Today we are thrilled to bring you a fantastic event diary from alumni Rebecca J Mills, who hosted her very own pop-up shop at West Elm in 2018! Opening a pop-up shop is an exciting experience for any designer and we were so pleased to hear of Rebecca’s experience. Today Rebecca shares a bit on her achievement and all the things you can expect if you are an aspiring designer looking to host your own pop up one day! Way to go Rebecca!
Please tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’ve always had a real passion for pattern and spent my career immersed in the world of fashion and interiors, working as a Buyer and Product Developer. In May this year I took the leap and launched my own online store, selling home décor products with my prints applied. All my collections are made in the UK using quality materials. I want my products to have a real luxe feel and for people to feel they have found something special.
I love running my own business and being able to build around my vision. I’m learning about many different aspects of my business and it’s great to see how each part comes together.
What do you love about being a surface pattern designer?
I love the freedom of expression and creativity that surface pattern design gives you. My patterns are inspired by my sense of the world, from beautiful botanicals to pebbles on the beach and I love to create dramatically contrasting collections. It’s so interesting to see how each designer’s style and interpretation is so unique.
I also love the fact that there’s a real sense of community amongst surface pattern designers.
What steps did you take to becoming a designer?
During my career I’ve worked alongside many product, graphic and fashion designers, which has given me a strong understanding of the design process. I knew I wanted to be a designer but didn’t think I’d ever find the time or resource to be able to learn. A few years ago I found a course at Chelsea School of Arts, which was an introduction to surface pattern design. I also took some short courses to learn the Adobe creative suite.
From here I knew I wanted to further my studies and found the Make it in Design courses, which was perfect! Being an online course, it meant I could wrap my studies around my work schedule. On completion of Module 3: Monetising Your Designs, I knew I needed to take the leap and handed in my notice at work. I finished the Ultimate Portfolio Builder in November 2017 and I was ready to start out on my own.
What is your favourite part about the design process?
My favourite part about the design process is definitely creating prints from hand drawn sketches or using my own photography. I also love seeing each print come to life on product. I’m always so intrigued to see how the same print can look in different colour ways and printed on different fabrics types.
What are some recent highlights of your design career that you can share with us?
Launching my website in May of this year was a definite highlight and big milestone; I felt I was finally doing what I’d dreamt about for so long. Perhaps my biggest highlight so far, was holding a Pop-Up shop at West Elm. They invited me into store for 3 days to coincide with the launch of London Design Festival in September. The staff were amazingly supportive and I met some really lovely customers and contacts.
It gave me such a confidence boost to know that people were interested in my designs and wanted to buy my products. I’m now working towards exhibiting at Top Drawer in January 2019 and I’m hoping this will be an even bigger highlight!
Can you share a bit more about how you prepared for your very own pop-up shop?
Firstly, I ensured that I had enough stock to sell. Each product had a swing tag or a label- which was all attached beforehand. I took a copy of my look book to display- which shows my whole collection plus a copy of the current issue of House Beautiful, which I’d just been featured in – which helped show a little credibility.
I had some marketing material- leaflets and banners- made up and a price list to put on display. This was all packed up carefully the night before ready to be transported in my car the next day.
What does an average day look like for a pop-up shop at West Elm?
The first day (Friday), I spent a couple of hours setting up; the staff were so helpful and let me display my products around the store and even put one of my banners in the shop window. Once I was ready, it was all about greeting customers and chatting through what they were looking for.
Many customers went away to have a think about their colour schemes and made their purchases online after the event, which made me realise that my products are quite a considered purchase. Saturday was the busiest day for sales and I felt like I’d been chatting non-stop all day!
The last day was quieter and a slightly different customer, but interestingly I received a lot of follow up. It was then time to take down the display and pack up. I was exhausted, but it was such a great experience.
What are some of the benefits of West Elm for small businesses? Can you tell us a little more about the ‘pop-up’ opportunities?
To be associated with a such a great retailer, can only help your brand awareness, I’ve been able to talk about this event on social media, to Editors and Buyers and it’s definitely helped. Also I think being in a store environment and observing how the staff at West Elm engage with their customers, was a great learning curve for me.
Meeting your customers face to face is invaluable; I felt like I learnt so much about my business and where to take it next, It’s now given me the confidence to do a trade fair like Top Drawer. West Elm offer this Pop-Up shop opportunity to small businesses that complement their own range or perhaps have a seasonal leaning.
They also let small businesses come in and run workshops – if that’s more your thing. It’s definitely worth pitching to see if your business is something they would be interested in. If it is, then you’ll have a meeting to discuss the opportunity and set a date. The logistics are really straight forward and it’s such a great way to experience your first Pop-Up shop or workshop.
What tips might you give someone who wants to take on their own pop-up shop?
Prepare by compiling a critical path up to the date of the Pop Up shop- that way you’ll keep yourself on track and avoid any last minute panics. Plan out the sizing of your stall and display beforehand, so you know how much stock you can fit in. Make sure you have enough marketing material to hand out. Get some good sleep the night before.
If you were a pattern, what type of pattern would you be and why?
That’s a tricky question, as I love so many types of pattern; if I had to choose, right now I’d be a hand drawn botanical pattern using spicy colours.
