Welcome to our new series; Conversations with.... where we will be catching up with key people that help make our little paper world so special. First up, to celebrate the launch of Heirloom Vol II is Alice Stone. Founder of womenswear brand, and print house; Lily and Lionel.
We caught up with Alice and asked her a few questions on success, work-life balance and more....
What does success look like for you?
Interestingly that’s a question to which my answer has changed over the last few years. Success, for me, used to solely equal how much I’ve achieved in business. These days, it’s more about feeling empowered and on top of all aspects of my life from motherhood to family and work life as a whole, when I feel like I’m spinning all these plates well that makes me feel truly successful.
What drives or inspires you?
Creative collaborations always give me new energy and remind me why I started Lily and Lionel. Working alongside inspiring businesses feeds my creative soul and pushes me to do better.
I’m fortunate enough to have an incredible team/aka work family who both drive and inspire me to be the best version of myself. I think running your own business and being accountable for its future is inspiring in itself (obviously at times daunting), the sky is the limit when you work for yourself.
How do you manage your work life balance now you have two little ones?
I have a plan and I try and stick to it for my sanity; that means dedicated time and space carved out for work during the week and equally, devoted time with my babies and husband as well as family and friend too. Luckily I married a man with Austrian roots who loves to plan, this was alien to me at first and now it’s the reason my life works!
What's the biggest lesson you have learnt in life so far?
Always trust your own instincts and don’t let people (however influential they may be) try to steer you in a different direction.. at the same time, being adaptable and open to change is key, understanding that your customer has many different tastes and needs so catering for them all is important.
What's the most beloved thing you own?
My grandmothers rings. I wear them every day and adore how they are so intricately designed. They always remind me of my family heritage and the legacy I’d like to create for my children.
What's been your biggest achievement?
Evolving the brand into various categories that I never thought possible has always been a long standing dream. Collaborating with Katie on our stationery has been a game changer, to see how our much loved prints translate to paper is such a refreshing new spin for Lily and Lionel. The commercial success of these collections has proven that there really is a global appetite for our stationery.
Talking of categories, I think I’m most proud of the development and expansion of the ready-to-wear collection which now include; knitwear, jersey and a dedicated range of elevated classics in solid colours.
Big thanks to Alice for being our debut guest for 'Conversations with....'
We look forward to bringing you more conversations with key buyers, suppliers and collaborators over the coming months.
Katie x
