandana Gopal creates beautiful minimalist interior accessories. Inspired by stories of modern India with touches of brass, copper and wood throughout, Tiipoi’s unique home accessories add the perfect finishing touch to any interior. Discover hand-woven rugs from £100 and quilted pattern cushions from £30.

Kanika Goyal – With its roots firmly in quality craftsmanship and refined tailoring, Kanika has established her brand as the go-to for millennials seeking chic pared-back style. Featuring bold patterns and provocative designs, her unique pieces are perfect for making a style statement.

SZ Blockprints – Seeking a modern reimagining of traditional patterns, SZ Blockprints partners with a multigenerational family printing studio based in Jaipur. Using one of India’s oldest printing techniques, each piece is lovingly handmade, making them truly unique.

Huemn – Former winners of the Indian Vogue Fashion Fund, designers Shyma Shetty and Pranav Mishra are the cool duo behind a unique collection of handcrafted, genderless garments. Discover oversized t-shirts, beautiful silk pieces, and denim staples.

“As someone who grew up in England, the heritage of Indian fashion always intrigued me. It was only after moving there that I realised there was such a cool factor to contemporary Indian fashion. It stays true to its roots yet is very trend and style driven. The fact that Bicester Village – a place where many Indians come to shop – is now celebrating contemporary Indian fashion, really is taking the story full circle. The Indian labels that Bicester Village is bringing to the Celebrating India boutique seamlessly work with international brands. I have really enjoyed helping put together the list of ‘Made in India’ fashion brands” Sujata Assomull.

As part of the Village-wide celebrations of All Things India, from 17 May to 11 June guests will be able to discover five spectacular life-size elephants, one of which will sit within the Celebrating India concept store. Handcrafted from natural fibres, the elephants will arrive in the Village to launch a partnership with Elephant Family, allowing guests from all over the world to join the fight to protect the Asian elephant.

“I am utterly delighted that Elephant Family is partnering with Bicester Village in celebration of magnificent India: the home to more than half of the world’s wild Asian elephants and immense artistic creativity. Together we will bring it all to life and raise substantial funds for the preservation of their greatest natural icon” Ruth Ganesh, Principle Trustee, Elephant Family.

Visit Bicester Village between 17th and 29th May to experience the Celebrating India concept store, and until 11th June to visit the life-sized handcrafted elephants.

www.bicestervillage.com for more info

Designer April 19, 2019

#WomenWorldwide: Launching a Business as a Mum with ZIPPYUP

Sometimes it take a life shift to make you realise what’s important – or to make a change in your working life. Today’s interviewee is Angela Hall, founder of innovative baby sleepsuit company ZIPPYUP who made a huge leap from working in-house in the fashion industry, to launching her own brand!

HOC: Great to meet you, Angela! What’s your elevator pitch for ZIPPYUP?

Angela: The award winning ZIPPYUP is an affordable, good quality, practical baby sleepsuit with a head to toe zip for easy, quick nappy and outfit changes. For parents of newborns, the zip makes night changes much simpler, with built in mitten cuffs it stops scratching too. Sizes go up to 18-24m so little wrigglers can be changed in record time before they make a quick getaway.

HOC: What is your journey to starting your business; we know you made a career switch from working for a corporate; what made you take the leap to running your own business?

Angela: Yes! I spent the majority of my career in the fashion industry working with factories making men’s and women’s clothing for high street stores. Working with designers and buyers to import and supply large retailers on time and on trend. I made the leap of running my own business when I became a mummy with my first baby. I realised there was a need for affordable zip baby clothes (I still have no idea why poppers are used on the majority of babygrows?!). I decided to put my experience of design and the clothing industry to good use and created ZIPPYUP. I can fit my business around family life and I only have myself to answer to.

HOC: What difficult choices have you had to make for the business?

Angela: I’ve had to compromise on the selection of colours I can offer due to budget. I would love to have a wide range of colour combinations, prints and stripes for customers to choose from but to keep costs down and the product affordable I need to order reasonably large quantities and so cannot risk a colour not selling well. Customers are also still very keen to buy pink for girls and blue for boys. Although Aqua has been my best selling colour to date!

HOC: What does the team at ZIPPYUP look like?

Angela: I am a solo team with the help of my two little boys aged 3 years and 18 months. I am the designer, buyer, marketing dept, social media guru, pick & pack and customer service. Everything from the logo design to the budgeting is down to me!

HOC: And how has your business grown since starting?

Angela: Since starting my business from nothing I’m really pleased to say it has grown steadily over the last 18 months. I have been able to buy more stock and I am in the process of designing and ordering the next range for Autumn/Winter 2019. I’ve had amazing feedback from customers which is most important to me.

