‘I couldn’t find stylish pjs – so I made my own!’
Alice Whiteley, 39, is MD of luxury nightwear company Yawn. She lives in London with her husband Angus, 40, and their three children.
‘One of my greatest pleasures is slipping into a lovely pair of pyjamas after a busy day. It was the lack of stylish but affordable nightwear that inspired me to set up my company.
I was working as a management consultant in the City, and though I loved my job, it was stressful. I wasn’t seeing enough of my family and I was always tired. One day, my mum sent me out to the shops while she minded my kids insisting I treat myself to something nice.
I decided to buy luxury pyjamas, but everything was either overtly sexy, or boring. I love natural fabrics and quirky prints, but couldn’t find anything I liked. It was then the idea struck me. I carried out market research on my idea, researching the UK nightwear industry, and seeking opinions from family and friends. When I told them I was considering leaving my job to launch a pyjama company, I think they thought I’d gone mad!
I had the business skills but needed help with the creative side. After getting in touch with two work contacts who ran a design agency, we agreed to form a company together, initially investing £10,000 between us. While they created our branding, logo and designs for a range of pyjamas, robes and nighties, I managed the business. Initially, I wanted our products made in the UK but it was too expensive. After several trips abroad, I found two factories with ethical accreditation in India and Portugal who’d manufacture our designs. The Indian factory introduced me to the owner of a textiles mill, who agreed to supply the super-soft cotton we needed to use. Before placing an order, I had samples made and approached independent boutiques in London, Oxford and Suffolk. I was thrilled when they agreed to stock them so I could test the market. The samples sold out quickly, which gave me the confidence to order our first batch of stock.
I quit my management consultancy job to devote myself full time to Yawn. In September
2014, our website and online shop launched; we also began selling wholesale to boutiques and department stores. A pyjama set costs around £89, a robe is £120, and apart from our £35 cashmere sleep socks, everything can be machine washed. We use a packing and distribution warehouse in Leeds. Sales spike around Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, and we now have around 30 independent stockists in the UK, plus several in the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland. Two full-time employees look after operations and marketing, and we also use freelance fashion designers. Our turnover is around £120,000 a year.
I still love putting on a beautiful pair of pyjamas to lounge in in the evening. It’s wonderful knowing my business is helping other busy women relax, too.’ • loveyawn.com