Exquisitely British - The British Entrepreneur Club for Luxury Brands 

 

Tell us about yourself Lian.

 

Raised in Derbyshire at the side of the lovely Peak District, I studied art & design and have always been involved in the arts, from theatre to designing my own line of jewellery in my 20’s which I displayed in various art galleries in the North.  I’ve always been interested in arts and crafts and making things for myself or our house. I’m passionate about interior design, and most recently I completed an upholstery course so I could breathe some life into a lovely old armchair.

 

How did the idea for Crafty Foxx Art begin?

 

I started with children's names and it escalated from there.  We start with a hand drawn design, which we convert into a digital silhouette image. We then cut these images into artist grade mount board, combine it with a gorgeous background from our extensive range be that digital paper or fabrics, and assemble it all in a wooden frame to produce beautiful, eye-catching pieces of art.  Most of our designs come from feedback and requests, which is great.  In fact we have about another 16 new designs to add to our portfolio very soon, as well as breathing some new life into our older designs to make them more current.

 

On the whole I think we have Henri Matisse to thank for cutting into paper and mountboard way back in 1940. This type of art isn't new, there are quite a lot of companies doing this now, however our designs are very unique and detailed and getting bigger and bolder!  There is a guy in Australia who has been doing this for about 25 years, he doesn’t use any background patterns but he pushes the boundaries with mount board cutting, his designs are very detailed and out of this world!  

 

Who do you create your products for?

 

Our ideal customer is someone who’s looking for a statement piece, a talking point which is bright, fun and creative. Each piece is lovingly handmade so I love working on a one to one basis with customers who are looking for something unique and special - it’s very fulfilling.  It’s a very affordable process contrary to belief.  One customer had some family tartan they wished to have framed so we suggested they pick a cut out design (they chose our beautiful Stag’s Head) and we then used their family tartan as the background – it looked fantastic!

 

What has been your most challenging experience so far?

 

Trying to fit everything in, there aren’t enough hours in the day!

 

And your biggest highlight?

 

Our most exciting highlight has been venturing into the wholesale market and exhibiting at a big trade show in London and getting some really positive feedback.

 

What or who are you inspired by?

 

Bold patterns and autumnal deep rich colours but right now I’m looking at fresher spring and summer tones.

 

Do you have any favourite British brands? 

 

Liberty London, John Lewis, Reiss and Ted Baker for their use of bold patterns and colour.

 

What do you think is important in developing a successful British brand?

 

Offering good value for money without compromise, exceptional customer service and a passion for keeping all things British made.

 

How do you manage the work/life balance?

 

My day to day life is incredibly busy, balancing being a mum, work and trying to get everything done in 24 hours is a challenge, but I love it!  I’m very structured and practical thankfully. 

 

Do you have any advice for fellow entrepreneurs?

 

Expect to work three times as hard as you have ever done, keep a tight rein on finances and don’t wait for things to happen, make them happen for yourself through hard work and not giving up.  If you do experience a setback, it’s just one of life’s lessons, learn from it and move on.  Keep focused and remember why you started in the first place.

 

What are your plans for the future? 

 

To continue expanding overseas, extend the range of designs and therefore appeal to a wider audience and continue to sell to shops where we have received some encouraging feedback.  I have a lot of new ideas, bigger, bolder, brighter and unique designs. 

 

Additionally we’ll extend the fabrics and background patterns.  Being very creative, I never switch off, ideas are always bubbling away I just need to rein myself in at times and try not to run too fast!

 

Find out more at www.craftyfoxx.com