More stores are jewel in the crown for designer

Nov 23 2009 By Christopher Knox, The Journal

A YOUNG jewellery designer plans to roll out a chain of stores across the UK as part of plans to double her turnover to £1m over the next year.

North Tyneside-based Kate Rose, 28, set up Tutti and Co at the North Shields Fish Quay in 2004 as a wholesale design business supplying jewellery to a handful of independent stores via manufacturers in Spain and China.

The business soon managed to grow its client base and now provides its wares to 530 stores across the country, including the Sahara chain of stores and Ice Jewellery and has a turnover of £500,000.

The firm, which specialises in the design of fashion-led necklaces, bracelets and earrings, also recently added Fenwick department store in Newcastle to its client list, which is in addition to the Fenwick stores in York and Leicester.

It is now due to move out of its business unit on the Fish Quay into a new shop in the far more fashionable surroundings of Tynemouth Front Street, which will double her floor space to 100sq ft and allow the firm to sell to its customers directly.

If the store proves successful, Mrs Rose plans to roll out additional sites across the country, which she will either manage directly or set up as a chain of franchises, and also said that she would consider bringing the manufacture of the jewellery to the UK, which would create a number of jobs.

A busy run-up to Christmas has already seen the business take on an extra member of staff with the help of Entrust’s Graduates for Business (GfB) service.

Sally Brown joined the three-strong team as a designer after graduating in fashion marketing at Northumbria University last year.

Her entry into the industry mirrors that of Mrs Rose, who studied the same course five years previously before setting up the business.

"It was difficult running my own business during the early days, as it is with anyone who is trying to make a name for themselves fashion world," she said. "However, things have really taken off over the last year and we are now in a position to plan out the next few years of our growth.

"There seems to be a growing trend towards more fashionable jewellery, that is not necessarily made from precious stones and metals, and this has helped us to grow over recent months."

She is now looking to expand her range to include leather bags, as well as home furnishing accessories and said that she was looking forward to working with her enlarged design team as well as the chance to create more jobs down the line.

She said: "Sally has helped us gain a more professional edge and her design and product development skills are top class.

"As a result of Sally’s work, we now have a lot more sales via tradeshows and the website and an increase in re-orders too."