Meet Sofia! She is the maker behind DOGLDN along with her faithful sidekick Chunki.
We first met as part of our Dogs of Instagram series back in 2019 and DOGLDN were part of both of our Doggie Markets in the same year.
We asked Sofia to tell us more about her wonderful pet business.
How did you start DOGLDN?
DOGLDN was created when I was made redundant in 2019. I had always wanted to embark on my own journey into the dog accessory world but with such a demanding job I did not have the time. Once I was made redundant, I felt there was no time like the present to get working on my dream!
Tell us about your dog.
Chunki is my French Bulldog who will be 7 years old in July, how time flies when you’re having fun! Chunki is actually my first dog and I have loved every minute of having him in my life. He is my main inspiration behind DOGLDN and if it wasn’t for him, I would never had met so many lovely people in the Instagram dog community! You can follow his daily adventures here @chunkithefrenchie
Where do you get the ideas for your new designs?
New ideas come to me all the time. I could be listening to music and something in the lyrics will pop an idea into my head or I’ll be going through fashion magazines and see a print that inspires me. I write down all my ideas and then I get to work on designing them. I design everything myself so that the brand remains original, if there are certain parts I’m not confident in doing myself I will reach out to my friend Holly (@jangowears) who is an amazing digital artist, to help me make my dreams a reality.
How has the last 12 months affected DOGLDN?
The last 12 months for DOGLDN have been strange, I feel like the brand is now more established and is continuing to grow. I think with everyone being at home they have had more time to really look at what is available to them and really support small businesses such as myself.
What are your plans for next 12 months?
In the next 12 months I hope I can continue to grow and release more accessories for both dogs & humans. Watch this space!
Which other pet businesses do you admire?
Other pet businesses that I admire are;
@barkinbambino – Mia makes the most amazing bows and hats that can be attached to any collar, not only that but she will also make custom bows and hats just for your pooch!
@jangowears – I have mentioned Holly previously, she is an amazing artist and also makes custom pet portraits which can be added to tote bags and human apparel.
How do you see the future for Independent UK pet businesses?
In the last year alone, I have noticed more and more independent pet businesses being created. I believe this will continue to grow as people are at home more than ever with their pets or are looking into getting pets. I think more so than ever people are trying to support small independent businesses more than the larger businesses as there is more of a personal connection with the business owner.