Could this be the next Great British Brand? Julie Deane is giving it her vote!
Sally Page is delighted to have been chosen by Julie Deane as a female entrepreneur to watch in 2015. Julie is working with the Government’s 'Business is Great' initiative to encourage more women to start businesses and her top female entrepreneurs to watch is the focus of the campaign. It was reading about Julie Deane’s experience (Cambridge Satchel Co) that gave Sally Page the confidence to sit down at her kitchen table with a blank sheet of paper and create her brand of fountain pens, PLOOMS. (Julie and her mum had done the same and come up with ten new business ideas, Sally figured she only needed one!)
PLOOMS is inspired by Sally’s belief that some words need to be written in ink. This and the fact that Sally could never find the fountain pen she really wanted - snug and weighty in the hand and such a beautiful colour that it made her smile every time she used it.
Manufactured to Sally’s registered design, PLOOMS fountain pens are currently available in five colours, each shade inspired by a woman who has brought a splash of colour into Sally’s life. Julie Deane chose 'Mrs Oliver's High Heel Red' named after a woman who is a phenomally impressive manager and organiser, but who has a secret weakness for red shoes. Julie said of her PLOOM 'It is such a great colour and so beautiful to write with'. Sally will be adding three more colours to the PLOOMS range soon.
PLOOMS are gaining a loyal following and Sally is encouraging others to put pen to paper, “After all,” Sally says “it is a wonderful thing to be able to recognise your friends by their handwriting.” And for those who don’t have time for letter writing, Sally suggests “Next time you want to send a special message, Don’t text it, PLOOM it! Handwrite a message in ink and send a photograph of your words. With Valentine’s Day coming up this could be a good tip for those who have forgotten a card!
Sally Page believes most women are the sum of many parts. And her background is no different. Sally is a wife and mother, she has photographed and written a series of six books about flower shops, that were turned into a range of cards and calendars. She also created a unique charity event for London (10km, 10 iconic stores) working with brands such as Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges, Anya Hindmarch, Liberty, Heal’s, Farrow & Ball and Liberty. It is this breadth of experience that Sally thinks gave her the confidence to launch a new British Brand. That and the need for a pink fountain pen!