MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT

Knitwear designer Marielle Wyse

Marielle Wyse, 53, set up Wyse london luxury cashmere in 2014. she lives in london with her husband, ed, and two children.

IN 2014, I was 49 and getting back into work after eight years bringing up my children.

I’d had a wonderful career making documentaries for the BBC, but couldn’t do the travelling any more. I wanted to do something creative. I just needed inspiration.

It was only when a friend who was an accessories designer asked me to help her out at a trade show in Paris that I found it.

While there, I found myself in an upmarket store, looking at a pale grey jumper.

Of all the cashmere knits I owned — and my wardrobe was full of them — none was quite right.

I hoped this one would be different, but when I put it on at home, it wasn’t quite long enough and showed my tummy. It became clear to me that I knew exactly what fortysomething mums like me wanted — and I knew I could do it better. I set out to make something that would sit between the safe, but affordable, cashmere at Marks & Spencer and the silly prices of designer labels.

It had to be wearable — and it had to make you look good.

I made a run of 50 jumpers in basic neutrals and sold them at my daughter’s school fair.

I opted for loose shapes in chic shades, with a pop of colour or Lurex detail around the neck.

Today, we sell more than 5,000 jumpers a year and have just done an exclusive range for John Lewis.

This autumn, I’m returning to Paris to look for a shop within department store Galeries Lafayette. I like the fact that, three years on, I’ll be selling cashmere back to the Parisians where the idea began.