The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Farmer’s wife has designs to take her tartans to America
cardenden: Wendy wants to get Scottish textile design recognised
A farmer’s wife who became a selftaught tailor is now aiming to make her Scottish designs a hit Stateside.
Wendy Crawford, who lives with husband Matthew on Powguild livestock farm, Cardenden, aims to see her exclusive tartan business take off in the UK and abroad.
Wendy, who has run a training and business consultancy for 25 years, taught herself tailoring when she wanted a jacket.
She ended up launching a clothing business aimed at curvy ladies looking for high quality, stylish pieces.
The House of Bluebell is her brainchild and has now featured in magazines and been the talk of the town, particularly among African-American women on a recent trip to Memphis, Tennessee.
Production, with son Phillip as design team manager, takes place on the farm and includes jackets, trousers, gilets, skirts and accessories made from their bespoke tartan. Explaining her ambitions, Wendy, who has 12 cats, three llamas and a pet Highland cow, said: “I’m a very practical Fifer and when I have an idea I just want to get on with things.
“On the farm, we produce fine wool from Cheviot sheep and it has always frustrated me that Scottish textiles don’t get the full recognition they deserve.
“So, I decided to design something flattering for ladies of a certain age and size.
“It took a long time to learn the tailoring and get everything right but customer reaction has been fantastic and I’m looking forward to 2018 as the year to spread my wings and look to the rest of the UK and USA for sales.”
Now she is looking to take on the North American market.
Her visit to the USA was a pilot to explore international trade for rural businesses.
It included sessions with Edinburgh University and Memphis University Business School professors as well as time with American women in agriculture who are also exploring new business opportunities with textiles as well as produce.
And reactions to Wendy’s garments were extremely positive, with women asking where they could buy them in the States.
“It has always frustrated me that Scottish textiles don’t get the full recognition they deserve. WENDY CRAWFORD