TV, radio presenter and model, Lisa Snowden, chose a basket-bag made by family business, livandbeck.co.uk, to feature on her ‘summer fashion accessories’ slot on ITV’s This Morning programme, after which sales shot up over 1000%.
Founded by Rebecca Donnelly, mum and a former buyer at ASDA, livandbeck.co.uk personalises and retails handwoven, monogrammed baskets, children's baskets, clutches and storage bags. Rebecca had seen other premium painted baskets available online but was convinced with her background and understanding of products, that she could offer something better with a more competitive price point and make it more accessible to everyone.
“I’d never dealt before with any product that I truly loved and felt passionate about. I love fashion, crafts and design and I also love a bargain! So, I did lots of research, painting courses, airbrush courses and about 100 tester baskets later, off we went!” said Rebecca.
Things have been so quiet since COVID that Rebecca almost missed the email from ITV’s fashion editor - after researching and realising it wasn’t a scam, ITV told her they’d found something else. But persuaded by her daughters, she sent the bag to the editor anyway, and then posted her frustration on Instagram. Persistence paid off because the fashion editor and Lisa Snowden both replied to say they loved the bag. Rebecca then got word that it would feature on This Morning after all!
“We have seen a huge increase in sales, almost too large to measure! We usually do about 15 baskets a week, but now we’ve received orders of over 200 baskets, and they’re still coming in!” said Rebecca.
The name of the business is a family affair; youngest daughter, Livvy, was forever upset that her dad’s supply chain consultancy, Hatmill, established before she was born, was named after her older siblings Hattie and Millie. Mum Rebecca promised Livvy that when the time came to return to work, she would name her new company after her, and so livandbeck.co.uk was born! Now it’s safe to say her older siblings are very jealous. “When Hattie and Mille realised livandbeck.co.uk was a girlie, fashion accessory, monogrammed basket company, they wanted to jump camp from Hatmill. Paint, pom-poms and baskets or logistics…. Which would you choose?!”, says Rebecca. To make amends, Rebecca has named some of the bag ranges after her two eldest daughters.
