Chit Chat Tuesday With Vida Evans from Rainbow and Ginger London

Vida Evans, the designer behind Rainbow & Ginger London creates beautiful handmade kid’s hair accessories. Vida’s range of hair accessories is aimed at girls over the age of three, who love colourful hair accessories. The hair bows are bright and are available in a range of colours, textures and embellishments, all available in the Rainbow & Ginger online store or through Pop-ups and Fairs which Vida takes part in to help promote the hair accessories.

Vida, a wife and mother of three beautiful daughters, hopes her hair accessories encourage and inspire girls to stand out, be brave and have fun.

We catch up with Vida to find out how she has coped with the pandemic and what is in store for SS22 and beyond.

Scroll down to read our Chit Chat Tuesday interview with Vida and to view the New SS22 kids accessories collection.

What is the story behind Rainbow & Ginger London?

I got into kids’ hair accessories when my three girls were at primary school. I loved dressing them up and couldn’t resist buying matching hair accessories. I learnt how to make hair accessories by fixing my children’s hair accessories when they fell apart. I soon discovered that I had a real talent for making hair bows and experimented with different textures and embellishments. I also made them for the mums at the school gate and the great feedback in the early days spurred me on.

What inspired you to start your own business?

I think looking back my inspiration came from my Ghanaian mother, when I was growing up my mother worked as a secretary/typist by day and a dressmaker in her spare time. I remember how she would make little gingham dresses for my younger sister and me, to play in. I still use her old Singer sewing machine to make some of my hair accessories.

You mention that your mother was a dressmaker, do you design and make clothing for your daughters?

I wish I could make clothes but unfortunately not, but one thing that the girls have in abundance is my handmade hair accessories.

Do your daughters help you with the business?

My girls are great at helping me create new designs and when they like something, I know other children will like them too. When I started out, I had to rely on them to model some of the pieces for me which has been fun.

Vida’s daughters, now 15, 13 and 11

Did the pandemic affect your business? If so, in what ways and how have you overcome those issues?

I used to rely on Pop-ups at fairs, festivals, and craft markets to help raise awareness of my brand but sadly the Lockdown closed all these opportunities. Therefore, I have had to find new avenues such as online advertising, PR and being more consistent with my social media.

What’s new for SS22?

My Spring/Summer collection this year featured my ColourPop Hair Accessories, which are super-bright and are inspired by rich contrasting colours. The ethos of the brand is inspiring girls to stand out, be brave and have fun! Therefore, this beautifully bright collection is designed to encourage girls to bold and stand out from the crowd.

Which of your designs/styles are most popular?

It is wonderful doing pop-ups in the summer, as it gives me a chance to meet my customers face-to-face and to see how they respond to my products. I am delighted to say that the collection has been well received with the ColourPop Alice bands selling very well.

Why do you like taking part in pop-ups? Do you have any tips for brands who want to take part in pop-ups?

I like pop-ups because they give you a chance to put your product in front of your ideal customer and see their reaction, as well as obtain some valuable feedback. I think fortunately for many small businesses there are lots of opportunities around the country. I think it is a matter of doing some research to find out which fairs or events are attended by your target audience. I tend to target more family events because that is where I am most likely to find my customers.

Where can customers purchase your handmade hair bows and accessories from?

My kids’ hair accessories can be purchased through my online shop www.rainbowandgingerlondon.com

What can people expect when they visit your online store?

The website is very bright and colourful with a wide selection of hair accessories, particularly my SS22 ColourPop Collection. It is also quite easy to navigate.

What is next for Rainbow and Ginger? Where do you see the brand in five years’ time?

It would be my dream to see the brand become more established within the kids’ fashion accessories market. Also, I am in the process of developing the wholesale side of the business and I hope to see this grow over the next few years.

Let’s talk about social media. Specifically, the ‘gram. Love it, hate it, or both? Explain.

I believe having social media channels are essential for any business but for a small business like mine, it’s not always easy to manage. This is because as a small business, you have to wear different hats and sometimes you feel as though there is not enough time to do everything. As a result of this, updating social media content can fall by the wayside. However, I am getting better at it and trying to be more consistent by planning my content weekly. So, I guess I sit somewhere in the middle and occasionally I do love it!

Which three Instagram accounts are your favourite at the moment?

My top three are @hillhousevintage for interior design tips, @colormecourtney for colour inspiration and of course @juniorstylelondon for everything I need to know about kids’ fashion.

What are your favourite cultural magazines/publications? How about podcasts?

My hobby is interior design and I find it very relaxing browsing through Home magazines such as Ideal Home Magazine.

Just for fun, what book are you currently reading and what are you listening to right now?

I tend to read a lot of non-fiction books and I am currently reading the 48-Hour Start-up by John Fraser. I also listen to the same book on Audible when I’m driving.

What is currently on repeat in your home tv/film/music-wise?

I’m a huge fan of Marvel films, I have been trying to watch them all in the timeline order. One of my favourite musicians is John Legend, I do love his song ‘All of Me’.

What motivational or inspirational quote inspires you most?

I like this quote: “It always seems impossible until It’s done.” I believe it’s by Nelson Mandela