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Face To Face: La De Da Livinbg
Well, La De Da
La De Da Living is currently best known for its popular, British made, hand stamped, vintage sentiment cutlery, along with its fashion and home accessories which range from jewellery, bags and scarves to candles, light up lights and wall prints. The brainchild of Rita Davanzo and Dominique FracassoStroud, the sisters and business partners are now embarking on an exciting new venture - RD - a sassy new brand that launches at Spring Fair. "It's just like us, states Rita. "Lots of fun and full of personality!" 'La De Da world', the HQ of La De Da Living in Cheltenham, certainly sounds like a fun place to work. Comprising a dozen 'la de das', who reflect both La De Da's products and the company's founders and designers Rita and Dom, it's a creatively charged atmosphere, especially now that an exciting new brand, RD, is poised to launch. (RD, of course, stands for Rita and Dom). "I can truthfully look at every team member and say, 'they're like us. Very la de da'," smiles Rita, who oozes sophisticated glamour. "As we're all coming from the same perspective, it means we can bounce things off each other. In fact, our staff are the first people we show our ideas to and we take their feedback very seriously. It's where all our creativity comes from - and maybe a bottle of wine over dinner!" she laughs. Enthusiasm bubbles over as Rita and Dom - elegantly casual - share the concept of their biggest and potentially most game changing business venture yet. "2017 is going to be a very big year for La De Da Living," Dom confirms. "As well as a major rebranding for La De Living, which includes our vintage cutlery and POP sentiment candles, we're overhauling our current website and also introducing a brand new trade website for our customers. Plus, we couldn't be more excited to be launching RD, a range that really reflects our own tastes and style as well as current buying trends. It's about chic, affordable style for stylish women." RD features four main sectors: oversized clutch and envelope bags; jewellery;
scarves; greeting cards and postcards. To add to RD's gift-ability, every single product in the collection comes with its own stylish RD branded gift box or gift bag, which has a signature metallic silver thread running through the design. Where possible, everything has been sourced and made in Britain. "The range has been created to shout elegance," says Rita, "but, as importantly, everything is affordable." Discussing the oversized clutch bags, she makes the point
Below: Sisters and business partners Rita Davanzo (right) and Dominique Fracasso-Stroud. Below right: The new RD oversized envelope bags. Bottom: RD sentiment word bangles.
that she was influenced by women's everyday over-stuffed handbags. "Nothing looks worse than a bulging clutch bag or envelope bag - think essentials such as make-up, keys, brush, purse, mobile etc - so we kept this practicality in mind when we were designing and added a smart, detachable chain for the evening, as well as a practical hands-free wrist strap, ensuring that the bags will work for all occasions." Complementing the bags are a range of 100% Indian cotton scarves in eight different designs. "The colours for both the bags and the scarves are bang on trend," says Rita, "to include blush pink, soft blue, ivory and grey. RD is a classic brand that will still be
Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide
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