Footwear brand steps up to growth with first ever British Design Fund investment
A Manchester-based fashion footwear brand, which designs shoes for women suffering from bunions, has secured backing in the British Design Fund’s first ever wave of investments.
Calla Shoes is one of just two UK brands to receive part of a £500,000 investment fund out of more than 100 companies that have applied for backing since the British Design Fund launched in 2017.
The £100,000 turnover business will use the funding for a marketing campaign which aims to triple revenue within 12 months, and hit the £1m mark within three years.
Founder of Calla, Jennifer Bailey, from St Helens, will also use the funding to build on overseas partnerships already established since the brand launched in September 2016, and to source innovative materials that complement the range.
Bailey said: “For so long, Calla’s marketing strategy has been executed on less than a shoe string. It’s contributed to steady but maintained growth that has seen us reach some impressive milestones; however, to achieve accelerated growth, I was acutely aware Calla needed third-party investment.
“This has been a long time coming, and I’m thrilled Calla has been recognised as the life-changing product it is. This investment means the business can grow exponentially quickly, adapting to and meeting the huge demand we have from customers in the UK and abroad, and adding to our range to ensure Calla Shoes remains at the forefront of footwear fashion.”
Damon Bonser, CEO of the British Design Fund, said: “The British Design Fund is tailored to support product-based businesses that fulfil a clear need. As soon as we met her, it was immediately clear that Jennifer understands her market, and has applied her experience to come up with a solution to a global issue. Thanks to Jennifer’s expertise in marketing, Calla is perfectly primed as a direct-to-consumer selling brand, and we anticipate that, combined with ongoing support from the BDF, Calla will become yet another multi-million pound turnover business emerging from the North West, in a relatively short space of time. “
