PEOPLE
who are? SMALLS
NEW ZEALANDERS EMMA-JANE ADAM AND CAT PHARO FOUNDED SMALLS, ETHICAL MERINO BASE LAYERS, IN 2014, ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS CITY KIDS WAS BORN. THEY WALK US THROUGH THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. Tell us about Smalls. E-J Smalls Merino is a collection of ultrafine next to skin 100% natural essentials that never need taking off, with limited need for washing and incredible versatility in wearing, be it loungewear to ski slopes. What makes Smalls a great sustainable business? E-J We were sustainable before it was even a thing, because of the nature of the fabric we work with. Cat and I insisted on a totally traceable supply chain from the outset, working only with Ethical ZQ certified Merino, something not quite as common in 2014 as it is now! Smalls can identify the collective of farms involved in every roll of fabric used. How did you go about designing and making your first piece? CAT It’s comical now thinking about it, we HAD NO IDEA what we were doing, but we knew what we wanted and, luckily, we found a manufacturing partner early on who knew their stuff and held our hands for the two years it took us to get to launch. E-J Our first product was a vest! It made NO sense to us that we weren’t able to find any well designed, next to skin wear for our small children that wasn’t cotton or polyester. We did our own sketches and took them to a technician to turn them into our patterns. What piece of advice would you give anyone embarking on a new business venture? E-J Nowadays there is a lot more online support and communities for anyone starting a business: I have found that community invaluable during Covid. Planning and research are key. Is there a market for your idea, who is the competition? Know that a LOT of hard work and persistence is so crucial. 54 CITYKIDSMAGAZINE.CO.UK
CAT The same advice I give friends about to have a baby, spend time sleeping, relaxing, and going to films while you can...it’s about to all end :) Three words to describe yourselves. E-J Me - Bonkers, loving, kind. E-J Cat - Kinder, a lot less bonkers, also very loving. Tell us one thing that people don’t know about you. E-J I did the bread run though most of lockdown for North Paddington Food Bank. And last week Ricky Gervais said hello and patted my rescue dog. CAT I spent four months living and modelling in Japan after finishing my design degree. I am also an art director and create interiors shoots for Next, Laura Ashley, Sanderson & Scion. Where would your favourite date night be? E-J Not that we go on many, but I LOVE Pantechnicon in Motcomb Street, so if I could get out more that’s where I would go. CAT I’ve never been but I would be very excited if someone managed to book a table at Circolo Popolare. It looks dreamy and the food sounds amazing. Where’s the best place to take kids in London? E-J You have to be 10 years old, but Java Whiskers Cat Café in Marylebone is next level calm and lovely as a treat (unless you’re allergic to cats!). CAT It’s hard to beat a picnic topped off with a swim in the Thames in Richmond on a hot summer’s afternoon. Last book you read? E-J The most incredible book by my friend Mimi Kwa called House of Kwa. CAT Small Pleasures (aptly named:)) by
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Clare Chambers. My daughter bought it for me and it’s a perfect before lights out wind down book. Signature dish? E-J Cat will tell you every time she comes for dinner its basically the same thing. I do a mean mushroom risotto and beetroot salad thanks to my Thermomix. CAT I would say the world’s easiest one pot dish of roasted vegetables, vine tomatoes and sausages. It’s so simple to make and a serious crowd pleaser. What would you take to a desert island? E-J I asked my son and he said ‘the rose gardens from Regent’s Park’. I think this is a good answer, I’ll go with that. CAT A good pillow. What’s your proudest moment? E-J My kids are absolutely my proudest moment, along with also my most embarrassing, happiest, saddest, and most frustrating. Also, Cat and I being invited to Dumfries House by Campaign for Wool, being amongst only a handful of women in the room and meeting Prince Charles and Paul Smith was a biggie! CAT I actually can’t top what Emma said on this one. What’s next for Smalls? E-J We are collaborating with the UK’s favourite British brand, Rachel Riley, for a super gorgeous winter collection later this year. CAT That, plus another top-secret project launching in July. We cannot wait to show you! smallsmerino.co.uk