We met up with textile designer-maker Marie-Louise Denny of 100 Metres to talk about her experience of the 2006 Hidden Art Cornwall Design Fair and what she is hoping to get out the event this year.
What were your expectations for the Design Fair last year?
When I joined Hidden Art Cornwall I’d only done one show before, at Harrogate. It hadn’t been that successful for me in terms of money - my stand display was quite awful and I didn’t really have a clue about the market I was trying to sell to. But I took notice of what people said and, after Harrogate, moved away from fashion to focus on accessories.
The Design Fair seemed the perfect opportunity to debut the new accessories range. I was absolutely petrified because I’d never put it all out before but the response I got from customers was so good and people just kept buying. It was the first time since I’d started in the February that I’d actually made money from my products and it really kick-started my business.
This is your second year at the Design Fair, what brings you back?
I do quite a lot of trade shows and have got some good outlets as a result, but you get such a truthful response when people are buying for themselves that a retail show like the Design Fair is the best place to test the market. I’ve got cushions, shawls and brooches in several galleries but only the shawls and brooches are selling well. I don’t know if the price point for the cushions is wrong or if the designs aren’t right for people but I’m going to show them at the Design Fair and hopefully I’ll get the feedback to know what direction to take them in.
The customer’s reaction - what their face says as well as their words - makes such a big difference from what one gallery owner can tell you about their sales. Some people don’t even know it’s your stand, they’re just walking past and commenting to their friend, but you really find out what people think.
I’m launching new products again this year and it’s scary because people might hate my new work - I just have to hope they don’t! When I moved to Cornwall I wanted to rejuvenate my career and I think I’ve achieved that, it’s about taking it to a new dimension now, trying to keep my existing customers happy and getting new ones.
How are you preparing for the Design Fair?
The most important thing is to have enough stock. At the Design Fair last year I had to go into the studio every evening to make more because it was selling so fast. This year I’m really putting pressure on my outworkers. They all have different skills and I try to get everyone to work to their strengths to get everything done in time. They knit but it all comes back to me for felting and steaming so I’m also looking at getting more work experience students in over the summer. I used them last year and it worked well.
How important is Hidden Art Cornwall for you?
It’s such a benefit to be part of Hidden Art Cornwall, from the seminars that give you insight into different areas, to just being able to ring up and ask for advice or information. Quite a few people come to me though my page on the Hidden Art Cornwall website too. Cornish World magazine recently took some images for a big article so that’s working out really well for me. We have the opportunity to be taken to national events that we wouldn’t be able to do otherwise and it adds to the sense of a design community down here in Cornwall. It is so important for my business to be involved locally. The Design Fair is particularly useful because it’s a way to get really good feedback from customers directly. Finding out what sells and what doesn’t is a fundamental part of my business.
