The Hive

Spinster's Emporium

Hive entrepreneur weaves her own success story

With prestige London department store Liberty secured as its first stockist, Spinster's Emporium has taken a major step towards becoming a big name in the material world.

Donna Bramhall, founder of this distinctive craft brand, saw her perseverance and creativity pay dividends as Liberty placed its first order for her striking range of DIY fashion kits.

"My dream is for Spinster's Emporium to become a nationally-recognised brand so being stocked in one of the world's most famous stores is a fantastic place to start," she said. "My first 18 months in business have been incredibly hard work but this is a real highpoint and the help I've received from The Hive has been phenomenal."

Spinster's Emporium specialises in quality vintage fabrics and wallpapers, haberdashery and fancy yarns all handpicked for their individuality. Its Haberdasher Me packs which so enthused Liberty enable people to customise their own clothes using one-off vintage materials.

Before launching the business, Donna - a Nottingham Trent University knitwear design graduate - had taken several career directions, including a spell with a yarn manufacturer in Shanghai, a teaching contract in Cambridge and freelance work for a knitwear swatch company.

"As a creative person, I began to feel frustrated with the dull, run-of-the-mill fabrics I found in the shops and online. I had to hunt high and low for exciting materials to work with - and I realised there was scope to give people a more enjoyable and inspiring shopping experience," she said.

Essential mentoring support from The Hive

She joined HeadStart two years ago and is immensely grateful for the assistance in preparing a business plan, even though she didn't truly appreciate its worth until later when she was immersed in financial and marketing challenges.

The Hive helped her attract funding from sources like East Midlands Development Agency and assisted with networking. Today she enjoys ongoing support through the SmarTrak mentored pathway, as well as the use of a Hive office for "really concentrating on jobs like the accounts."

A major turning point for Donna was being introduced to a branding specialist who worked alongside her to create the Spinster's Emporium identity. While reflecting the make do and mend culture of the age of austerity, it has the feel of a luxury brand aimed at crafts enthusiasts with an eye for the latest trends.

This powerful branding, encapsulated in an enchanting and quirky website, helped build Donna's online sales and attract the attention of publications like Vogue and Marie Claire. "The ultimate accolade came with the Liberty order. The Hive gave me amazing support for the pitch and the Liberty buyer said she fell in love with the romance and fun of the brand."

Donna's latest advance is to open her first shop at Nottingham's revitalised Hopkinson Gallery and Studios, where she will also offer courses and workshops through the Spinster's School of Stitchery. She has taken on two NTU graduates as interns too. She says:

She concludes: "If I've ever felt that my morale might be sinking, that's where The Hive comes into its own. My mentors have been worth their weight in gold, keeping me on an even keel."

For further information visit the Spinster's Emporium website.