Attire Accessories - Jul/Aug 2019 (Issue 77)

92 CARRIE ELSPETH T: +44 (0)1446 771 271 W: carrieelspeth.com @carrieelspethjewellery PROFILE bracelets have been recognised at Gift of the Year, as have our new Gemstone bracelets, which are part of our well-being range of jewellery. Rainbow designs always sell well for us, and our current bestseller is a very bright rainbow-coloured shell necklace, which is so versatile is fits with any outfit. Tell us about the recent campaigns?  We often run smaller campaigns to support our retailers. From significantly reduced carriage paid limits around Christmas to end-of- line sales. We also run social media campaigns and currently have one running where our retailers can post pictures of their Carrie Elspeth Display to win a luxury hamper. We like to run celebratory campaigns too. The most recent of which involved us giving out goody bags to celebrate our 20 th year in business or giving away free stock when we won gift of the year. Which trade shows do you attend, and which one works best for Carrie Elspeth?  We are currently doing three shows a year. Both Spring and Autumn Fair at the NEC and Home & Gift, Harrogate. All the shows are worth attending, but Harrogate appears to be top of the leaderboard for us, which is a bonus as it’s a lovely show to do. When was the website launched, and how does it support the business?  We have always had an information website, open to both trade and the general public, which shows images of the latest ranges and news. From this site ,the general public can find their nearest stockist and also links to online retailers that stock us. There is a wholesale section of the site that our retailers can log into to place orders and see wholesale prices. What have been the key milestones in the business?  There have been some really significant milestones in the business, such as winning business awards or the time I was invited to meet the Queen in Buckingham Palace at a reception celebrating excellence in British design. Milestones that have been personally important to me were things like taking on my first employee (we now have eight permanent members of staff, nine sales agents and 12 outworkers) and turning over our first £1million. I have to say, though, that I am still filled with absolute glee when I see people in the street or on TV wearing my jewellery; it’s the biggest reward I can get! How do you view the current market, and what trends – both in product and in business – do you see emerging over the coming months? Market conditions on the high street are tough, with retailers under pressure from every angle, which percolates through to the companies supplying the gift industry. It is so easy to get drawn into the doom and gloom, but there are still so many positive stories out there. I recently went on a three-day trip visiting retailers, which was really inspirational. It’s amazing how well some people are doing despite everything, and others are using their time to invest or just reinvent themselves and take the economy face on! Our customers really seem to know what they are doing, and many of them have been through tough times in the past. They continue to buy lines that are selling through and are tending to buy little and often. We have no minimum order rules for existing customers, which I believe is a real help at times like these. The largest growth area for us is our Gemstone Bracelets, and I see that continuing. Basically, rainbow or strong vibrant “happy” colours are the crux and continually sell well for us. I think consumers are price savvy but are interested in buying British products, and this will only be strengthened as the stay-cation trend continues and Brexit influences what we buy and from where. What are the future plans for Carrie Elspeth?  The plan is very simple: to grow in both sales and products while continuing to provide excellent customer service. I plan to be adding to the Carrie Elspeth brand this year with products that complement the existing offering. Whatever we do, beautiful handmade jewellery will be right at the heart of it.