Hi lovely, thank you so much for speaking to me and
answering some questions for Bad Mum magazine.
Congratulations Hun for your success, you are doing so well
and you must be super proud of your achievement’s so far!
So, for anyone that doesn’t know you began back when you
were on maternity leave after having your daughter Ivy (love that name,) and
you started Miss Coco’s Closet there and then – with zero planning! I
also started Bad Mum that way and that’s how I do nearly all my ideas too.
Looking back was it the right thing to do for you and what has changed since
then?
Yes and no. No being that since ivy was 6 months the shop
has been a massive priority and totally taken over which is great but I feel
like I missed out fully enjoying the early days other mother hood and maternity
leave. Yes being that I still to this day can't believe how it has grown and
it's given me amazing opportunities with my family, I also love that I get to
drop off and pick Ivy up from nursery, and soon school. Which is my fave time of
the day. The drop off ha ha and the pick up.
How has your business grown and developed into Coco & Indie which
we all know and love today?
Coco + Indie came around when I felt I had out grown MCC. I
wanted the brand to feel more like me, relaxed, fun, edgy with a bit of girly. I
also wanted to branch in to unisex clothing and Miss Cocos Closet just didn't
fit anymore.
I absolutely love all your products, styles and designs! Where
do you get your inspiration from and do you design and
make everything yourself?
Everything excluding the printed t shirts is
handmade by myself. I've got an industrial overlocker which is the best
investment I can recommend a handmade shop! They are unreal! I don't sketch I
just get these ideas I jot down, also my customers are a massive help. They
come to me with ideas and customs; and most of the time I end up listing to them.
Inspiration comes from all around, people I meet, things I love, current trends.
I tend to sit for hours on the internet looking at fabrics and I know in my gut
when I come across a good one (sometimes I'm wrong.) I get this little buzz and
end up telling my VIP group and Instagram followers straight away as I get so excited.
I think your “Don’t be a Gunt” T shirt is flipping
brilliant! What is your favourite piece that you have made and designed so far?
Ohh that's a tough one I have such a rapid turn around with
some items I have so many! I love the gunt tee because I think it shows my humour.
But it would probably be the Slip Dress, it's simple but that dress was a big
turning point and is now wholesaled around the world, so how could it not be!
What is your drive and motivation behind the brand? What
keeps you going everyday – apart from coffee and wine!
Well I rarely drink, because all It tends to do is make me
want to sleep. Ivy. I want to be able to take her to places, travel give her
the most fun you can have in life. I work literally all hours, every single
day. I don't work when I'm with ivy. So that means early morning and very late
nights but I love what I do and that's I'm happy to do it!
Instagram for me is a MUST and I seriously love it. Not only
for the Mama community and to see so many diverse photos; but it is an amazing
free tool that everyone has access too, which can take you anywhere. Has
Instagram been an important part in your business “journey*” so far? *Sorry
for the cheesy journey word!
Oh god yes that's how it all started because of ig I
wouldn't be where I am today; if it wasn't for all my amazing customers. The
other mama shops as well, they are so supportive and that's what I love about
it. Don't get me wrong I've had my low times with ig, I've had ig shop beef! When
I first started out I used to take stuff personally. I think it's helped me
grow as a person as well. As cheesy as that sounds I've learnt a lot!
You have a huge number of followers on Coco & Indie Instagram account, that is a big achievement! You must be happy to have many
fans backing you up?
Yes even tho I'm a one women show I kind of feel like I'm
not alone, everyone is along for the ride and I will always do my best to keep
them happy and keep things fresh.
Of course you are a Mama to your beautiful
daughter Ivy, how do you find the time to juggle being a Mummy and running
a successful business?
This is one I
get asked a lot. And I don't have the answer. When it's your own biz you put
everything and your whole-self into it because you want it to be successful.
I'm only now learning to take time out for me. As I said above I no longer work
when I'm with Ivy. My mum has ivy 2-3 nights every other week so that's a life
saver I get a few days of solid graft. My husband takes her out on the weekends, sometimes I can tag along but I try and get out and do something on my own with Ivy once a week.
And, have
you learnt any golden words of wisdom for any Mum’s thinking of trying to start
something new?
Stick at it. You
never know what will be the turning point. It's the hardest thing I've ever
done but also the best. Don't let your self get over worked and mange your
time. If you can delegate work out do it!
As you will know on social media there are more and more
Mummy bloggers appearing every day, and we are all getting more and more honest
about parenting by the day too! What is your opinion on this and do you think
it is a good thing?
I think it's great. It makes us all feel better when we are
having a shit time. The only negative I have to say is that I think some times
people get confused with sharing honest parenting with making it OK to be a
lazy mum if that makes sense, I think there needs to be balance. It's good to
see a little love and praise for the kids as well, as all the shitty times when we
want give them away on Gumtree.
We ALL have good and bad parenting days to get through, as
parenting is bloody hard work at times! Have you learnt any different ways or
techniques that pull you through the tough days? Or is it chocolate and gin
like most of us?!
Nope just when I
think I've cracked it and I know what I'm doing, it goes tits up and I start to
think my spawn is the child of Satan. I always used to say I would never bribe
my child. Oh boy have I eaten my words.
How important to you is it to carve out a better future for
the younger generation and show them what the world can be or what
opportunities they have ahead of them?
Not sure. I just
want Ivy to gain the most out of life. And know that she can achieve anything
she puts her mind to.
What is next on your To Do list and is there something you
would really love to achieve soon?
Yes my ultimate goal since I started making clothing is to
be able to walk in to a shop and see my clothing there. The number one for me
is liberties London. I know I dream big!
Lastly, everyone must leave us with a parenting confession
that you have never told anyone else before? Go and do a shot if it helps!
OMG this is a tough one as I'm pretty honest on ig. I might have to get back to you
as I cannot think of anything, I think i tell everyone my parenting fails
Thank you so much for your time and good luck with
everything you do!
Interview by Sophie Farrow
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