Tuesday

Introducing fellow Online Store Owner Kelly Barriball and gran's loose change x x x

gran's loose changes is New Zealand's hottest online vintage clothing store owned by my amazingly talented friend Kelly Barriball. In the midst of starting up ATPT I find Kelly a huge inspiration and recently asked her a few questions about life online.

Tell us a little bit about the birth of gran’s loose change and how you started it all?
I was working for a design and marketing agency at the time where we also designed and built websites. I have always loved second hand clothing, shopping and thrifting and utlising these passions as well as the opportunities through my job meant gran's loose change was born. I wanted to be the boss. I wanted business experience. I wanted to live my dreams. I wanted to grow. I wanted to challenge myself. And gran's loose change gave me the opportunity to do all of this.

You lead a busy life with gran's loose change as well as working your 9 – 5, so what motivates you?
I'm motivated by fellow creatives who independently push themselves and their brand (or product) harder and further. I'm motivated by making my family proud. I'm motivated by passion. I'm motivated by success. I work in a wonderful design agency (www.wearefamily.co.nz) and spend my weekends and nights working on gran's loose change. I pretty much do it all myself, the buying, the styling, the photography, the editing, the uploading, the packaging, the couriers, the admin - so I am motivated by the fact that if I don't, gran's loose change won't function. My biggest fear is failure so there is no other option BUT to be motivated. I'm also really lucky to have an amazingly supportive boyfriend who is always willing to help and a fabulous group of friends who continually inspire me to do more and to do it better.

One of the lingerie labels we stock has designs inspired by vintage couture, what or who do you find inspiring?
My grandmother, Patricia Kelly, is a constant source of inspiration. She is 74 years old and has changed and adapted with our generation. She came to New Zealand from Scotland when she was 17 years old, settled in New Plymouth and had a family and then jetted overseas for years. She has travelled, she has lived, she has shown me love, determination, and just what you can achieve when you really believe in something. I'm also inspired by my wonderful collective of creative friends, I'm inspired by the written word - the power never ceases to amaze me. 

Other than gran's loose change, where are your favourite online shopping destinations?
I'm am a frequent visitor to Nasty Gal, Solestruck for amazing Jeffrey Campbell wedges, Market HQ for a great range of middle range clothing from Evil Twin and Staple especially, Urban Outfitters (I love that they have such a comprehensive review section which can make or break your decision to buy something, trademe and ebay. And I'm sure All The Pretty Things will become a regular haunt too!

As well as being an online shopper, I am a blog fanatic. Some of my faves include Gary Pepper Vintage, The Cowboy Geisha, Love More, Stop Making Sense, Inside Am-lul's Closet, We the People and They All Hate Us. I am constantly linked through to online stores through these blogs as well as home interior sites. I dream of decorating my own home pretty much daily!

Our guilty pleasure is lingerie, what are yours?
d_luxe jewellery (I'm currently waiting for my Sleeping Sunshine Rose Quartz Ring to arrive), shoes (anything with a wedge), owls, second hand books, three fresh lilies for my dining room table (weekly) and vintage paintings.

Where do you see gran's loose change in five years time?
To be honest, my dream was never to own a retail store. I wanted to be the boss and I wanted business experience and I had the opportunity to do this. In five years time I imagine I would have built gran's loose change up enough to have a manager on board who runs the day to day business of the site giving me more freedom to do the buying, styling and PR and a bit of spare time to start writing books.

Where can our fans find you?

Can you leave us with some 'words of wisdom'?
"We are here to laugh at the odds and live life so well that death will tremble to take us" - Charles Bukowski.
Posted by All The Pretty Things at 12.4.11

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