THE next generation of young fashionistas will have the chance to set their own trends this month thanks to a Wirral mum who swapped her boredom for a place in the world of fashion designing.
Within Our Beautiful Life fashion boutique, based at the Pyramids Shopping Centre, children’s fashion entrepreneur Kathryn Saunders will be hosting design days for youngsters to come and sketch their own items and use a tablet to select materials and styles to create their own perfect outfit.
The 27-year-old mother-of-one hopes that getting young customers more involved in her Polka.Dot.Nation clothing range will add to the fun and funky element of her style.
She said: “If the kids can design something themselves, pick a fabric and choose a colour then they feel so special when they’re wearing it.
“A lot of the stuff I make already is one-off and made to order allowing children freedom to be creative and feel comfortable in the clothes they wear.”
Inspired by the hunt for her own little girl’s clothes, the development of Kathryn’s business has been a whirlwind journey and securing a presence within designer boutique Our Beautiful Life is the next stage in the success story.
Kathryn, who lives in Irby, said: “It all started four years ago when my daughter was born. I went from being an account manager in London to being a stay at home mum and to be honest I was bored.
“I didn’t always have all the money I wanted either, and I wanted Esmae-Rose to dress in designer, London styles, when I simply didn’t have the budget. So I started doodling and sketching designs of the type of clothes I wanted her to wear and began making them myself.”
Kathryn Saunders with some of her children’s clothing.
After being stopped in the street one day by someone who loved the originality of the little girl’s outfit, the seeds of a small business idea were sown, soon growing to include pop-up market stalls, internet orders and a thriving Facebook presence.
On returning to work Kathryn was soon restricted to spending her evenings on her dressmaking and designing once little Esmae-Rose was in bed.
She explained: “After a while I just realised that I was putting all this effort into someone else’s business and my own was sidelined until 8pm at night. I was getting more and more enquiries and actually turning down orders as I couldn’t keep up.”
Some of Kathryn's designs at Our Beautiful Life.
Kathryn decided to take the plunge and let Poka.Dot.Nation become her full-time job – a decision she hasn’t regretted for a minute.
Meeting Louisa Houghton in July, who owns Our Beautiful Life, led to the brand being launched in the Pyramids this month and both women are looking forward to continued growth in the future.
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The designer days take place throughout September and October.
- For more information, visit Kathryn’s Facebook page at facebook.com/PokaDotNation or call in to Our Beautiful Life at The Pyramids Shopping Centre, Birkenhead.
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