printmaking in the UK, returned to
Hong Kong filled with enthusiasm
to find a commercial application for
her passion for prints. Her studies
had made her realise she could
combine traditional print methods
like woodblock printing with modern
digital technology, plus incorporate
surfaces as diverse as silk, leather and
metal into the final designs. Inspired,
she commissioned some handbag
samples to see how her originally
hand-drawn prints would work
replicated on bag surfaces. Upon
showing them to Lauren, whose
background in fashion marketing
meant that she had plenty of advice
about the designs, the partnership
came to life.
“I recognised that although I
had plenty of ideas for designs,
I could not market those ideas
myself,” Karen explains. “I know my
own style of working can be quite
idiosyncratic and the idea of opening
up to someone I didn’t know well was
daunting, so working with Lauren
was a natural fit.”
Lauren was initially reluctant
about going into business with her
mum. “I hadn’t seen or understood
Mum’s vision of the way she
wanted to translate her prints into
accessories,” she says, “and it wasn’t
until I saw those first samples that I
changed my mind and realised she
had created something unique and
exciting.”
Divide and conquer
The pair’s very different backgrounds
have meant that dividing
responsibilities in the business
has been quite easy. Karen covers
“everything creative and visual”
whilst Lauren works largely on the
admin and marketing side, although
both offer feedback and advice on
each other’s areas (when invited!).
Meanwhile, new marketing and
advertising campaigns tend to
be joint collaborations, with the
pair keen to ensure that both their
personalities are reflected in the final
results, declaring that “this business
is about both of us equally”.
Their differences also allow them
to balance each other out. Whilst
Karen admits that her multitude of
creative ideas can sometimes make
it difficult to focus on just one at a
time, Lauren’s detail-minded and
organisational skills help them hone
in on what is needed to make their
visions come together. “That push-
pull is part of how we work,” Karen
says.
Unsurprisingly, the two already
had a very close-knit relationship
before the foundation of Louella
Odie – and it’s only got stronger
during their 18 months in business
together. “We know each other so
well that we don’t even try and keep
the family relationship out of the
business,” Karen maintains. “We feel
it ultimately makes us stronger as a
team.”
Indeed, Karen believes that
Lauren’s involvement actually made
her take the business much more
May 2015
53