HOC: How can someone prepare themselves for entrepreneurial life / can you prepare yourself? Is it a leap of faith?

Angela: It’s a huge leap of faith and I really do think you should prepare yourself for a few knocks. Also, take as much help as you can when it’s offered, make friends and enjoy the journey otherwise it can be stressful and lonely. I’ve found that while promoting the brand everyone has been very welcoming and friendly. The Mummy community especially on social media is very supportive.

HOC: How do you take time out between running your business and being a mum, do you ever find it difficult?

Angela: Running my own business and being a mum is a complete juggling act in itself, working between nap times and nursery drop offs is difficult. Time out with friends and my hubby is rare but very much appreciated when it does happen.

HOC: What’s your ambition for your brand?

Angela: The aim for ZIPPYUP is to become the go-to zip babygrow company, with a huge choice of designs, colours and patterns for customers to select from. It’s currently the best priced zip babygrow on the market at £15 for 2.

HOC: The ’10 years ago’ challenge is all the rage on insta at the moment, what advice do you have for the 2009 you?

Angela: I’d say to myself – make the most of every minute you have before having babies and a business because once you have both there isn’t much time left in the day!

See Angela’s designs over at ZIPPYUP.com

Follow her work on instagram at @ZIPPY.UP

Designer April 9, 2019

Where to shop like Jennifer Lopez in Dubai

Jennifer Lopez debuted her latest music video on Sunday and there’s no doubt she’s looking better than ever.
But one of JLo’s stand-out moments had to be her white-hot look as she caresses a crystal ball while belting out her new track Medicine.

Fashionistas will be glad to know the look could be available on your next sunny getaway to the United Arab Emirates because it’s from Dubai-based AMATO Couture.

With a store greeting visitors to the Dubai Design District, this label has been showcased at Fashion Weeks around the globe, including London, New York, LA and Miami.

The man behind JLO’s autumn/winter 2018-19 couture collection ensemble is Filipino-born designer – AMATO’s founder and creative director – Furne One.

The ruffled one-piece suit is for anyone looking to recreate that whimsical look that Jennifer Lopez does so well in a carnival show scene that takes place inside a transparent glass room.

In the Medicine video, she plays a fortune teller and wears an immaculate one-piece, accented with pearls and crystals.

It’s the perfect look for a night out in Dubai where you can channel your inner World of Dance star.

Jennifer Lopez is depicted as the ring leader of a white monochromatic freak show featuring fortune tellers and a 50-foot cake.

She goes from carousel to crystal ball in the video, and even throws in some pole dancing to the horn-tinged track just before French Montana makes his appearance.

Sounds like a night out at Fairmont Dubai’s Cirque Le Soir nightclub to us!

Supermodels Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks have been seen in the Dubai-based designer’s pieces. Jennifer Lopez isn’t the only star to put the spotlight on the brand in the music world; it has Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Shakira, Nicole Scherzinger and Jessie J as fans!

For more information visit www.amatocouture.com

Designer February 7, 2019

#WomenWorldwide: Going behind the brand with Emilija Peciulyte – CEO & Founder of FG atelier

Founded by sisters Monika and Emilija Peciulyte, FG atelier was created to make life easier for professional, modern women who want to look sharp and feminine at work with minimal time and effort. From innovative ‘wash and wear’ collections to simple tailoring, the Peciulyte sisters are revolutionising female tailoring around the globe. Our writer Jenna caught up with Emilija to discuss sister dynamics, taking influence from Valentino and how building a successful business is a marathon and not a sprint…

JC: So firstly, what’s it like working with your sister Monika? I have a sister, and we don’t always see eye-to-eye, so it’s interesting to know about the dynamic!

EE: Monika is the creative director of the company, and she handles all aspects of design. She works closely with our manufacturing team, managing all sourcing of materials for collections. I handle the business side of the company from marketing, sales, and growth of our business. There is an unspoken connection between us, and we create the synergy that allows us to constructively connect different points of views and build our brand. One of the biggest strength of our partnership is that we have, had, and will always have very different skill sets. That allows us to combine different expertise and achieve the best results.

JC: As #TeamCoco are always traveling, we love your ‘wash and wear’ concept as there’s no need to iron it can be slipped on straight from your suitcase! What was the main inspiration behind this collection?

EE: From day one we have been working very closely with business ladies, and we spent a lot of time and attention just listening and hearing their pains and stories from their daily life which often is extremely busy. Working women have a lot of on their plate, and we wanted to find a way to make it less complicated and stressful. After all, our mission statement is “making your mornings easier”. That’s why the concept of machine washable, iron-free dresses came very naturally for us – we just wanted to help our clients and create dresses that not only look beautiful but also have utility aspect.

