Do you know what a spinster is?

Designs by Spinsters Emporium

“Do you know what a spinster is” Donna Bramhall asks me a few moments into our interview, "of course" I tell her "it’s a term for a group of old, un-married women."

I was half right, Donna informed me that the term actually derives from a time when it was not acceptable for women to work and so used to get together to do crafts and knitting. Donna and her friends had found themselves in the Golden Fleece every Thursday to moan about the trials and tribulations of single life. So when Donna started her company she didn’t need to look far for inspiration for a name, and Spinsters Emporium was born.

Donna studied fashion knitwear at Nottingham Trent and then went on to work in China, she came back to the UK to a lecturing position in Cambridge before returning to Nottingham and joining The Hive, Nottingham Trent’s purpose built enterprising development centre, which nurtures new business. It as while she was here in Nottingham that she saw a niche in the market. “Three or four years ago vintage fabric was just starting to gain popularity but there was no where to source it from, places like John Lewis only sold fabric for bridal wear or home furnishings.” Donna told me. “The demand for vintage has grown day by day, and I am now being approached by people all the time.” Last year Donna got a surprising email that pushed Spinsters Emporium even further into the spot light. “I got an email from someone claiming to work for Vogue who said they thought the website was adorable and wanted to list it in their A to Z More Dash Than Cash Directory and initially I thought it was a joke, but I checked the address and called the office and they confirmed it was all true, better still the website appeared twice in the directory, under both B for buttons and H for Haberdashery. I was really pleased with that.” Donna has kept in touch with Vogue and hopes to send them some of her Christmas products this year.

The company has gone from strength to strength and recently Donna met with Marie Claire which is a big step for any fashion company. “Vintage is definitely starting to appeal to the masses.” Donna has also just launched her range of sewing sets in Liberty’s, a break through which had little to do with luck and a lot to do with Donna’s hard work. “I contacted their buyer myself and sent them some stuff to look at and she got back to me and told me what I should do to improve the ideas and then I got my friends in to help me out, one friend modelled, while another did the box designs and another did the photography and I remember going into Liberty’s and seeing my sets in there and I just couldn’t believe it, it was amazing seeing them there alongside all the other brands.” But Donna is realistic about her business “I know the items in liberty’s are tussling for their place alongside everything else and that to keep them there I will need to keep ahead of the game, getting my things in there was great but I have by no means made it and there are new challenges I have to face everyday.”

Button kits by Spinsters Emporium

Donna is originally from Sheffield but now considers Nottingham her home. “I believe Nottingham has a fabulous network, I could not have launched Spinsters Emporium without The Hive and my mentor, they are worth their weight in goal, and also Nottingham Contemporary has really helped people like me in the city as it puts on exhibitions as well as private events and some great networking opportunities. I am also moving to the Hopkinsons Gallery in September which means a whole new space for Spinsters with new opportunities and a re-launch.” She also feels that Nottingham is a city where there are always things to do “it is such a creative city, which is always moving, there is nothing stagnant about it and there are new people all the time and lots to feel inspired by such as the Hockley Hustle and shops like Montana.”

Donna admits that while she adores vintage she is by no means a vintage snob, but more someone who admires it, she is inspired by fabrics and buys things she loves as apposed to what is currently the trend. For Donna inspiration is a feeling and something that can come from just seeing the right fabrics or patterns. She also runs sewing glasses which are more about bringing inspiration to people than just teaching them to sew. “I had one woman who wanted to make chair covers, she bought the material to do them but never got round to it, the material was really quite dull and so I gave her some ideas about how to make them more interesting and it gave her the motivation to do them and she did. I can teach people how to make their own clothes or just stitch simple things, but it is all really rewarding teaching people new things.”

While Spinsters Emporium continues to grow Donna knows that there is still a lot of hard work to be put in yet. “When you are working seven days a weeks you need people like those at The Hive and your friends to keep you focussed and on track, someone to tell you to suck it when you are having a bad day. You live and learn in this industry and it takes time to get yourself out there and be truly successful. The best thing you can do in this business is be true to yourself and be realistic, it sounds obvious but it’s really important. You have to accept that you will work seven days a week and sink half the money you make back into the business but by being realistic you can set yourself goals, it will probably be three years before I really turn a substantial profit but although some people will think it ridiculous by being realistic I know what to expect. It’s obvious but true.”

Donna’s sewing kits are available to buy from Liberty’s or online at Spinsters Emporium

Share this article