Bags from East London: Interview with Designer Esther Porter

Tell us about your business: What do you do? What did inspire you to start? What is your unique selling point/competitive advantage compare to competitors?

I’m a bag designer who has recently set up the label Esther Porter which makes bags for men and women. All the bags are made in England, the womens’ collection are made in East London. The USP is that all the bags are made in England from ethically sourced materials. The men’s TENT collection is made from reclaimed tent fabric from tents’ left behind at UK summer music festivals, whilst the womens’ bags are made from vegetable-tanned leather and UK-sourced hardware.

What are the main challenges maintaining your business and how are you trying to overcoming them?

Finding good and reliable manufacturers in London, sourcing ethical materials is harder and often means that the materials are more expensive. These are challenges new my business and I’m learning all the time.

What would you say has been your most memorable experience while developing your business? What were the most successful projects?

Being stocked so early on by really good independent retailers was really gratifying. I enjoyed taking my women’s collection to both London Fashion Week and Paris trade shows last Autumn. The men’s TENT collection has been really well received perhaps because the idea of reusing tents from music festivals is such a novelty.

Tell us about DO’s and DON’Ts when running the company?

Do be ambitious but also realistic and if you are setting up and running yourself – don’t stretch yourself. Don’t promise things you know you won’t be able to deliver. But then don’t get overly stressed if you do make a mistake since this is inevitable – just make sure you learn from it and alter things in the future. Do talk to other people who do similar things and seek out help and advice from local councils and organisations – there’s a lot of business advice for start-ups out there in London. Shop around when you’re using someone else’s services – such as in manufacturers, suppliers, web designers etc

Why do you choose Shoreditch to run your business?

It’s near to where I live and work and most of the suppliers I use are based in Shoreditch.

Who/what are your favorite CEOs/Businesses in Shoreditch?

I like Paper Dress vintage shop on Curtain Road, the Boundary Restaurant and cafe on Boundary Street (Jasper Conrans’ latest venture) which serves amazing kedgeree, I haven’t been there yet, but I’d like to go to the Redchurch Bar to try their cocktails.

What are your favorite places in Shoreditch? (Where do you hang-out/ dining/ going out?)

Brick lane for it’s vibrancy and people watching possibilities. I like the Vietnamese restaurants on Shoreditch High Street/Kingsland Road. Columbia Road Flower market on a Sunday – arrive a bit later and it’s less crowded and you often get bargains.

What does the future has in store for Shoreditch?

Shoreditch has already been rejuvenated and is the centre of London’s edgier fashion and nightlife scene, so it can only attract even more business and interest I think. I think the desirability of Shoreditch is having an effect on neighboring areas in East London, like Dalston and Hackney Wick.

 

http://www.estherporter.co.uk/