Wai-Linn Scannell set up Soop Design as an umbrella for her design creations after her husband convinced her to turn her hobby into her business. She is launching Duncan Mugs and Plate is for Pea at 100% Design.
How did you start off? I did my undergraduate degree in furniture design, then worked as a school teacher before doing an MA in communication design. My MA project was about what makes the perfect cup of tea, so I hatched the idea of "dunking"mugs for biscuits - Duncan Mugs. I was working as an illustrator when I started showing my prototypes directly to retailers.
Did you find a market straight away? You can design things, but if you want to create something commercial you have to do research, make the transition from making things at home to finding an economical manufacturer, the right materials and so on. I know who my market is.
Was it hard to find a manufacturer? I simply Googled "ceramics manufacturers UK". Many design businesses focus on getting things made abroad, but at the initial stages you can't afford large-scale production, so it's often better to get a smaller run to test the market. UK manufacturers themselves are well connected to international firms, and can even oversee the production of your work abroad.
What are you looking forward to at 100% Design? Doing some celebrity designer spotting!
Yasmine Chinwala, September 2005