Softly, softly (From Living Northeast)

Softly, softly

12:10pm Tuesday 22nd September 2009 in

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Tori Smallwood surprised everyone by creating a thriving new business in the middle of the recession. Ruth Campbell discovers the secret of her success.

WHEN Tori Smallwood revealed she was going to launch a new business in the middle of the recession, friends told her she was mad. But her innovative new company, which she started in February, has taken the children’s clothing world by storm. Initially set up online, her stylish but easy-wash, non-iron clothes were snapped up by eager mums at a rate of 1,000 items in the first three months.

And national magazines, from Mother and Baby to Tatler, Bella and the Telegraph magazine, all ran articles on Tori’s new Kiss Katch range.

Tori, 37, who designs all the clothes herself and is based in Harrogate, soon found shops wanted to stock Kiss Katch too. Now her clothes are sold in 25 children’s clothing stores throughout the country, including London, Manchester, Swansea and Liverpool.

Having invested £70,000 of her own savings, Tori, a former television script editor, was understandably nervous when she first took the plunge. But now she believes she couldn’t have hit the market at a better time.

“It’s a great time for good deals. Also, there is so much doom and gloom at the moment, people are receptive to something that is new and cheerful and fresh,” she says.

Tori juggles work with caring for daughters Abby, seven, Keira, six, and son Seb, four. “The children don’t see as much of me as they used to, but because the business is so tangible, so relevant to them, they are very loyal to it and passionate and excited about it. That is my greatest joy. When I’m going off, they say ‘Mummy’s going to sell Kiss Katch clothes’, and they’re excited. They’ve done photo shoots with friends, it’s a bit of a craze at school.”

Tori, who used to work on YTV’s Heartbeat drama, got the idea for Kiss Katch several years ago while she was on a career break after having three children within the space of three years. “I was in the supermarket with the children and saw these little velour tracksuits for the girls, for playing in really. They weren’t particularly nice but they wouldn’t take them off. They loved them.”

Gone were the tantrums over jeans that were hard to pull on after swimming, the familiar hysterics while trying to pull off a tight-necked top or refusing to wear an expensive polo neck because it was ‘itchy’ and the dawdling over fiddly buttons they insisted on doing up themselves.

“They were able to dress themselves in them and they washed so easily. I tried to get them something similar, practical and comfortable but more stylish and not at extortionate prices. No one did them. So the idea niggled away at me,” she says.

At the same time, Tori’s husband Greg’s property development business was suffering in the recession: “I wanted to give us something else for the future,” says Tori.

Greg, 39, now works part time in Kiss Katch. “He is so supportive, a real optimist. I think he had more faith in me than I had,” she says.

Tori, who went to Queen Margaret’s school in York, designs all the clothes and chooses the terry towelling and velour fabrics, with some soft cottons and brushbacked jerseys, which are all woven exclusively for Kiss Katch. “They must be non-iron and easy wash. Everything has to be tactile, exquisite to touch,” she says.

Kiss Katch is slightly more expensive then Boden, but cheaper than exclusive designer labels and Tori plans to launch a boys’ range next year. “I have learnt as I go along. It has been a massive learning curve, quite terrifying at times,” she says.

Her biggest thrill is when she sees other children wearing her clothes: “At sports’ day recently I watched children I didn’t know running up and down in the egg and spoon race wearing Kiss Katch. This is just the sort of thing Kiss Katch clothing is perfect for and it was something I had visualised for so long.”

She and her husband manage to fit school runs and caring for their children round the business, with just one day’s childcare a week. They have also employed one full-time member of staff on Kiss Katch. “But it is getting tougher,” says Tori. “It is so different from TV.

My old job was creative and relaxed, this is very handson.

You create something that quickly is a lot bigger than you.”

■ Kiss Katch, 1 Myrtle Sq, Harrogate HG1 5AR tel: 0845-602-9565; kisskatch.co.uk

STOCKISTS

Milk & Honey, 14 Cheltenham Parade, Harrogate, HG1 2DB; tel. 01423-564 615; milkandhoneykids.co.uk

Dottie Lottie, 11 St Thomas Street, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 1DY; tel.01723-500-077; dottielottie.co.uk Baby-get-it-all, 11a Harrogate Road, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6HW; tel. 0113-250- 2949; baby-get-it-all.com Zak and Flo, 26 Acaster Lane, Bishopthorpe, York, YO23 2SJ; tel. 01904-707829; zakandflo.co.uk