Past Lives and Pipe Dreams
In a past life, when bags were just a pipe dream, I designed and made window displays for the Isle of Skye Candle Company. I was with the company, in various roles, for 7 years. They recently got in touch because they wanted to showcase the faces that, over the years, helped to bring the brand to life. So here’s an excerpt from their blog series, about a young girl with a pipe dream.
The Faces Behind Skye Candles: Iseabal Hendry.
One of the main drives of the Isle of Skye Candle Company, and a key element in keeping it a truly island business, is creating opportunities for talented people who often otherwise would have leave Skye to find employment. And over the years in this pursuit, we’ve met some truly gifted and creative individuals; some are still a part of the team, some have moved on to different ventures, as did Iseabal Hendry.
Iseabal had one of the first creative roles in the company when she joined the team in 2014. Back in those days everyone was wearing more than one hat, but Iseabal’s primary role was our visual merchandising. She helped us set up all of our mainland stores and for years she was the force behind our eye-catching window displays.
At the time, Iseabal was a student at the Glasgow School of Art and so she was often seen in our Glasgow and Edinburgh locations, but coming from Lochcarron, the Highlands have always been home to her. As she graduated she relocated back and set off on her own entrepreneurial journey, starting a business of handwoven designer bags and accessories at iseabalhendry.com.
Besides the beautiful designs, Iseabal’s work reflects her true passion for zero waste and hand-craftsmanship. Sharing these values and having been a part of Iseabal’s journey in the past, we are delighted to see her hard work supported by RBS, Craft Scotland and the Times, to name a few.
We reached out to ask Iseabal about her time with us.
What was your favourite part of working for Skye Candles?
"Working so closely with Skye Candles Marketing Manager Diana! Also having creative freedom with the window designs. I worked with Glasgow School of Art's Centre for Advanced Textiles to print illustrations and text onto beautiful linen banners for one of our windows, for another I used real moss to create a message about recycling. I strung together several hundred ping-pong balls once too for our 'Bounce into Spring' campaign. Skye Candles gave me real creative freedom."
Is there a lesson you’ve learned on the job that you feel you’ve carried with you and has helped you in your current position?
"Working for a small business has undoubtedly taught me a lot and prepared me for running my own business in many small ways. What's stuck with me the most though is my determination to have a balance between lifestyle and career, to consider both with equal importance and never to sacrifice one over the other."
Do you still burn Skye Candles at home? And if so, has your favourite scent changed since your Skye Candles days?
"Winter Warmer remains the firm favourite - especially at this time of year!"