Hitchin designer Helen Rochfort’s unique – and very stylish – handbags are in great demand around the globe. Here she reveals some of the secrets of her success.

Q Have you always had a flair for design ?

A I have loved Art, Design and Fashion since I was a child. I did a degree in Fashion and Textiles Design at Gloucester University in Cheltenham, which is where I met my husband, Julian.

Q Did you start up your own business straight after graduating?

A No, I started out working in interior design and visual display for two companies in Cheltenham. Then one day I had an epiphany: I realised that what I really wanted to do was to work for myself. At just 23, I was very young to be starting up my own business, so I contacted the Prince’s Trust for support.

The Trust gave me a grant and access to a mentor – and from that moment, things started to take off.

Q How did that first venture go?

A Following my mentor’s advice, I started creating stationery products, including wedding albums, under my own label: Scrumptious Design. My big break came when Prince Charles commissioned me to create the album for the wedding of his brother, Edward! I got loads of publicity, and delivered the album to Buckingham Palace in person – it was an amazing experience.

Q Blimey, what happened next?

A I kept working, moved to London and opened a studio and shop in Hackney, where I was able to introduce more of my own-label products, like lovely address books, diaries, T-shirts and handbags. It was all going great guns, with several large department stores including Dickens and Jones stocking my products, too.

Q Why did you move to Hitchin?

A At the point when Julian and I discovered that we were expecting our first child, work was actually becoming very stressful.
I made the decision to pull back a bit, so that I could focus on being a mother (but till kept my design hand in). The idea was to keep Scrumptious Design ticking over for a few years until I was in a position to relaunch. Poppy was born and, three
months later, we moved to Hitchin.

Q When did you decide to start specialising in handbags?

A I’ve always loved handbags. When Poppy was a year old, I thought I would create a range myself under a new ‘Helen Rochfort’ brand. My first design was a ‘Willie Wonka’ bag, with a golden ticket on the back. I set up a ‘MySpace’ account, built up a range of designs, then started selling the handbags on eBay. It went crazy! Before long, I’d set up my own website and was getting orders from department stores, shops and individuals from around the world, including celebrities Paris Hilton and Jennifer Nicholson (Jack’s daughter), among others.

Q Is it true that your designs have graced the Paris catwalks?

A Yes. I won a competition to show my collection in the ‘Who’s Next’ International Fashion Tradeshow in Paris, which generated a lot of national coverage in France. I was the first UK designer ever to win it! This led to orders from shops across Paris, Europe and the world. I now also show at Prêt à Porter Paris. The handbags have been used on the Paris catwalk shows – I was blown away!

Q I hear you’ve had some successful collaborations?

A I teamed up with fashion designer Emma Bell for Vienna Fashion Week. I designed a limited-edition bag for the launch
of romantic comedy novelist Carol Matthews’ book, ‘The Chocolate Lover’s Club’. Also, photo realist painter Sarah Graham asked me to produce a handbag to reflect a ‘Wizard of Oz’-inspired painting she had created for Harrods, and my handbags were then sold in-store. ‘Glamour’ magazine recently ranked us in its top 15 fashion collaborations of 2009, right up there
with Kate Moss and Top Shop. What a fantastic coup!

QWhat’s on the cards for 2010?

A I’m looking to push the Helen Rochfort brand even further, with concessions in Topshop and Selfridges, and will be introducing a clothing line, accessories and maybe even a perfume.

Q Any advice for budding entrepreneurs reading this?

A Aim high. Have no goalposts. And keep going!