At Hettie, they have chosen to make their products here in Britain from British woven wool. They are not mass produced or outsourced, but made by craftsmen and women with old fashioned attention to detail. They are proud to support British manufacturing and the British workforce and here at House of Coco we are proud of their ethos.

We went behind the brand to find out more…

When did you launch the brand and what was the reason behind it?
Hettie was started at the end of 2015 .

We live in the glorious countryside in Warwickshire near the river, and have many beautiful walks and villages right on our doorstep. We wanted to design and make a country inspired collection, and having come across the gorgeous fabrics of Abraham Moon we know that these would be perfect. Hettie is a family business- and a very big part of the family are our dogs who have inspired us to include our Pet Collection as part of the range.

Whats your background?
I’m Siân, and along with my son Tom and his wife Stephanie we are the Hettie company.

We love to spend time together as a family, and enjoy nothing better than all gathering around the table sharing food and laughter. Hettie was born out of an idea started around the garden table one evening at one of our family BBQs. These are something we have regularly, in proper British style ‘whatever the weather’. The family is growing steadily with toddlers adding their fun and noise, and of course our dogs are very much part of everything. We can’t imagine not having a dog around

As a family we all have different skills , learnt doing a variety of different jobs , and we all work very well together to make Hettie work as a brand

How many people are involved in the company and what are their roles?
The company consists of the 3 of us mentioned above. I am mainly responsible for marketing and ” the engine room ” , Tom for sales , and Stephanie for design. We also have a wonderful team of manufacturers at VGTec who produce our British made designs for us , with great attention to quality and detail.

If you could start over with the business, would you do anything differently?
We have tried to get all our ducks in a row before properly pushing Hettie into the wider world. There is always a time to stop talking and start doing , but I think it’s important to understand the initial steps are probably going to cost more than you think in terms of time and money !

What is the hardest challenge you have faced since you started the company?
I think this has probably been how to balance all the myriad of options available for advertising and marketing , and taking a step back to look at them all properly before making any decisions.

Tell us one fact about you that people wouldn’t know?
I am a qualified pharmacist

2017 is here, where do you plan on taking the brand?
Thats the great thing about a young brand – you never know what’s around the corner. We are a lifestyle brand , and have many ideas for products to add to the range – for all the family. With so many beautiful fabrics to choose from at Moon we are spoilt for choice with designs. This week we have been talking to an American company about a possible collaboration – fingers crossed ! We have also been asked to collaborate on some photo shoots with other well known brands for AW17 which is exciting

To date, what has been the highlight since launching?
I think the biggest thing we have done this year is our first exhibition at the NEC Spring Fair. We learnt a lot from that and made some good connections. And people are now starting to get in touch with us for collaborations/ interviews etc which is lovely

Which city do you feel most at home in, London, Paris or New York?
Oh , they are all very beautiful , vibrant cities ! Love them all – but London would be where I feel most at home

Three beauty products you can’t leave the house without?
My Elemis cleansing balm , mascara, and lip balm

Style means….?
Expressing yourself in what you wear, or how you decorate your home

Best thing about London to you?
It has something for everyone – shops , attractions and the parks are fantastic. A big place with lots of different and lovely parts to it

Statement shoe or statement bag?
Bag !

If you had to, what piece of clothing from your wardrobe would you wear everyday?
A classic white shirt

Favourite love song?
You are the sunshine of my life by Stevie Wonder

Best place for a coffee?
Our garden !

Most memorable piece of advice given to you?
The best thing you can give those you love is time . And from a business perspective , if you don’t try , you won’t know .

Guilty pleasure?
Treacle pudding and custard . My Gran used to make this for me when I was little – definitely comfort food.

If you could spent 24 hours in anywhere in the world, where would it be?
We are very fortunate to have bought a holiday home in southwest France a few years ago and it is my happy place. So I would spend it there with my family

In future, how do you plan on expanding the company?
We would love to export our brand across the world . We are having conversations with a few companies in the USA at the moment , but it is a big world, and British Made carries the tag of quality and heritage

Find out more…

We can be found in the usual places listed below , and would be delighted to meet you there. We love to hear from people and would be really happy if you got in touch

www.hettie.co.uk

Email hello@hettie.co.uk

Twitter @TheHettie

Instagram thehettiecompany

Facebook Hettie2015

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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