We caught up with incredibly creative London based Mums Julia and Louise to find out more about Loola & Goo; their beautiful range of childrenswear and accessories.
Where do you draw inspiration from for your beautiful designs?
We love all things vintage especially the glamour of the 1920s flapper girls with their elegant beaded dresses and feathered headdresses. We often get a spark for a new design by an elaborate fabric or trim and use it as the foundation for a new idea.
What made you want to start Loola & Goo?
Louise and I met at our eldest sons’ school and got chatting in the playground. Lou is a fashion designer, specialising in embellishment, and I come from a theatre costume background and it seemed a perfect combination of skills. I was heavily pregnant with my third child at the time but Lou persuaded me that going into business together was a great idea! At the time we had 4 boys between us and needed a bit of froufrou in our lives! It definitely helped that we ‘clicked’ straight away.
What was the inspiration behind the name?
It is an amalgamation of our nicknames as children. Louise (loola) and Julia (Goo). My older sister couldn’t say ‘Julia’ so called me ‘Gooua’ and it stuck. We tried various combinations but ‘Loola & Goo’ seemed to sound the best!
What advice do you have for creative mums who want to start their own business?
It is such an exciting thing starting a new business, although it definitely has its ups and downs. If you have an idea you are passionate about, go for it! There is little to touch the satisfaction of creating something beautiful that people love. Don’t expect to break even for a while though and it is an enormously steep learning curve. You learn to shoulder the blows quickly too! Soak up as much advice as possible and plunge in.
What do you love most about where you live?
It is a fantastic child-friendly community in Hither Green/ Lee, South-East London. There is a beautiful park, some great pubs and restaurants for those rare nights out and, although it is within easy reach of the centre of town, it has a lovely village feel. Home and Kids offers a beautiful selection of homewares and Crimson & Clover has an eclectic mix of vintage clothes, cards and beautiful cushions. There is also an amazing amount of creative talent in the area: Braveling, Lara and Ollie, Theatre Tots to name a few off the top of my head!
As busy mums…how do you fit it all in!?
Erm…. As and when we can and thankfully we have supportive husbands who do their share of the childcare when we are away at trade fairs etc. It’s amazing how much you can squeeze into a spare hour… I have learned to be incredibly focused! We have had numerous meetings with babies/ tantrumy toddlers hanging around in the background! It definitely helps to have a sense of humour about it all!
Thank you Julia and Louise for letting Little Look into your dreamy wardrobe! To find out more about Loola & Goo visit their website here
What are Loola & Goo’s plans for the future?
To keep on keeping on, try and crack the bridal market and perhaps earn a salary one day!