JC: Can you tell us more about your history before founding FG atelier?

EE: My sister Monika was always into art, design, and aesthetics. Even when she was just a little kid, she created designs and sew her clothes. And she was extremely proud of wearing clothes made by her! I, on the other hand, was drawn by science and literature. Many years later, when I was studying Marketing and Communication in France, Monika was more and more involved in working with private clients who wanted to upgrade their business outfits. At that time I thought what to do with my life – should I stay in France or should I start my own business? And I remember very distinctly that eureka moment when I realized that we could do something together. Of course, everything was uncertain at that time, but we knew that with our knowledge, skills, and passion we could create something meaningful. That is how FG atelier was born.

JC: Alongside Monika’s designs, what other designers inspire you?

EE: Givenchy and Valentino. We love their modern elegance and timeless designs.

JC: Who would be your dream influencer/celebrity to work with?

EE: There are many inspiring women with whom we would love work! I think our best relationships were established with those women who appreciate our clothes because they feel empowered and strong to tackle their biggest and most difficult tasks in their everyday life.

JC: Do you feel it can be harder for women to look smart and professional at work than men who can throw on a suit?

EE: Absolutely! Men have very clearly defined rules on how to look professional. Women have so many options, and the rules are so blurred that sometimes getting dressed in the morning becomes quite a daunting task.

JC: Can you tell us about a recent ‘Girl Boss’ moment?

EE: I think being intentional and taking my time seriously was my biggest girl boss moment. I set well-defined goals, and they are like a north start guiding me in my daily life. When you have goals it so much easier to say no to mindless scrolling through social media or stop procrastinating.

JC: What has been the hardest part of running your own fashion business?

EE: I think the hardest thing was not to be too harsh on yourself when things do not go so smooth or so quickly as you would like. Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint and you must have stamina and perseverance to achieve your goals. Looking for quick solutions or immediate results does not help as everything in life that is meaningful takes time. That’s the fact!

JC: What’s in the pipeline for 2019?

EE:We are working a lot on customer experience, and that involves everything from customer journey on our website to how a woman feels wearing our jacket or dress.That is crucial for us because our business was founded on the idea that we have to serve our clients and provide as much value to them as we can.

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To discover more about Emilija and Monika Peciulyte and their brand FG atelier, visit https://www.fgatelier.com.

Customer Service & Styling
Call: +49 163 002 7185
M-F 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM GMT+3

A.Tumeno street 4, Vilniaus Vartai Business Centre,
Vilnius, Lithuania, LT-01109

Accessories November 16, 2018

The C-Word: No Nonsense Gift Guides, The Conscious Consumer

The tone of these gift guides so far have been very tongue in cheek and a little rude. That’s how I roll – #sorrynotsorry.

However, we’re going to save rolling our collective eyes at our holier-than-thou Conscious Consumer friend (the one that has been avoiding mass produced fashion like the plague – good! but forgetting about those morals on a 3am McDonalds binge – not quite so good!) and instead offer them some truly meaningful gifts, that make a difference. Just don’t leave them in a fast food joint at 3am after friend Christmas.

Gift for The Conscious Consumer

MOSS : momentsofsenseandstyle.com

The founders of MOSS, Rob and Syreeta are an awesome creative couple whose lives were disrupted when Rob suffered a brain haemorrhage and stroke in 2014. Syreeta put her career on hold to care for Rob who unfortunately is still paralysed on one side. Together they crafted their brand MOSS. As they put it, “the brand was born from a desire to create light out of the darkness; an innovative and conceptual approach to dealing with life-changing events.”

I love their hand poured candles with evocative names and stories like No.1 Wander to Man Mo Temple (with notes of pepper, spice and wood) which starts “We met in Hong Kong. Both urban nomads, far from home, living parallel lives, same cities, never meeting.But paths finally cross in Hong Kong.” momentsofsenseandstyle.com

HEAD AND HANDS X SHARLALA JEWELLERY : headandhands.co.uk

Head and Hands is a loving curated indie store focused on self-care and positive mental health. Amanda, the brand founder, has collaborated with Sharla of Sharlala Jewellery on The Oracle Collection, a five talisman rings loosely inspired by ‘the hand of five mysteries’, ‘a Masonic invitation to receive secret knowledge’. Each symbol carries a mystic message for the beholder…

The collection launches on 24 November with a launch do in London on 28 November – headandhands.co.uk

Not what you are after?

