Award-winning designer opens up in Chichester's Draper's Yard — 'it's made a huge difference'

Speaking to Sussex World yesterday (Tuesday, April 18) born-and-bred Cicestrian Catherine described how she began in 2016 from her home studio, but after opening up in a unit in Draper’s Yard last month, she has relished the thriving business community not only in Draper’s Yard but in The Hornet as a whole.

Catherine said: “I started up in 2016 working on my own brand, producing my own products that I’m selling online to people and then doing the occasional in-person thing like markets. Then I got an agent which was for renting out my artwork to other companies.

“That’s built up over the years and I’ve built a good relationship will all kinds of clients that produce all these different products with my work — I prefer working like that now,” she said.

"I’ve reduced my own product range and my own website and shop is still there with my wallpapers and fabrics, which is what I’m best known for by the general public, but now it’s more about me producing illustrations for other businesses.”

Catherine has worked with a host of household brand names including Anthropologie, Liberty, TK Maxx and the National Trust.

Since taking her business full-time in 2019, Catherine has been working from a home studio, but said moving in to Draper’s Yard has made a ‘huge difference’.

She said: "I have the separation from being at home. This space is completely separate and I can be super focussed, I’m way more productive. It’s also very quiet here. There’s lots going on but you can’t hear anything and that’s a big thing for me.

"I think that The Hornet is an up-and-coming and flourishing independent area. All the businesses here are so nice, I already know some of them a bit, I love Taco Box and I’ve been following them around since they had their van before they opened up here. I love all the business owners here.

“Again, it’s become very client based here, it’s not so much a retail space that needs footfall, people bring their own customers and clients in. It’s a good balance because you’ve got your own space but you’ve got others around. Everyone goes out and has their lunch since it’s been sunny and people have been having a little chat in the yard which has been nice, then I can disappear in here again.”

Draper’s Yard has long been a busy hub for fledgling businesses, as well as those more established, including Catherine, who said the support from Kay Mawer, owner of Clothkits and Draper’s Yard, has been incredible.

"You’re under the umbrella of Draper’s Yard and what Kay has created, so you can just pay the rent and be here and not have to worry about business rates, there’s wifi, and she’s very flexible and genuinely wants to help you as well and is very into what you’re doing, especially creatives.

"When she first came here I was all over it because there’s not really anything else like this in Chichester and I remember Kay wanting lots of creatives coming in so I tried it. I’ve never really liked doing markets or in-person stuff, I dabbled but it wasn’t for me.

"I have other creative friends that do workshops here like sewing and knitting and pottery and I’d always wanted to try and incorporate it in. We’d always been in touch so it’s perfect now.”

You can find out more about Catherine’s work here: www.catherinerowedesigns.com — @catherinerowedesigns

For enquiries contact Catherine’s agent at [email protected]