Hi Christine, can you tell us about yourself and what inspired you to set up your business?
My name is Christine and I am a textile designer/maker based in Northumberland.
For several years I was employed as a fashion designer and illustrator in London working for many of the major high street fashion retailers. My career required me to travel extensively to the far east and Asia and when my son was born this lifestyle no longer appealed to me. I took the brave decision to return to the north east and work on a freelance basis as a fashion illustrator and fashion lecturer.
A few years down the line I realised just how much I missed the creativity of working as a designer and the hands on experience of creating and developing textile products from concept to creation so when an opportunity arose to take voluntary redundancy from my lecturing post I grabbed it with both hands and launched my own business.
What tips would you give other women who are thinking about setting up their own business?
It is never an easy decision to go it alone, but if you have a business idea and a dream you have to explore it, there are no guarantees but if you don’t try you will never know what may have been achieved.
You don’t have to spend vast fortunes initially, just take each day a step at a time and seek all the free business advice and support available to you.
Write yourself a simple business plan, build upon your strengths and successes, recognise your weaknesses but don’t let them deter you.
Find yourself a mentor, its great to have someone to hold your hand and give you advice, be prepared to take constructive criticism, but always have faith in yourself.
We love your beautifully sewn and crafted products – what are the benefits of the internet for your business?
My business is design led and I take inspiration from Northumberland and a great variety of sources. I love visiting galleries, museums and exhibitions. There are a whole host of creative individuals in the north east who inspire and encourage me. The internet enables me to keep track on what is happening locally and track trends globally. I love collaborating with other designers so it allows me to network with like minded individuals, customers, businesses, retailers and wholesalers. Digital media is a great way of getting my work ‘out there’ and appealing to a broad range of customers at home and overseas. I find Facebook and Instagram are important visual platforms for design led businesses. Being part of the Be digital programme has been an invaluable experience which has taught me how essential it is to ‘be digital’ in today’s competitive global market.
What are your future plans for Pretty Doolally?
2016 is going to be an exciting year for Pretty Doolally.
I have been working hard behind the scenes designing and creating a new website which will be launched early 2016 and will showcase a new range of Pretty Doolally gifts and homewares.
In addition I will be offering design services and workshops, I have also invested in new embroidery equipment, software and industrial machinery to take the business forward and increase production capacity allowing me to supply more shops and grow my online business.
So, wish me luck and come along and be part of the story!
Photographs by Rachel of RJM Photography.
Name of interviewee: Christine Duffy
Business name: Pretty Doolally
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Pretty-Doolally
Twitter: twitter.com/PrettyDoolally
Business type: Textile products & retail
Location: Morpeth, Northumberland