Have you checked out our Indie Christmas guides for…

Designer September 23, 2018

Team Coco goes #runwaytorunway at London Fashion Week

While fashion week is kicking off in the sun-drenched streets of Milan, TeamCoco looks back at some of the highlights of London Fashion week. Thanks to our super Insider access from Etihad Airways, the official airline of London Fashion Week – TeamCoco fashionista, Hannah Tan-Gillies went #runwaytorunway and got to check out some of Britain’s most exciting designers and hang out at the Designers Showrooms, with some canapés and a glass of bubbles of course.

Marta Jakubowski

This season, the Polish born designer took a trip down to memory lane, by taking inspiration from her own millennial youth. Bright pastel prints which were very reminiscent of late nineties/noughties cut teen classics like ‘Jawbreaker’ and of course ‘Mean Girls’, came down the runway, albeit imbued with Marta Jakubowski’s signature sexy splicing. Peek-a-boo slits, cutouts, and hems harked back to her more conceptual aesthetic, but given a candy coated makeover. Tonal cutout column maxi dresses arrived in varying shades of pink and aqua, while tie-front silk tops were matched with low waist satin trousers. Even Paris Hilton would say “that’s hot”

Fyodor Golan

Everything about Fyodor Golan’s ss19 show looks like it had been lifted from a 2018 version of The Little Mermaid. The runway was filled with a hodge podge of fishnets made to look like they have been washed to shore, and the clothes were a parade of noughties references. The whole thing felt like a high-fashion mash up of Jenny from the Block. If the aforementioned ‘block’ was the Pacific Ocean, and the ‘rocks’ that she’s got were actually seashells. According to design duo Fyodor Podgorny and Golan Frydman, “Being inspired by the oceans we couldn’t avoid the topic of plastic waste. We’ve teamed up with the charity ‘Plastic Oceans UK’ who have helped us collect abandoned fishing nets that are forming one of the largest dangers to marine life,” — sexy and sustainable? Definitely Team Coco approved.

Ashish

While Ashish’s latest shows have taken a more somber tone, this collection was kind of a return to form for Ashish; but minus all the usual theatrical political subtext.As models walked down the runway, every look exuded a kind of effortless sexiness. Spliced flared trousers, cutaway asymmetrical handkerchief tops, patched sequinned mini-skirts and of course a gathered hem jumpsuit. Everything was covered in luminescent pastel toned sequins, which showed us a new side of this designer’s penchant for glitter. And even if other die-hard Ashish fans left the show looking for that missing subtext; there’s still a lot to love in all the new shapes and silhouettes making their entrances into Ashish’s repertoire this season.

Arts July 30, 2018

Designer focus: Welcome to the wonderful world of Bensley

When it comes to luxury hotels and resorts, the devil is in the detail. From antiques shipped to Vietnam via Camden market to legends and stories that give depth to the experience, designer Bill Bensley has taken classic hotel design and tripped it on acid. You may think you’ve seen it all after visiting one of his properties, but escaping to one of his newest creations such as JW Marriott Emerald Bay (Phu Quoc) will make you rethink what it is to experience five-star-luxury all together.

But what kind of designer can build a brand new hotel and make it look like identical to a 1920’s University? With no limitations when it comes to fun and clients with blank chequebooks, Bill Bensley has thrived in the luxury market and made quite the impact. This kooky and fearless interior designer has his name to some of the most exclusive and well-appointed resorts around the world. From Bangkok’s most instagrammable hotel, The Siam to his exclusive six-star Bensley Collection villas at Shinta Mani (Siem Reap) his heart is most definitely in warmer climates. Originally from the USA, his creative hub is a mere stones throw from The Siam in downtown Bangkok. Fortuitously for us, our Travel Writer, Jenna was more than happy to hunt down three of his most exciting designs in South East Asia and even grab ten minutes with his unique mind. That was before he set off to work on one of his countless projects however…

JC: I have absolutely loved exploring your designs in South East Asia. I even described staying at JW Marriott Emerald Bay as ‘Disneyland for adults’ as every square inch of that place is entertaining and intriguing. Just how do you convince corporate hotel chains to take on such elaborate design concepts?

BB: Ah the D word! I love it. It has a such a great connotation for well done hospitality but so many look down their noses at the name Disneyland. I grew up next to the park. Born the same year it opened in 1959. My entire village worked there. There are thousands of theme parks around the world all Disneyland wannabe’s. But in the hotel world, the D word is still the D word. It should not be.

I have been designing out of the box hotels for some time now so I know what buttons to push for to keep the corporate suits happy. If the hotel functions efficiently and is easy to maintain, that is half the battle. All hotel chains know we can tick that box, so it really up to me to convince the investor go the extra mile. As our hotels are financially successful this just gets easier.

