Elegant porcelain nightlights in rabbit form are glowing in children’s bedrooms across the UK. We posed 14 questions to mum and designer Charlotte to find out the secret behind her award-winning British Designs
1. White Rabbit England is run with your sister Victoria, who lives in New York - what is it like managing a business together from opposite sides of the world?
We are very close in age so we have always had a good friendship. We started our first ever business together aged six and seven, when our pet white rabbit had lots of babies and we sold them to friends and family! These days, being on opposite sides of the Atlantic is easy – we can chat freely over Facetime to discuss new ideas, or new business across the US. If anything, it adds to the mix as the States has different trends and new design influences all the time.
2. Have you ever disagreed whether a design is right for the brand?
We never argue, but can have a heated debate sometimes if I don’t think an idea is commercially viable in the UK. For example, we agreed to disagree that we should not commit to spraying our rabbit lamps in neon colours. I felt it would not sit with our British ‘simple, classic and nostalgic’ ethos. We want our designs to last forever and be heirlooms of the future – not just follow a short-lived trend.
3. In an age where babies and children grow up with a wealth of technology, what do you think it is about the nightlight that still endures?
Night-time should be a special time between children and parents. A time taken out of the day to be together, to read together and to become calm and ready for a relaxing sleep. The tradition of the bedtime routine can be much helped with a calm and soothing light that can be left on to reassure little ones during the night. That is what our lamps are designed to do. Switch it on, have a bedtime story, snuggle down and drift happily off to sleep.
4. Can you explain your design process?
To design a new lamp shape, first we gather inspiration and create a board of favourite shapes. This can be anything from an actual animal, a figurine, an old child’s toy or an old illustration. For example, our dog lamp is based on our rescue terrier Teddy. We then create a series of sketches to get the overall shape from all angles. However, the shape evolves during the clay modelling stage when we work with a modeller over a series of weeks or months, modifying and adapting the shape – not just to look right but also make sure it works practically for casting. We sign off the shape before it has a block and case made. From this we will get about three sample pieces made in bone china. If this is a success and we have tested the translucency with a bulb inside, we will commit to making moulds ready for casting. My favourite part of this process is seeing a shape illuminated for the first time, as we see detail of how the eyes and ears or feathers come alive where the thickness of the slip has created light and shade inside.
5. Why did you make the decision to have them manufactured in Britain?
Firstly we are very passionate about British manufacturing and keeping old traditions and working factories alive. For example, in Stoke on Trent we have seen the decline in recent times of UK bone china manufacturing. This has lead to the loss not only of the factories themselves, but also the skills that have been created there. The modelling, casting, fettling and firing process is highly skilled and delicate, therefore, we need to be hands-on, working with the craftsmen to oversee our designs. Quality is very important to us. Secondly, and luckily, we are only 40 minutes away so it is really practical and we can work closely together and also collect small, manageable amounts of stock.
6. Who is your target customer?
People who love design, quality and can appreciate the time and effort put into a product when they buy it. We want someone to love our products and keep them to hand down to future generations. We want to dispose of this disposable world and encourage people to buy British more and more, even if it means paying a little more for it!
7. Can you describe your workspace?
I am lucky I can work from a studio built in the bottom of our garden in Wilmslow, so the commute to work doesn’t take long! From here we have our office and warehouse – so we can work and prepare deliveries from one space. I wake up and after a cup of tea I make sure the kids are sorted out, before feeding our three dogs and three donkeys. After that, work starts with looking at our online customer orders and queries. I have a lovely view of the donkeys outside and can work with the dogs around us too. It makes for quite an inspirational space when designing and coming up with new ideas!
8. Do you have a favourite product?
It simply has to be our rabbit lamp, not only is it our brand mascot but also winner of the Best British Gift of the Year Award!
9. Are there any designers, artists or eras that inspire your creative process?
We love the fifties – so many classic designs came out of that era. It produced some of the best looking and most practical, iconic ideas of a generation.
10. Have you always been creative?
I studied art and graphic design, as well as photography. My sister studied acting and art – so we both have much more of an artistic bent than any other!
11. Do you have any famous customers that you know of?
We have sent lamps to many famous people and to some famous addresses too. All I can say is some of our most recent recipients are rather regal!
12. Can you share an interesting or unusual fact about White Rabbit that people wouldn’t know?
‘White Rabbit’ is chanted on the first of every month to bring good luck and part of the reason for the brand name – we were founded on the 1 May 2001.
13. Do you have philosophy that you follow?
‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’ - John Keats
14. Where do you see White Rabbit England in the future?
We hope to be the go-to online brand for those looking for unusual, unique and inspirational designs for little ones and their little ones, and their little ones…
If you want to own a White Rabbit design for yourself, head over to the Great British Life Shop.
