Stuff we love: custom made

I am a sucker for all things craft.
The Pink Ladies and I love to get our craft on customising borin’ snorin’ outfits with super cute pins and stitchin’ which is why we get totes exciteable when we visit www.custommadeuk.com - Anna is all about the hand craft, we love her for that.

Describe Anna, the girl behind the label, in 5 words…
I’m a scruffy, neat, chatty, quiet embroiderer.

We heart Custom Made, your stuff is super cute - tell us all about it…
Ahhhhh thanks for hearting my products. I started Custom Made 4 years ago. I was working as a designer for one of our high street chains and was getting itchy feet. I said to Anthony (my boyfriend) “I want to leave and start my own business” and he just said “well go on then.”
We went on holiday for a well earned rest and when I got back I started working on Custom Made. It took me a while to come up with the name, I wanted something short and something to reflect the handmade nature of my product and it fits nicely on a label! So that’s what I do, I make handmade accessories including bags and trinkets and I love embroidery.

When and how did you realise you were a creative girl able to make fabulous-o treats that people would buy?
I still have trouble believing that I make stuff that people buy! I can’t believe it! I am still shocked by the whole thing. I guess it really hits me when I see people walking around wearing my stuff. I sat next to a girl on the bus a few weeks ago who was wearing a pair of my earrings. It’s quite shocking to me! I have been creative for ever though. I used to make clothes for my Barbies when I was little. The first thing I made was a denim sun visor thing. I was part of a pattern set to make a tennis outfit for your Barbie!

What was the first product you ever made?
Ummmmmmm it was a camouflage tote with paint splattered over it.

What you got to offer?
I do bags, purses, necklaces, earrings, brooches, ipod sox, badges, pins, phew the list goes on. If you like bright colours, buttons, bows, hearts, ice creams, owls, cherries, strawberries, apples and ribbon then I am sure I have something you would like!

What items are you diggin’ most?
My current favorite items are the Ice Cream and Cherries pin set and the new crochet cherry earrings. I made them this morning. They are super cute.

What inspires your too-cute designs?
My inspiration comes from all over the place, from buying a button or piece of fabric, watching a film, visiting somewhere or listening to a song. I have to write flashes of inspiration down though or I forget them.

What’s the secret to your success?
Perseverance!!! It’s taken a while for me to get to the point I am at with Custom Made. You are very lucky if your business is a success over night. I know lots of people who have given up cos it didn’t happen overnight. You have just got to stick at it and tell yourself it’s gonna work!

Do you have to be all business-y too?
Hmmmm yes you do need to be business-y too, well you have to have a bit of business sense. I certainly don’t walk around in a suit etc, I’m not that sort of business-y, you just really need to think about how you are going to market and sell your products. You can have the nicest products in the world but without a way of selling them its not going to happen.

What’s a typical day in the life of Custom Made’s designer-girl…
I usually start at about 8.30. I have a hassle free journey to work cos I work from home! I start the day going through emails and orders.
I always write a list. My list is very important; I wouldn’t get anything done without it! My time is really divided between making stock, updating the website, contacting suppliers about fabrics and trims, contacting shops who stock Custom Made to see if they have enough stock etc, designing new stuff (my favorite part of the job), doing accounts, updating the Custom Made blog etc etc. Its all go I can tell you and I always forget to feed the cat!

What’s been the best experience since setting up?
I think the first order I did for a shop was pretty cool. It was a big order too. It felt so good to have my first official stockist.

What’s your ‘must-have’ accessory?
I’m really really into big big pretty badges and brooches which is why I’ve just added the “I heart hearts” brooch to the range. It’s a big fabric button brooch covered in this really cute heart fabric I’ve just sourced. I love it!

What’s your favourite brand and why?
My absolute favourite brand is American Apparel. I am the laziest dresser in the world so I can walk into AA and buy a stack of clothes that I know will fit. I love bright colours so its great. I was in LA week or so after they opened and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I thought “yes! I will never have to shop anywhere else again” and I don’t! Plus the clothes are sweatshop free which is sooooo important.

What would your soundtrack sound like?
One of the tracks would definalty be ‘I wanna be your boyfriend’ by the Ramones. That’s one of my all time favourite songs and anything by Peaches (I love rude songs) and ‘Anyone else but you’ by the Moldy Peaches. It’s the best song ever.

Do you have a style bible – a magazine, book that you completely dig?
I absolutely love Frankie. It’s a great magazine from Australia. I love the graphics and colours they use. I also love Nylon, I’ve been buying Nylon for ages and a French Magazine called Clark which is all graphics and music and stuff. I always buy it from the magazine shop in the Old Truman Brewery in London. I can’t speak French though so I look at the pictures!

What makes you jump-in-the-air-happy?
From a Business point of view-
• Getting asked to do things like this
• Getting nice emails from people who have bought stuff from Custom Made and love it
• Getting nice emails from people who haven’t bought stuff from Custom Made and just love Custom Made
• Making something new which turns out just the way I want it to
• Finding cools stuff to make things from like a super cute button
From a personal point of view-
• Going on holiday
• Having fun
• Buying new sneakers
• Playing tricks on Anthony, I’m a big trick player!

What’s next in the world of CM?
I’m working on some prints at the moment for T-shirts and printed bags and purses so look out for those. I have also just receives some letter buttons. I ordered the letters ‘B’ and ‘S’…………BS for a set of hair clips or pins. I love rude words!

What advice would you have for would-be design girls?
Do your exams and do a design degree. That the best way to get a job in design. It’s a great career, you get to travel to cool places and design stuff. That’s not the only way to do it but it worked for me. It’s all about learning. Suck up every bit of knowledge you can. Learning is the most important thing in life. Never let your brain go lazy.

www.custommadeuk.com