JC: As all of your designs are so unique with their own legends and stories, what inspiration do you call on to continuously invent?

BB: I think that it is important to let the story grow naturally from the place that we are building. In almost all corners of the world, there are unique stories sleeping just under the surface that one just needs to dust off. As a romanticist, I find a great deal of possible material in the history of a place. I am an avid reader, and when I visit a new place or a new site for a hotel I load of the truck with as many books as I can possibly manage to become familiar with my newest infatuation. I will ALWAYS visit all of the surrounding places of worship…. Mosques, temples, chapels, churches, monasteries….. as these are the places that, historically, are the vaults of man’s design energies.

JC: Alongside taking inspiration from the natural landscape and history of a venue, what would you say is your ‘calling card’ in all of your designs?

BB: Good question as I don’t really know myself. I strive to make each and every project totally different from the next as my clients NEVER want to have a photocopy of the last project nor would I ever dream of giving them one. Once you start repeating yourself in the design world you are dead. If I had to answer directly I would say it was an element of surprise, and a quirky layering of unique interesting objects … to enhance my telling of stories.

JC: Just how do you find the energy and time to collect all the unique objects of art and quirky furniture for each property?

BB: Well, you know what it does not take too much energy to get out of bed and do the thing that you love to do. I love shopping. Not in malls, or in boutiques, (I could not care less about the latest fashion for myself but in fairs filled with antiques, junk stores, markets, art galleries, and you know why? because you can learn so much first hand about how the world used to operate. I love the Victorian era as they had an invention for every possible use. Most of it absolutely useless today, but beautiful, none the less. I romanticize about the time when people had the time and energy to make beautiful objects with their hands. I actively seek out craftsmen today that make unique products, by hand, to our specifications to adorn our hotels. And I am currently filming a TV series of 13 episodes that explores, each week, a lost craft and craftsmen and their specific contribution to my hotel project.

JC: I am so excited to see this series as the staff at your designs were buzzing about being featured! Shinta Mani Bensley Collection (Siem Reap) in particular. What excites you the most about one of your newest projects – Shinta Mani WILD?

BB: The fact that we are taking a neglected part of Cambodia that sorely needs help in that it is over logged and over poached for the wild animal meat trade and we are bringing this to the forefront. And by doing so we are building alongside of Wildlife Alliance and National Geographic a private army backed by the Cambodian Government to seriously enforce the laws against illegal poaching and logging. My wish is that one day that people not only visit Angkor Wat but come to the Cardamon Forrests to see the raging sisters (waterfalls) and the vast estuaries, the mountain tops, and help us protect what is left of SE Asia’s greatest wild asset long after I leave the gorgeous world.

JC: I honestly fell in love with Cambodia during my trip, as the temples were wonderful, but the people were even better. It surprised me just how humble and happy they were with so little, and it made me quite emotional! How do you upkeep your kooky, positive and carefree attitude in such a demanding role?

BB: It is about defining the role. If it is no fun, don’t do it. Positive? If my clients take on a “demanding” tone then I would shy away, as there is no room in the creative process for negativity. Having said that, all my projects are owned by great like-minded carefree owners that enjoy the incredibly fun process of building a hotel or two. Kooky? Well that comes naturally!

JC: After Cambodia, I flew to Bangkok for a few crazy days and a stay at one of your gorgeous creations – The Siam. After living in Bangkok for so many years, what is your favourite element of South East Asian culture?

BB: My Thai husband of 30 years. He is a cultural icon!
2nd? I love vernacular residential and religious architecture of se asia as it a great source of inspiration. These cultures in asia have had hundreds of years to perfect the use of local materials to make dwellings that adapt so well with local weather patterns and other idiosyncrasies, but we as a modern society rush to throw what we know out to live the dream of the west… The vernacular will make a strong return sometime in the future as something innovative when we all have forgotten what really makes sense.

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Bill Bensley’s new series ‘ESCAPISM’ is coming soon so keep your eyes peeled. His full collection of hotel designs and projects can be found at bensley.com.

The Siam Bangkok – Suites start from 18,900.00 THB / Night with daily breakfast included.

Shinta Mani Bensley Collection – Private Pool Villas start from £617 GBP / Night including Butler service and daily breakfast.

JW Marriot Phu Quoc Emerald Bay – Resort View (Rue De Lamarck) Suite’s start from £397.38 / Night including daily breakfast.

Shinta Mani WILD – coming soon.

Read about Jenna’s full South East Asia trip in The Islands Issue coming in December.