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Exquisitely British - The British Entrepreneur Club for Luxury Brands
Rosemary Hobrough
Founder of RAH & Co
By Clare Heighway - 27th February 2015
We chat to entrepreneur Rosemary Hobrough, founder of deer leather handbag brand
RAH & Co.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I live in the West Country, but spent my early life in Hertfordshire. My mother’s family is from St Ives in Cornwall so my West of England roots are strong. I have always had a fascination with the natural world. I wanted to develop a business with truly rural roots. To create a business that is a reflection of a real passion is a great privilege.
I work from my home in Dorset, but with today's technology there's nothing to stop me from developing a global business. An exciting, but slightly scary thought.
How did RAH & Co begin?
When my husband took up deer management, I thought that it would be rather wonderful to develop a parallel deer related business. I planned a venison and charcuterie enterprise and whilst exploring this, I discovered that almost all deer hides in the UK are binned as waste. We have a huge, sustainable UK deer population and we are throwing away this beautiful material – a material with the most wonderful heritage. I knew that I had to try and find productive uses for the skins. It prompted me to launch RAH & Co selling a range of deer leather bags, cushions and hides.
Who is your ideal customer?
My ideal customer values a connection with the natural world and the use of natural materials. A customer who understands and appreciates the heritage that underlies the use of deer hide will value and appreciate owning our products.
What has been your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge is to work exclusively with UK suppliers. The UK deer leather trade is very small and fragmented. Traditional skills in hide preparation, tanning and manufacture have been lost as environmental regulation has grown and overseas competition increased. I am working as much as I can with UK suppliers but it is not always possible. Over time I am sure this situation will improve. I am working hard to encourage a revival of these skills.
And your biggest highlight?
Positive feedback is so rewarding. The press, suppliers, customers and stockists have all made wonderful comments which makes the whole initiative exciting and worthwhile. The team at Country Life deserve a special mention as they have gone out of their way to be supportive.
What or who are you inspired by?
History is my inspiration. Deer leather has been used successfully all over the world at different times. Sherpa Tenzing wore deer leather boots when he made the first successful ascent of Everest with Sir Edmund Hilary in 1953. For centuries, the Japanese Samurai warriors used deer leather plates for their armour. The iconic American work-wear denims all carried deer leather patches – remember those wonderful Levi 501 labels? There are so many examples of the use of deer leather, it is an inspiring heritage on which to draw.
What do you think is important in developing a successful British brand?
Passion and commitment are vital ingredients. There will always be times when things seem impossible but you have to find a route forward and persevere. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted.
Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs?
Hold on to the ideas that inspired your business. It is easy to get sidetracked and make hundreds of small compromises along the way. Remember why you started the business and remain true to that ideal.
How do you manage the work/life balance?
I am lucky to work from home which makes everything so much easier. My family commitments have reduced significantly over the past few years and I have more time to devote to building a business than I have ever had before. At the end of the day, a supportive family makes all the difference, when things are hectic they all lend a hand, if they are around that is!
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to develop the product range, drawing on the wonderful deer heritage. The handbag range is being expanded and we extending the brand into interiors and furnishing.
I aim to build on the visibility of the RAH & Co brand and to encourage web sales. I have recently opened up to overseas customers and this has brought a new dimension to the business.
Visit RAH & Co online at www.rahandco.com
FOLLOW RAH & CO
RAH & Co are a Best of British member. View their listing here.
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