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Today's Style Spotlight is shining on our main designer/owner of Cup of Daisies, Oana Balan, as she tells us the inspirations behind the scarf designs and how the unique company name came about...

J: So tell us a bit about yourself as a designer and how you decided to design silk scarves?
O: Since I was 16 I had the dream to study and become a fashion designer. I applied to all the London universities and went for interviews, during the time, a friend of mine showed me Liberty's! Five years later I thought silk scarves designed for charity can help raise fund towards the charities and impact society.

J: How did the name 'Cup of Daisies' come about? 
O: I wanted something artistic, like Alice in Wonderland, as I was just finishing my dance project and exhibition at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) at the time. I also used an imagery from the Bible, "a Fenician woman giving a cup of water to Jesus," which I thought is a symbol that unified cultures. 'Cup of Daisies' is an artistic mixture of both the elements, and the scarves are symbols of unity, bringing women around the world towards a cause.  

 J: Tell us what inspired you to make Cup of Daisies such a unique company by donating certain profits to the chosen charities?
O: I was a volunteer to the Try Hafan charity shop and I've always loved the idea of charity shops, so designing for charity was perfect! (though in terms of business it has a different concept!)

 J: How did you go about choosing the various charity organisations?
O: Each individual charity supports a different cause-
Orange Jungle- Noah's Ark, helping the children in Wales
Bird Song- Shelter Cymru, helping the homeless in Wales
Blue Pineapple- helping the children in Asia and Africa, Merlin has just joined Save the Children
Purple Orchid- educating women in Rwanda, ADRA UK
Lady Red- designed for the breast cancer campaign, Tenovus

J: What were the inspirations behind the designs for the scarves?
O: Every charity has a purpose within the Third Sector- and that is to raise awareness of certain issues in society; and that particular factor is the inspiration, be it issues of health, homelessness, education and development etc.

 J: Which is your favourite Cup of Daisies scarf and why?
O: I like all of them but Purple Orchid is the first design I made and the first charity I approached.
For the selection of scarves check out the website http://cupofdaisies.co.uk 
Joan x


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