€¢ Who are you?

I'm the Olive (and the Pearson) in Olive Pearson Designs

€¢ What does your business do?

I'm a designer-maker of a luxury brand of contemporary knitted cushions and scarves for both men and women using high quality natural fibres. I make all my accessories by hand allowing the flexibility to provide a bespoke service to match customer colour and pattern requirements.

€¢ How long has your business been running?

We have been going for 18 months now.

€¢ Where are you based?

I work from my home studio in the West End of Glasgow. I settled here after moving back from England where I worked for 16 years. I love the vibrancy and people of Glasgow and the West End is great for essential coffee shops, restaurants and green spaces when I need to get away from the studio.

€¢ How did you get started?

Although I learned to hand knit as a child it was just a hobby until I decided I need a change of direction. I completed a degree in textile design from the Glasgow School of Art in 2012. I was picked up by an agent at New Designers in London and through them sold my designs to fashion houses including Diane von Furstenberg, Jaeger and Banana Republic. It took me over a year from graduating to realise I found greater satisfaction in creating my own products and launched my first scarf collection in A/W 2013.

€¢ What is your background?

Originally from Renfrewshire, I studied geography at Glasgow University and had a long career as an award winning cartographic editor/designer. Laterally, I worked as a freelancer creating one-off maps for high end books, for clients as diverse as the BBC and Matthew Clark. A move back to Scotland started the adventure of designing in a different field.

€¢ What is your top tip?

Treat selling events as marketing and networking opportunities rather than focussing on redeeming your fees for the event.

€¢ Has anyone helped you get started and how?

As a mature student I didn't qualify for many of the new graduate opportunities so have drawn on support and encouragement of friends and family.

€¢ What was your first deal?

Was excited to be commissioned to knit bespoke jumpers for the Outlander TV series in 2013.

€¢ What was your biggest mistake/or what would you do differently?

Would have loved to have found a different way to fund my degree at GSA without selling my lovely flat and leaving the housing market.

€¢ Who was/is your mentor/or inspiration?

I'm inspired by geometry, repetition (I had an early fascination with spirograph), architectural details including manhole covers on which I based my Degree Show in 2012 and are still a valuable resource for new designs launching in August.

€¢ Where do you plan your business to be in five years time?

I plan to be designing a diverse range of luxury products for fashion and home for both my own label and for corporate and private clients inspired by international travels. Ideally I would also be settled in a new home studio with a dedicated studio/exhibition/retail space.

€¢ Useful contacts

Craft Scotland - great source of opportunities for designers

€¢ Contact Details

Olive Pearson Designs

oliveuni@gmail.com

07816 881147

olivepearson.com

selected products are available at Glasgow University Gift Shop and madefromscotland.com