Business grew last year. In 2017, I’ve my sights on London market

BLÁITHÍN ENNIS, JEWELLERY DESIGNER FROM GOREY

DESIGNER Bláithín Ennis from Gorey has set her sights on the London market in 2017. Here, she tells us about her plans for the coming year, and looks back on her successes in 2016.

‘My plan for 2017 is to break into the London market. I was accepted to exhibit at ‘Scoop London’ last June and was delighted with the response, acquiring some lovely new and exciting, cutting edge shops. It is a difficult market to break with huge competition, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.

‘ There have been many highlights this year but to narrow it down… I think winning Irish Designer of the Year at the Bloggers Choice awards in May was a key moment for my business, pitted against so many other highly successful and established brands.

‘I had my first two page feature in the Irish Times, by the lovely Deirdre McQuillan. This too, helped further establish my brand in the Irish marketplace.

‘I directed and produced my first, full look-book during the year and engaged the wonderfully talented model Clara McSweeney who has since been signed by a major US model agency and has an amazing career ahead. My stylist Brian Conway and photographer Aaron Hurley also did a fantastic job. The result was amazing and the images have had fantastic success. They appeared on my first cover, the April edition of Galway Now magazine – so exciting!

‘I was thrilled to see Place boutique move into their beautiful new building on Esmonde Street in Gorey. Place was my first ever Irish stockist and continues to be a huge supporter of my brand. I wish them every success.

‘Keith Jordan, creative director of the fantastic ‘Love Fashion, Love Wexford’ annual event, asked me to show my collections again this year. This huge fashion event is without doubt, Wexford’s jewel in the crown and gives the county’s cohort of wonderful fashion boutiques the opportunity to showcase their individuality in a unique setting, with Ireland’s top models strutting their stuff! It has always been a great honour to participate in this very special event.

‘My business has seen good, positive growth last year and hopefully my presence in the UK market will help further this success.

‘I am always conscious that my product is a luxury one, and so last on the shopping list in difficult times. Starting my business deep in a recession was significant in that it prompted affordability and accessibility. My aim as a young student was always to bring an affordable, bespoke product to the market and this has most definitely been key to its success.

‘However, bespoke businesses bring about their own difficulties as scaling up can be tricky. You are the business and what’s in your own head is the business. Each piece is overseen by you and it can be difficult to relinquish control. I have turned down some very tempting offers to scale up as they may have led to a dilution of this aspect of the business.

‘And this is where further support for businesses like mine is much needed. I know mine and lots of other design businesses have the potential to create great future employment. However, we are in a catch-22 situation. We are not far along enough to finance this employment, yet we cannot progress to the next level without it.

‘ There are many young, talented graduates who would love the opportunity to stay in the country that educated them and lend their skills to the many design businesses out there. But this needs government support and intervention and to perhaps re-think unemployment benefit and rather view it as emerging business investment.’