Meet the maker – That Girl in Green
Gill and Rosie, the creators of That Girl In Green, are a mother/daughter team selling handmade gifts in the colour Green! They have created, curated and commissioned amazing gifts, some by them and some sourced from their talented group of Artisan friends.
We caught up with Gill to discover the story behind That Girl in Green…
How did it all start?
I am a jewellery designer and have been in business now as Rohanna Jewellery for nearly 20 years. My passion has always been putting together eclectic mixes of shape and texture but with colour as the key theme. My daughter Rosie is a ceramicist having recently graduated with an MA from the Royal College of Art. Her passion has always been sculpture, with an emphasis on birds and their eye-catching plumage. We created That Girl In Green on a trip up to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, over a glass of Prosecco in a beautiful restaurant. My desire was to do something a little bit different, and Rosie wanted to collaborate on a commercial side to her ceramics practice.
The story behind the name…
Well Rosie has always been obsessed with the colour green and EVERYTHING she wears is green. And my wardrobe is getting there – nearly all green! It seemed logical from this obsession to create everything we make and commission in the colour green!
Where are you based?
London.
What inspires you?
We strive to be green in both colour and outlook, sourcing and designing high quality handmade and environmentally friendly gifts. We want to support all efforts to Save Our Planet and reduce the amount of plastic used everyday. And as a result of both our creative backgrounds we have a great network of designer makers to draw on to help create our range, which in turn helps to support their small businesses. And it goes without saying that everything has to be GREEN!
What is your creation process?
Eco Straw Kit has been a real bestseller. We think about how to make it easy for people to actually use them, so we added a handmade pouch to put the straws and cutlery in in your hand bag and of course we try to be stylish and use lovely fabric from Liberty and William Morris for example. Our gift range generally has a natural theme. Bees, flowers, and birds feature quite a lot and everything has to be handmade in the UK using natural ingredients and made in small batches.
What makes you, your brand or products unique?
Everything we make is GREEN
What is your next project?
The lockdown project is creating an online presence for That Girl In Green. We are busy polishing the website, instagram and Facebook pages. We are also in the process of creating a new range – top secret, but a hint is it will be using ceramics.
What is your biggest achievement?
Starting That Girl In Green – from a glint of an idea to small business selling in a number of retail shops and being accepted at a number of prestigious fairs such as the Country Living Fair in less then a year!
What is your best-selling product/line?
Our Eco range – Beeswax Wraps, Reusable Make Up Wipes, Reusable Straw and Cutlery kits. I think everyone was ready to embrace a plastic free environment so our timing was perfect.
What do you love about Country Living Fairs?
I love the great atmosphere that Country Living creates at their fairs, with lots of like minded customers ready to have a chat with you. Country Living have a loyal customer base so we see lots of the same faces every year and can build up a relationship with them.
Your three top tips for crafters and makers…
- Only make things you enjoy making and are proud of – this will come across and be an important part of your brand.
- Create a consistent recognisable look – with your products and labelling.
- Always put a lot of thought into display and try and see what your customers see – this will give you an insight into how to encourage them to stop and talk to you
Any advice for fledgling businesses…
Use other designer/makers for advice. Generally we are a friendly crowd and want to help others succeed in their small businesses and are happy to give help to others.
Read more about That Girl in Green and shop their products at: www.thatgirlingreen.com