Like a breath of fresh air, Cup Of Daisies, is a small Welsh fashion label that design scarves inspired by the work of the charities they support and by selling the scarves they look to raise funds to support those charities. I caught up with Oana to find out more ….Hi Oana!

Hi , I am Oana Balan, the designer of Cup of Daisies. I am working in developing the project part-time. 

What inspired the setting up of  “Cup Of Daisies”? 

There were various sources of inspiration but none fashionable. I was mostly looking at cups of tea ,  camomile tea  and different meanings in different societies. I have a Christian background , so I love the biblical story where Jesus is offering water to a Samaritan woman at a well, speaking about the idea of living forever. So the concept Cup of Daisies had to embrace  the idea of wellness, life and help. It had to bring together the essence and the values of what the brand would support.

I’m interested in the origins of brand names – so why “Cup Of Daisies”?  Were there other names you considered?

I considered my name for a while as in Oana Balan and  Cup of Daisies scarves. 

I particularly like the “Bird Song” scarf. What scarves are most popular amongst your customers?

The best seller is the “Blue Pineapples “ scarf , supporting Save the Children.

Out of all your collection, do you have any favourites?

I like the scarf “Lady Red” supporting Tenovus . 

As you are based in the UK, are your products available to purchase overseas?

Yes, the products are available to customers abroad as we have received orders from North America and Spain.

When designing the scarves to add to your collections, do you take into account your own tastes, the charities, your customer base, requests, traditional styles, current trends, or bits of all those?

I want to create a pattern which tells the story of the charities we support , transmitting the message farther. Also needs to be in fashion with current trends.

How long on average does it take to make a scarf from scratch?

It mostly depends on the quantity and the type of production. For this collection 300 scarves took 6 weeks , including screen printing and hand rolled hem.

Which charities do “Cup Of Daisies” support? Why were those particular charities chosen? 

I wanted to gather most of the basic needs of a human being such as shelter, hunger and treatments. Those are the charities I support.

If you could go anywhere in the world for inspiration to create a new collection, where would you go and why?

I would possibly go to an exotic beach in Thailand to do snorkelling, to have the chance to observe the nature underwater.

Growing up, did you always want to be a fashion designer or did your career aspirations lie elsewhere?

I always wanted to be a fashion designer, but the fashion industry is quite competitive, and I struggled in gaining experience in established fashion houses. So I wanted to have my say about the fashion industry and to create my own products.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I would wear a pair of ankle boots from Clarks and possibly a very minimal look, just a top and a pair of trousers  from Uniqlo . 

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I buy from Uniqlo and Zara, I identify myself with their styles and trends.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

Dr Martens Gladiator sandals are a want on the wish list! 

Boots or Shoes?

Boots are more practical specially with the weather in Wales.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Cup Of Daisies

http://cupofdaisiesstyles.blogspot.com
http://cupofdaisies.co.uk
@cupofdaisiesstyle – IG

Great to chat to you Oana! Love the scarves and your charitable aims!

Linda x

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Oana Balan/ Cup Of Daisies.