How Feldspar went from kitchen table to craft empire

Walpole: What was the highlight of your time on the Brands of Tomorrow programme?

Cath and Jeremy: We loved being a part of such an interesting community of founders, all either navigating similar challenges or with valuable insight and experiences. Being founders of small, creative businesses can feel very isolating at times, so having the chance to check in regularly and learn alongside others was so valuable.

Who was your mentor and what was the best piece of advice they gave you?

Our mentor was – and still is – the wonderful Tom Athron, CEO of Fortnum & Mason and Chair of Walpole. His experience in reinvigorating and steering premium British brands is unmatched, and his generosity with his time and knowledge was so rewarding. He has given us so much good advice from financial to strategic, and his steadfast belief in our product and his championing of us has been brilliant.

What was the most useful thing you learned on the programme that has had a significant impact on the development of your brand subsequently?

The programme enabled us to step back a little and view Feldspar from a more brand-led and business point of view. It encouraged us to grow our team from just the two of us around our kitchen table to a team of over ten, and to form longerterm plans and strategies for the future. It helped us to find new wholesale relationships and ultimately build a more resilient business model rooted in quality, longevity and British manufacturing.

What is your proudest achievement with your brand between finishing Brands of Tomorrow and now?

Our proudest achievement is probably that we’ve continued to grow while staying true to our founding principles: designing objects for life that are made with care and use British craft and materials. We have collaborated with some exceptional partners including a pop-up store at Corinthia London, as well as expanding our collection to include furniture that is designed and made by hand – just like our ceramics.

Now your brand is over ten years old, what are your ambitions for the next decade?

We’re looking to continue championing British craft and manufacturing and continue to develop new collections that balance innovation and the finest local materials we can lay our hands on. We’re about to launch several lighting collections which we are very excited about. Fine bone china glows translucent under light, so it’s the perfect material to use, and Jeremy has hand-carved brass switches to accompany them. Ultimately, our ambition is very simple: to continue making objects that people live with for a lifetime, special pieces that become part of daily rituals and memories.

As a Brands of Tomorrow graduate brand, what advice would you give to the founders applying for the Class of 2027?

Brands of Tomorrow is excellent for expanding your knowledge and network, but you need to believe in your product wholeheartedly first. Stay true to whatever made you start your brand in the first place.Don’t be afraid to be different – we were one of the only brands in our intake that didn’t have MBAs and exit strategies and multiple business plans, but that didn’t make us any less qualified for the programme, nor the programme less valuable to us. Ask as many questions as you can and get to know your fellow founders – every single one will have helpful experiences and advice, we can guarantee it.

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