What’s in a name?
The name of a craft company has a lot of work to do; it has to stay both memorable and evoke a sense of the designer behind it.
Amongst our ALBION designers we fall in two camps; those who use their names (like Emily Peacock) and those who have more of a titled brand name (like The Makers Marks).
So when you’re not putting your own name above the door, how on earth do you decide what to call your craft company? I asked some of the ALBION designers how they came to by their names.
Ann’s Orchard
“Ann’s Orchard is our house and it is also where I design and make all of my needlework kits. Originally the property was known as Oak Cottage but was later named after Anne Boleyn, based on a romantic notion her family owned the land, a cherry orchard, and it formed part of her dowry on marriage to Henry VIII.”
Emma Pavier
The Makers Marks
“When I was dreaming about starting to design needlepoint kits I knew collaboration would play a big part in it. Having worked for years art directing, I got such a buzz working with other creatives, bringing different ideas to the table.
And I thought about how my customers would play their part in the collaboration too, they’re my marks, collaborators marks & your marks all working together.”
Emma Homent
The Fetter and The Comb
“Kilim patterns were the inspiration for my first needlepoint kit design and a fetter and a comb are two meaningful symbols used in Kilim rug design. I was initially drawn two particular patterns, and when I had discovered that their meanings are ‘protection’ and ‘unity’ these became an obvious name for my new venture.”
Anna Jenkins
Thread Bear
“It was actually my my dad that came up with the name, so for me the decision was how do I get my logo to represent both the name and contemporary nature of the brand. I wanted something bold and striking, but also inviting”
Miesje Chafer
Thread and Mercury
“When I was thinking up names for my new business I loved the play on words that some other businesses used, such as Fred instead of Thread.
I started to think of some famous Fred’s to replace with Thread, so from Freddie Mercury, Thread and Mercury was born. Thread and Mercury felt like the perfect combination…like a needle and thread!”
Yasmeen Mocharrafie-Laouira
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, and maybe it’s inspired someone out there to start their creative brand journey!