‘I wanted to create beautiful clothes while helping the women that weave them’
MOLLY RUSSELL, 39, IS FOUNDER OF
PINK CITY PRINTS, A FASHION COMPANY THAT USES NATURAL FABRICS AND TRADITIONAL PRINT AND DYEING METHODS WHILE SUPPORTING A WOMEN’S CO-OPERATIVE IN JAIPUR, INDIA.
✢ THE IDEA
I WAS A PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER, WHICH I ENJOYED BUT, AFTER YEARS OF TEACHING, I LONGED TO TRAVEL, SO WITH SAVINGS, I GAVE MYSELF A SIX-MONTH SABBATICAL TO GO TO INDIA. I WASN’T LOOKING TO START A BUSINESS AT ALL, BUT I WAS SO BLOWN AWAY BY THE AMAZING PRINTS AND FABRICS IN MANY OF THE SHOPS AND MARKETS OVER THERE, PARTICULARLY IN JAIPUR, I COULDN’T HELP MYSELF. ALL THE FABRICS ARE LOCALLY SOURCED COTTON OR SILK AND DECORATED USING TRADITIONAL INDIAN METHODS, SUCH AS BLOCK-PRINTING, INDIGO DYEING, AND HAND EMBROIDERY. IT’S ALL COMPLETELY NATURAL WITH VERY LITTLE WASTE AND THIS REALLY APPEALED TO ME. I BOUGHT LENGTHS OF GORGEOUS, BRIGHTLY COLOURED FABRICS AND, OVER A FEW DAYS, SKETCHED A FEW DRESS DESIGNS AND HAD THEM MADE UP. IT’S RELATIVELY EASY TO DO THIS QUICKLY AND CHEAPLY IN JAIPUR, DUBBED “THE PINK CITY” BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE BUILDINGS ARE PAINTED PINK, WITHOUT ORDERING IN BULK. I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN ART AND SCULPTURE, SO USED MY SKILLS TO DESIGN A COLLECTION, INCLUDING TOPS AND SHORTS. I STILL DIDN’T HAVE A PLAN, I JUST GOT CARRIED AWAY WITH THE CAN-DO ATTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE THERE, THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND THEIR SKILL AT PUTTING MY DESIGNS TOGETHER SO QUICKLY. I ENDED UP HAVING ABOUT 60 PIECES SHIPPED BACK TO THE UK, WITH THE INTENTION OF SELLING THEM TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND CAME UP WITH THE NAME PINK CITY PRINTS TO REFLECT THEIR ORIGIN.
✢ NATURAL ENTREPRENEUR?
NOT AT ALL! I’M STILL FEELING MY WAY AND ON A VERY STEEP LEARNING CURVE. I MANAGED TO SELL ALL OF MY 60 PIECES VERY QUICKLY, WHICH WHETTED MY APPETITE, AND I IMMEDIATELY ORDERED ABOUT 500 MORE. I ALMOST GAVE UP WHEN I BECAME EMBROILED IN THE TOUGHER ASPECTS, SUCH AS TRYING TO OVERSEE THE BUSINESS FROM 5,000
MILES AWAY. SHOPS WANTED THE STOCK IMMEDIATELY BUT THE TRADITIONAL METHODS USED MEANT THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS SLOW AND DELIVERIES WERE OFTEN DELAYED. I DIDN’T HAVE ANY CAPITAL SET ASIDE SO BOOTSTRAPPING WAS A BIG PART OF STARTING THE BUSINESS. I CREATED A WEBSITE ON SHOPIFY FOR DIRECT SELLING, HAD A MARKET STALL IN HACKNEY, EAST LONDON, AND
DID LOADS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. I COULDN’T AFFORD A PHOTO SHOOT, BUT ON HOLIDAY IN GREECE, I TOOK PHOTOS OF A FRIEND WEARING MY DESIGNS. I DIDN’T INTEND IT TO BE A FORMAL SHOOT, BUT THE PHOTOS WERE STUNNING AND REALLY WORKED, AND SO I USED THEM AS PUBLICITY SHOTS AND GOT PICKED UP IN THE PRESS.
✢ NEXT STEP
A FRIEND WHO OWNED A BOUTIQUE OFFERED TO HELP ME SELL MY CLOTHES. AND WHEN SHE SOLD OUT, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING I COULD REALLY DEVELOP. I WENT BACK TO INDIA AND STUMBLED ACROSS A WOMEN’S WEAVING CO-OPERATIVE, WHERE WOMEN ARE TRAINED IN WEAVING SKILLS SO THEY CAN BE INDEPENDENT AND SUPPORT THEMSELVES AFTER BEING IN ABUSIVE MARRIAGES OR EXPLOITED BY RUTHLESS BOSSES, AND TOGETHER WE STARTED TO DEVELOP LARGER ORDERS, INCLUDING ACCESSORIES. IT’S ONLY IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS THAT I’VE STOPPED THINKING ABOUT THIS AS A HOBBY AND REALISED IT IS A PROPER BUSINESS.
✢ WHERE I AM NOW
I’VE RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO GIVE UP TEACHING AND DRAW A SALARY. I’M STILL A ONE-MAN BAND AND
IT’S VERY EARLY DAYS. MY CLOTHES ARE STOCKED IN 16 EXCLUSIVE BOUTIQUES ACROSS THE WORLD. I WAS ALSO NAMED AS ONE OF REFINERY 29’S TOP 16 SUSTAINABLE BRANDS.
✢ LOOKING AHEAD
I JUST WANT TO
KEEP GROWING THE BRAND AND LOOKING AT WAYS I CAN KEEP PRODUCING CLOTHES ETHICALLY AND SUSTAINABLY, AND SUPPORTING ARTISANS TO KEEP THEIR SKILLS ALIVE IN AN AGE DOMINATED BY TECHNOLOGY.
TIP MAKE SURE YOUR PASSION FOR YOUR BUSINESS CAN OVERRIDE TOUGH TIMES. IT’S TEMPTING TO GIVE IT ALL UP WHEN ADMIN AND LOGISTICS OUTWEIGH THE CREATIVE BITS. W&H
“I was blown away by the amazing prints and fabrics in Jaipur”