India-based artisans help travel duo to bag £1m a year

ANDREYA and Matt Townsend met on a beach in Fiji in 1999. Two years of travelling the world meeting artisans and a wedding later, they went into business together selling accessories from a market stall in Portobello Road in London’s fashionable Notting Hill area.

Now they have a £1million turnover business, Vida Vida – which sells handmade leather satchels, laptop bags and travel bags – and two small children.

Andreya has spent her working life in fashion, from her Saturday job in River Island at 16 to working for brands such as Diesel, Helen Storey and Ghost after she had finished university. Prior to setting up Vida Vida, which means ‘Life Life’, she was a marketing manager at Replay Jeans.

Matt studied geography at university and dreamed of a running a business that involved travel, was fun, fair and based on friendship. After initially selling handmade products made by people they met in South America, the business expanded and other market stalls followed, and eventually their own workshop in India.

Wholesale and retail outlets and a website were developed, with the help of a family loan of a few thousand pounds.

Andreya, pictured above in India, says: ‘We have a wonderful relationship with all of our suppliers, which are family-run firms and expert artisans. We develop our ranges over months, working closely alongside each other. What we have learnt from these gifted craftsmen is priceless in terms of technique and experience.’