When I Grow Up....

Here at Cellardoor Magazine we love promoting up-and-coming brands, and Brat & Suzie is right up our street! Here we talk to Polly, head designer at B&S about where she gets her inspiration from, and who she's loved to see in one of her designs. Enjoy! 

For those of us that don't know, who are Brat & Suzie? 

 Based in East London, Brat and Suzie is an animal-inspired fashion brand that creates a collection of super-cute, playful, easy to wear and desirable T-shirts, sweaters, dresses and tops. If you want to wear a raccoon riding a bicycle or a Rabbit in Victorian costume on your T-shirt, Brat and Suzie is the brand for you.

What made you want to start it up? 

 Both Charlotte and myself have always wanted to be creative and both went to study fashion. Charlotte had worked as a designer for high street fashion stores, including working at Miss Selfridge as a casualwear designer and I was working on the production side of things at a supplier and also in the tailoring department at River Island. I got bored with the job I was doing and needed more of challenge so I decided to start Brat and Suzie. At first it was more of a hobby then it started to grow it was now or never. Charlotte then joined the brand 2 years later to work full time.

Where does your inspiration for your designs come from? 

We come up with ideas for the designs by looking at old vintage story books about animals, vintage science/nature books on wildlife and combine them with the modern world - for example putting a Ferret on a scooter or a Squirrel in glasses. We also look at trends, for example Flamingos are pretty on trend for this summer so we got the artists to draw a flamingo in a very 'Brat and Suzie' way by putting her in high top trainers and pearls. 

 Who would you most like to see wearing one of your designs? 

 We love to see everyone in Brat and Suzie but we would love to see Katy Perry in our smitten with kitten tee as she loves cats! 

What does the future hold for Brat & Suzie?

 It would be great to get more UK stockist and to grow our profile at home as well expanding into more stores internationally. We would like to continue to grow the brand in other product areas - we have already started doing dresses, playsuits and snoods in our main collection. Continuing to raise our profile among celebrities and get some really great people wearing Brat and Suzie. 

 And finally, do you have any advice for anyone who is thinking of starting up something similar? 

 Try to be organized and keep on top of all your paper work... its really boring but its a must! Keep track of your spending and set yourself budgets. Remember if it was meant to be easy everyone would be doing it. Don't expect overnight success and try not to listen to negativity If you believe in what your doing you can do it.

By Lizzie Evans