Small Business Focus: Roll in a puddle? Frithaland owner discusses her design philosophy

Every Monday, we ask small firms key questions.

Here we speak to Fritha Lewin who turned her dream of becoming an illustrator into starting a design firm.

How and why did you start in business?

I was a house designer living and working in London, but what I really wanted to be was an illustrator. So in 2007, I started my own design business after taking voluntary redundancy.

While working I had taken a lot of evening classes studying fashion illustration at Central Saint Martins (CSM) College of Art & Design, with the hugely talented Neil Gilks. It was such an amazing class that I immediately got a couple of well-paid illustration contracts. My business was off to a flying start!

How did you get to where you are today?

I’m very persistent and I’m very playful – playfully persistent! I was always creative even as a little kid.

Who helped you?

Along the way, many talented friends, colleagues and tutors have inspired and helped me. Alongside Neil, another supportive tutor at CSM was Andrew Foster. Being in his class was the closest thing I’ve ever experienced to being on a football team!

I met Inge Burger at a small design agency and she let me do very playful and experimental things with PowerPoint. She’s now a director at Ogilvy.

Also, at Trinity Academy in Edinburgh, Sandy Shand ran an outdoor education club that was a life changing experience for me.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?

Andrew Foster, my tutor at CSM, said if we felt like rolling in a puddle because it helps our art, then we should do it. Don’t care at all what people think.

What is your biggest mistake?

I wish I’d figured out how to create a capsule wardrobe in my 20s. For those who haven’t come across one yet, a capsule wardrobe is when you own a minimum amount of clothes and each piece can be mixed and matched.

It’s great for the environment and saves a lot of money. Scarves are great as they can accessorise a simple capsule wardrobe in a really versatile way.

What is your greatest achievement?

Well, I’ve accidentally invented a new kind of tartan. I’m calling it “Metatartan,” haha! I map it onto 3D objects using special software. I don’t think anyone has used 3D software in this way before, so it’s pretty unique.

I was also asked to be a teacher for Domestika which is pretty great.

For Google I created enormous, intricate spaceships on banners that hung in the Printworks in London’s Docklands. I designed banners for a festival that celebrated the centenary of Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison’s death at St. George’s Church in Bloomsbury.

Also, I got to meet Ed Burstell at a Liberty London Open Call and discussed my silk scarf designs. That was a very good day for me.

How are you managing rapidly rising costs and how could the government help?

In general, my business costs are pretty low. It’s great being part of the Federation of Small Businesses as you get access to a lot of support and good deals on things like insurance. The government could help more with high business energy costs.

What do you still hope to achieve?

I have a dream list of retailers who I would love to be stocked by. I follow Tatty Devine, Emma J Shipley, Klaus Haapaneimi, House of Hackney and of course, Timorous Beasties. I would love to collaborate with luxury brands and of course the malt whisky distilleries in Scotland.

My latest designs are essentially giant, digital, glittery sequins. These could most definitely contribute to queerification. I’ve been investigating how architects and town planners are making public spaces friendlier for LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as women and minorities and I think my giant digital glitter would work amazingly well for this.

I would love it if these became signifiers of safe spaces for queer communities. There’s a bridge in Leith near where I lived as a kid. It’s been painted rainbow colours but it looks so sad and grim. We can definitely do better than that. We’re queer after all. We invented sequins!

What do you do to relax?

I enjoy writing comedy and snuggling my dog.

What are you currently reading, listening to or glued to on TV?

I just guiltily rewatched all six seasons of the L Word, a terrible lesbian soap opera. Two of my closest friends became film makers, so I’m obsessed with independent film. I would love to see Karen Gillan make another film.

What do you waste your money on?

It has to be Johnstons of Elgin cashmere jumpers.

What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

Write jokes.

What do you drive and dream of driving?

I would like an electric Brompton bicycle.