Women We Watch: Liz Harry

Superstar alert! We thought your Thursday deserved a little IRL ray of sunshine: enter Liverpool based creator, Liz Harry. You may have already spotted her wearable wares on lapels over the land and once we'd stopped obsessing over her amazing love letter to the EU, we just had to grab five minutes for motivational quotes you really need, must-have additions to the gram's cutest hashtag: #pastelaesthetic and… Liz's 'best business decision.’ Phew, no pressure! 

HEY LIZ! CAN YOU SUM UP WHAT YOU DO IN FIVE WORDS?

Create, colour, make, play, muck-about!

FROM PODCASTS TO PLAYLISTS, WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO INSPIRE YOU?

I love Tiffany Han's podcast so defo recommend that! I gotta admit though I mainly listen to music - and have JUST rediscovered a new found love for listening to the radio after my OH gifted me a vintage Sharp QT-50 Pink Stereo - and I love greatest hits radio - it's sooooo retro!

YOUR LOVE LETTER TO THE EU CAUSED QUITE THE STIR IN THE TATTY DEVINE STUDIO AND OVER ON OUR FEED ALONE, DID YOU ANTICIPATE SUCH OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE REACTION TO THIS PIECE?

I didn't at all! I had a kind of 'its now or never' moment the evening I created it...I posted it without hesitating - mainly cause I'd been thinking about a lot... after posting I told my other half and teenager who immediately were like 'you're gonna get trolled so bad!!!', which had been my thoughts too! But it wasn't - the reaction was really amazing.

WHAT WOULD BREXIT MEAN TO YOU AS AN INDIE DESIGNER AND BUSINESS OWNER?

Firstly, lemme declare that I'm no expert.. but I was a freelance graphic designer during the 2008 recession, so experience has shown me people hold onto their pennies a little tighter during uncertain financial times - such as Brexit. As an indie designer, I take a gamble EVERY time I release a new product by investing my funds and energies into new designs, so I've tried to think on how I can create with less financial risk, like Crowdfunding or offering a subscription service.

HOW WOULD YOU STYLE OUR EU PASSPORT BROOCH?

OMG - I love a bitta lapel action - so most my pins head onto one of my many colourful coats and jackets!

OK, YOU’RE A SELF CONFESSED LOVER OF THE #PASTELAESTHETIC. WHERE SHOULD WE GO TO FIND THE PERFECT CANDY FLOSS HUED JACKET FOR PINS?

LAZY OAF has to be a destination for pastel beauties (I've just checked, there are 3 stunning pastel coats on there RIGHT NOW!!) Arrggghhh, see how you've tempted me!!!!

IF YOU WEREN’T WHIPPING UP GREETINGS CARDS AND PINS, WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM PRODUCT TO DESIGN?

I'd love to make home and stationery accessories - basically just extending my fashion items to a workspace - I've just designed a little TO-DO-LIST for my office and I'd love to offer more items like this for indie biz's like me. And ya can't beat a bitta nice bedding too - so it’s been a dream to flex my surface pattern print muscles for a while now - hopefully, I'll be able to look into this soon!

WE KNOW YOU’RE A FAN OF A RAINBOW BRIGHT HAIR DO, WHICH PRODUCTS DO YOU USE? WE’RE PRETTY KEEN ON GOOD DYE YOUNG AND BLEACH LONDON…

Ooooh, I love Bleach London - hadn't heard of Good Dye Young before - so I'll be checking them out!

I currently use LIME CRIME Unicorn Hair Dye and my colour at the mo is ANIME - which is like a teal blue but I've been meaning to try MANIC PANIC too - Jess who works with me once a week uses it and her hair could be described as the 'EVER CHANGING RAINBOW!'

WHAT’S THE BEST BUSINESS DECISION YOU EVER MADE?

Honestly, to just TRY! I spent years freelancing in graphics and people tend to pigeon hole you after a while - I even did it to myself...I've found over time that if I have something I want to try to just chase those ideas I can't stop thinking about - and I don't think there's ever a bad time to start a new idea.

Take a peek at Liz’s work here and her IG here: psst, your pin game *just* got cooler! Fancy giving the EU a little love? Shop our EU and Me collection here… Until next time, folks!

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