It's not often a website launches and CLB thinks, wow, I want to buy everything. Sisters Guild, which launched today, also had me properly thinking about Christmas shopping for the first time this year. Stuffed with covetable objects for the home and children, it's a style savvy mummy's dream. But it's also teaming with personality and quirkiness. Founders and sisters Carla de Reyes Mezbur, 32, and Bekka McCarthy, 34, have collected together all their favourite children's fashion, accessories and home labels and presented them on this elegant, personal, easy-to-navigate website. This is just the kind of e-commerce site that Chic Little Baby adores: homegrown, original and selling independent brands. Read their story below...But before you do that, check out Chic Little Baby's top Sisters Guild finds:
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Hucklebones ripple stitch sweater, £49
Sisters Guild: the story |
Carla, an architect assistant has two daughters, Sophia, 4, and Oona, 1 while Bekka, a web editor has a son, three-year-old Gabriel.
Describe when the lightbulb moment to start up Sisters Guild came?
Carla : It was Christmas, all the family were together. Sisters Guild was a project that had been on our minds for a while, and this year with a little time before any more babies arrived we decided to make it a reality. Before we knew it, the idea had grown and we had a vision of all these collections in one beautiful place.
What happened after that?
Carla : We sketched, we coloured, we researched, we sat up late drinking tea, eating cake, throwing ideas back and forth, often with quotes from our own children. Finally we felt ready to get ‘it out there’.
Bekka : We got very excited. I realised Carla had a vast knowledge of the finest things for children and home, and I let her take us on the ride to find these fantastic collections. Then I buffed up my web-design skills and persuaded my husband to become the in-house Illustrator.
How is the website different to what's out there already?
Carla: We wanted a boutique that WE would love to shop in, one that felt like a wonderful shop you discover on a little lane somewhere – away from the high street. Sisters Guild wants to offer a place which becomes synonymous with new collections, with new designers and all those pieces that you treasure, hand down and tell stories about.
Bekka : We feel the site itself is a visual treat and gives people a bit of a different experience to other online shops. We have also created a space where we can celebrate all the creative ideas of other mums, bloggers and makers. People can step beyond the façade of the website and contribute ideas and stories.
Describe the dynamic between you two. Who does what in the business?
Carla: *laughs* I’m like the wild horse, excitedly galloping round whilst Bekka is that calm and steady influence. Bekka keeps me grounded.
Carla : It was Christmas, all the family were together. Sisters Guild was a project that had been on our minds for a while, and this year with a little time before any more babies arrived we decided to make it a reality. Before we knew it, the idea had grown and we had a vision of all these collections in one beautiful place.
What happened after that?
Carla : We sketched, we coloured, we researched, we sat up late drinking tea, eating cake, throwing ideas back and forth, often with quotes from our own children. Finally we felt ready to get ‘it out there’.
Bekka : We got very excited. I realised Carla had a vast knowledge of the finest things for children and home, and I let her take us on the ride to find these fantastic collections. Then I buffed up my web-design skills and persuaded my husband to become the in-house Illustrator.
How is the website different to what's out there already?
Carla: We wanted a boutique that WE would love to shop in, one that felt like a wonderful shop you discover on a little lane somewhere – away from the high street. Sisters Guild wants to offer a place which becomes synonymous with new collections, with new designers and all those pieces that you treasure, hand down and tell stories about.
Bekka : We feel the site itself is a visual treat and gives people a bit of a different experience to other online shops. We have also created a space where we can celebrate all the creative ideas of other mums, bloggers and makers. People can step beyond the façade of the website and contribute ideas and stories.
Describe the dynamic between you two. Who does what in the business?
Carla: *laughs* I’m like the wild horse, excitedly galloping round whilst Bekka is that calm and steady influence. Bekka keeps me grounded.
Bekka: Carla is definitely the one with the imagination – with great ideas and words - whilst I pull all the pieces together.
How have you sourced the items on your site?
Carla: We explored exhibitions such as Bubble for inspiration, but to be honest a lot of it found us. Mini McGhee is a good example. We wanted Scottish hand made baby blankets, then there they were - in a studio whilst pulling together one of the girls collections and I went with my instinct. They were perfect, and yes, they’re hand made in Scotland and 100% pure wool.
Bekka: I relied on Carla’s extensive knowledge but also stumbled across some things myself through blogs and other sites. There’s such a fantastic network online and we hope through this we will find more and more inspiring things to add to the shop.
Anything exclusive?
Carla: A Parisian label called Hop Hop Hop and it’s so simple, wearable and colourful.
Pick your favourite three items from the site
Carla: So hard. But on my list for Christmas I’ll definitely be wishing for a Maileg pixy, a fabric covered box for all my ‘bits’ and some bright melamine for my Christmas table.
Bekka: The Miller Goodman Playshapes are amazing and will keep my son busy and creative for hours. I adore the hop necklaces (hint-hint husband!). And the Belle & Boo wall stickers are stunning too.
Describe Sisters Guild in five words
Carla: A rollicking ride of colour and whimsy, wrapped in a blanket of joie de vivre. Oops, counting is not my thing.
Bekka: It’s also a captivating, time-honoured home of relaxed elegance.
How have you sourced the items on your site?
Carla: We explored exhibitions such as Bubble for inspiration, but to be honest a lot of it found us. Mini McGhee is a good example. We wanted Scottish hand made baby blankets, then there they were - in a studio whilst pulling together one of the girls collections and I went with my instinct. They were perfect, and yes, they’re hand made in Scotland and 100% pure wool.
Bekka: I relied on Carla’s extensive knowledge but also stumbled across some things myself through blogs and other sites. There’s such a fantastic network online and we hope through this we will find more and more inspiring things to add to the shop.
Anything exclusive?
Carla: A Parisian label called Hop Hop Hop and it’s so simple, wearable and colourful.
Pick your favourite three items from the site
Carla: So hard. But on my list for Christmas I’ll definitely be wishing for a Maileg pixy, a fabric covered box for all my ‘bits’ and some bright melamine for my Christmas table.
Bekka: The Miller Goodman Playshapes are amazing and will keep my son busy and creative for hours. I adore the hop necklaces (hint-hint husband!). And the Belle & Boo wall stickers are stunning too.
Describe Sisters Guild in five words
Carla: A rollicking ride of colour and whimsy, wrapped in a blanket of joie de vivre. Oops, counting is not my thing.
Bekka: It’s also a captivating, time-honoured home of relaxed elegance.
LOVE. Such a gorgeous site.
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