10 Minutes with.....

Helen

Welcome to the second of a series of ’10 minutes with…’ where you meet members of our team and friends of the Brand sharing a little bit about their life.

This week it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Helen. We met the lovely Helen in the early days of Hope. A friend and neighbour of our product and design duo, Garry and Jaquine, Helen is an independent jewellery designer, lover of the outdoors and mum of three, who soon became a close friend of the brand.

Me in 3 words...
I would describe myself in 3 words as Creative, Positive and Adventurous

Home is...
10 beachy feet, sandy floors and 8 paws!

My Hope story...
I was introduced to Hope by my neighbours – who just happen to be the designers and product management team behind Hope Clothing.

I love Hope because the designs are based on simplicity – something which resonates with me in my own business as a silver jewellery designer and maker.
The fabrics add a fluidity to each design allowing movement and versatility to show off the bits you like best and hide the bits you don’t. I also love that where possible fabrics are sourced from British manufacturers.

My Style Story...
My style has evolved from being a teenager in the ‘80’s – which was very much influenced by the music I happened to be listening to – a nod to Punk with tartan trousers and safety pins, frills and peddal pushers for new romantic nights out and baggy jeans and a floppy hair band for Bananarama college days!

Moving onto ‘Kelly Girl’ temping days in London and the very first collections of ‘Next’ office wear (which I believe Garry was the designer for too – so a little bit of symmetry!) alternated with winter ski seasonnaire life living in Naff Naff, Patagonia and Varnet sunnies. I loved Gap clothing once I became a mum, great jeans and casual wear, affordable and still feeling in touch with fashion trends, blended with a bit of beachy cool on my move to Devon 17 years ago.

I love to add a bit of vintage and my mum is a Sue Ryder volunteer at the Nettlebed Home in Oxfordshire , so I am able to purchase some great second hand designer pieces. So I’m not sure that I can say I have any one particular style, but I love that Hope clothing can blend into my wardrobe and add a little bit of sophistication.

Helen's mum, Viv, modelling Hope's SS17 Collection

Modelling for Hope...

Helen modelling Hope's AW17 Collection

It was an especially exciting experience for me to be asked to model the Hope Collection as I had seen the very beginnings from fabric samples at the cutting table, surrounded by sketches and colours and dreams of how the brand would take shape. To be modelling the first collection was a bit special!

Challenges I find as a grow older are...

Juggling the different roles required to run my solo jewellery business ‘Helen Butler Designs’. My passion is to develop my beach inspired designs, using my creativity and actually making the jewellery, but the social media, administration, marketing, website interaction etc. are all separate jobs in themselves. Balancing this with my 3 children who are no longer small, but even as my nest is emptying I am still very much needed for emotional support and guidance!

Pieces from the Helen Butler Designs Collection

I’m happiest when...
I have all the kids home and we are all prepping and adding our own touches to the Sunday Roast extravaganza, a little bit of music and silly dancing in the kitchen to help us on our way.

Favourite quote...
‘If you always do what you’ve always done you will always get what you’ve always got’.
If you want change it has to come from yourself – but its not always so easy to remember this.

My guilty pleasure is...
A ginger nut with my cup of tea in bed every morning.

People may be surprised to know...
I jump in the sea in just my bikini bottoms most mornings!

How I achieve balance in my everyday life...

By starting each day with a walk on the beach with my dogs and focusing on the sea and birds, sounds and smells. I also have the Headspace app on my phone, and I actually crave that little 10 minutes a day where I can just breath and really connect my head and body.

Paddle boarding with Scuba the dog

The most surprising thing I have learnt along the way...
It's ok to keep a little bit of you for yourself.

My ‘pinch me, I must be dreaming’ moment...
One of my pinch me moments has to be kissing Richard Gere back stage at the Free Mandela concert in 1988! It was only a peck, buy hey …!

What inspires me...
My amazing girlfriends are my best inspiration, we have weathered many storms of varying degrees, and are still smiling and able to laugh to the bottom of our socks!

My favourite pick of the new Hope collection is...
The ruby silk shirt – always a winner for me – great with jeans but also fab on my navy foundation dress for a smarter look. Rea looks great, but this is the piece I really wanted to model!

Helen in the Autumn Winter Collection

The Boiled Wool Shrug

Coming Soon: Foundation Cross Over Top

The Charcoal Foundation Triple

The Foundation Long Sleeve Scoop Dress in Berry