Zara Gallagher, wife, mother, former City lawyer whiz and business woman sits in front of me and beams with all the optimism and hope that everyone embarking on a business venture from the heart should have.
On a cafe terrace overlooking the very trendy South Bank in London's modern arts district, she appears to sparkle when we move on to the subject of Otterley & Hester, her new online vintage accessories shop.
'I have been collecting Vintage bags and jewellery for ever’ she grins, delighted to be spending an afternoon talking about her new venture. 'I had collected so much over the years from antique shops, Vintage fairs, even keeping an eye out on our family holidays, that eventually I had to do something with it' she laughs.
Like with all exciting new ventures, there has to be an element of passion, which needs to exuberantly ooze from every corner. ‘As a child, I was lucky enough to have a grandmother who would let me rummage through her jewellery box and wardrobe and I loved to dress up and look at all the glamorous photographs in the Hollywood annuals she’d kept from the 1940’s and ’50’s. I love looking at things like that.'
1940’s and ’50’s. I love looking at things like that.'
She has the full backing of her journalist husband and children 'I think my husband is glad to see me finally putting my collecting abilities to good use!' she exclaims. Many of the people I meet in this industry have an almost secret habit when it comes to Vintage. Ladies, and gents, find themselves sourcing out pieces like addicts, and usually with an unsuspecting partner.
Yet Zara’s venture hasn’t always been encouraged by others. 'My mother has a habit of dropping unwanted career advice into conversations and I have to remind her that I am actually happily running my own business!’ I think it’s hard for her to understand why I have chosen to walk away from a profession’.
Sometimes we experience a generation gap where making a seemingly radical career move could still be seen as almost reckless.
'I think times have changed,' she goes on, 'I think it's far more acceptable now to have two or more different careers, we’re certainly going to be working for a lot longer than most of our
parents generation and we live in a world where it's easier to embark on something new and in a different direction.’
Zara has a firm and completely focused head on her shoulders and she knows her own mind, yet she is also someone who understands the importance of getting a business right. ‘It’s been a steep learning curve and there are still things I want to learn.' She tells me. 'I have done all the work on the website myself and I want to learn about every area of the business. I don’t want to bring people in and just hand things over. Not yet. I need to learn everything myself first. I like having that control and depth of understanding.'
BAGS
OF
VINTAGE
We meet, wife, mother and business
owner, Zara Gallagher to talk about
life, nice things and bags and bags
of vintage
YOUR BUSINESS