Interview: Charlotte Frances London, the fabric of friendship

- by Anthony Leyton

Zetteler interrupted their day to find out what finally inspired them to make it happen, how a fashion designer and a corporate lawyer can possibly work together, and where they want to take their bold new business venture…

We had been kicking the idea around for years but we had both been focused on our respective careers, then in summer 2015 (probably after some ciders in the park), we questioned what was holding us back and couldn’t think of any reasons at all! We are both ambitious people and design and creativity is something we are truly passionate about. With the experience we gained over the previous years we believed we could make a real success of the CFL idea and have a lot of fun along the way. The next day we got started on the prints for the first collection and the rest snowballed from there!  

We have known each other for a long time and we both recognise that the other has their own strengths and weaknesses. Camilla has an abundance of creative inspiration and a great knowledge of the print and creative industries. Camilla is also already running a successful print design business (Camilla Frances Prints) from which she brings experience of all the intricacies and potential pitfalls of a start-up business. Charlotte’s background is vastly different. Having worked as a corporate lawyer her entire career, she brings general business acumen, a keen attention to detail and ruthless organisation skills. She also has an eye for beautiful design and brings an element of her own style to the collections. Being old friends, we know how to get the best out of each other and how to work efficiently together. Camilla knows Charlotte gets cranky when she's hungry and Charlotte knows that Camilla needs a coffee in the morning before we get started. And we both know that sometimes a large glass of red wine makes the more mundane tasks enjoyable. We are always honest with each other about the approach we want to take with CFL and regularly consult over key decisions – open lines of communication are so crucial to our working relationship and friendship. 

We have learnt SO much – where to start? 

Charlotte Most importantly for me, I think I’ve learned to have more faith in myself. Through much of my career I’ve lacked self-belief but creating something from nothing with CFL has given me new-found confidence and I’ve discovered a resilience I didn’t know I had. I’ve learned that I cannot control or plan every little thing; sometimes you have to just roll with things and adapt. For example, the recent flooding in the UK and its terrible effects has damaged our printers’ premises and machinery causing unavoidable delays for all their clients. I’ve become quite adept with Excel spreadsheets, which has been incredibly helpful with budgeting and business planning, and I’ve also had to hone my sales skills.  

Camilla For me, I’ve had to adapt to working alongside a partner, whereas in previous roles I’ve worked independently – clear communication is important as is keeping an open mind, allowing me to benefit from another person’s perspective. I’m also having to learn a new part of the industry – while my career has been spent in the creative world, the past focus was fashion and with CFL I’m discovering subtle differences and new people in interiors. One of the biggest challenges is finding enough hours in the day to do everything!   

Initially we want to expand the product range. We plan to produce wallpaper, blinds, curtains, more furniture, rugs  – anything that we can print onto! The prints are so fresh and versatile, we feel they can enhance and enrich any home in a variety of ways. Our own shop space would be a dream come true and, further down the line, we’ve discussed developing a design consultancy business. Above all, we have aspirations for CFL to become a recognised and respected design brand.   

We love the Caribbean and African vibe along Ridley Road in Hackney when the market is on – so much colour, pattern and life!  For inspiration, we also visit the gardens and parks in and around London – favourite spots include the wildflower meadow in London Fields in the summer, Kew Gardens, Charleston House in East Sussex and the Neasden Hindu temple. The fabulous blooms on Columbia Road in Bethnal Green on a Sunday always give us ideas. We love to explore our surroundings, whether at home or abroad, and the next collection will draw from all these experiences. 

Photos by Jonathan Birch, courtesy of Charlotte Frances London.