In the last
few months we have had all types of questions about Hunter-Rose, so here are a
few Q & A's to answer our frequently asked questions and give you all an
update on what we've been up to.
What is Hunter-Rose?
Ivy: Hunter-Rose
is business that Loan and I dreamt up and now we are slowly turning it into a
reality. It's an online retailer that designs and sells pyjamas. But not just
your regular two piece set, pyjamas that won't leave you embarrassed to be
caught in when an unexpected guests arrive, the delivery man knocks on your
door or even a run in to buy milk. Our vision is to offer women stylish pyjamas
without losing the integrity of comfort.
What inspired you to start?
Ivy: Entrepreneurship
has been an idea that Loan and I have been playing with for the past 2-3 years.
Last year, I had a major wake up call and as I picked myself up from my darkest
point I learnt a lot about myself and what I want from the rest of my life. Previously
I was more than happy to sacrifice my time for money and a chance to climb the
corporate ladder, but now I realise what little time we could have left and no
amount of money can replace the time that could have been spent with your loved
ones. Hunter-Rose was an extension if this revelation - I wanted to build a
company doing something that I loved and have the flexibility to spend time
with my family and friends. The fact that I am able to make money from this
venture AND work with my bestie is an absolute win!
Why pjs?
Loan: I
love them and could live in them. I could never really find ones which suited
my style and were comfortable at the same time. Ivy and I both adore pjs and both
wanted to create a pyjama line which were super comfortable but stylish too. We
both saw there was a gap in the pj industry, especially in Australia, so our
idea went from there.
What kind style of pjs are you doing?
Ivy: Basically
stylish loungewear/sleepwear that's also super comfy. We are not girly-girls
and the abundance of pink, pastel and baby animals that is out there in the
pyjama world is cramping our style. If you don't want cringe in shame when your
neighbor needs to borrow sugar or want to look effortlessly stylish when that
special someone is around, then Hunter-Rose has your back.
How did you come up with
Hunter-Rose?
Loan: We
love the name Hunter-Rose and its so sweet when people tell us they like the
name. Ivy and I both liked the name Hunter but is a very strong, dominant name.
We wanted a name, which represented strong, independent women. The name Rose
represents more of feminine side so we combined then names together.
Do you have any fashion and design
experiences?
Loan: Ivy
and I both have our own individual style which has allowed us to start and
create our own pj line. To be honest its pjs you don’t need a full design
background or degree. What Ivy and I do understand is business and working our asses off researching and amazing advice from others to get us where we are. Everyone
all knows Peter Alexander, he did work in the retail industry but he did not
have any design degree. This is where imagination and creativity
has no limits.
Do you guys have a facebook, instagram
or website?
Ivy: We
don't, it's obviously something we have thought about and discussed from the
very start but have decided to be strategic as to when we would start our
social media pages. At the end of the day, if we didn’t have product to show we
weren't going to bombard our friends with the same memes and customary
bed/pyjama shots that are already out there.
I see your fashion blogs, are you
guys trying to model as well?
Loan: Every
time I hear this I’m always thinking “ HOLD UP” I’m trying start a company
here. I find it really funny but understand if people don’t know the background
of Hunter-Rose. We take million shots just to get one good one. Our Blog is a fun thing for us to do together we enjoy writing
and it’s a platform for people to get to know us, our style and to share
things.
Will you make your own clothes?
Ivy: Oh no,
we don't trust our sewing skills enough to sell to you! We design each piece
and consult with a dressmaker here in Perth to make samples for us. We then
take the samples to China to mass produce. We just recently went to China to
find the right manufacturers for us.
How was China?
Ivy: China
was hectic! As soon as we got there we were smacked with reality. Firstly
communication was really tough, because the area we went to (Guangzhou) was
industrial and not tourist friendly at all, we could hardly order lunch let
alone try to conduct a business meeting. When we were lucky enough to find
someone we could communicate with, their minimum quantity was too high for us!
There was one point we were ready to pack up and leave and try our luck in
Indonesia. But we decided to soldier on and not to leave until we were 100%
satisfied that we tried every avenue. By some miracle we stumbled across an
absolute angel who helped us source and communicate with smaller factories. To
cut a long story short, we reached an agreement with a factory owner 2 hours
before we were supposed to leave the country and came home happy campers. So
overall China was a success, but we learnt some hard lessons along the way.
What’s next for Hunter-Rose?
Loan: Really
exciting times. We can‘t wait to show everyone what we have been working on -
Our pjs J. We will continue to do our
blogs, and love all the feedback we get from everyone. In the next few months
we will be working with our manufacturer getting more samples made for our pj
line. In June we will do our social media launch so you will see more updates
about Hunter-Rose. In September plan to launch our online store
and this will be such a big and proud moment for us.
Love
Ivy & Loan xx
