Jem + Bea: The baby brand making motherhood stylish
When Dominique Hughes and Rebecca Da Silva Lima became mothers, they were dismayed by the products on offer. So they decided to create products themselves.
Style matters – and never more so than in the sleep-deprived months of early parenthood, say Dominique Hughes and Rebecca Da Silva Lima.
“You really need to feel good about yourself because you’re so tired… you need something to lift your spirits,” says Hughes.
That’s why the pair launched multi-award-winning accessories brand Jem + Bea. At the time, in 2015, Da Silva Lima had just given birth to her first child, while Hughes had just had her third.
Back then, the pair were dismayed by the baby accessories on offer. “There were all these really ugly printed bags. Everything had cupcakes and flowers on them,” remembers Hughes. “It was almost as though, with motherhood, you were expected to close the door to your stylish life and open another door where you’d completely lost your style.”
It was as though, with motherhood, you were expected to close the door on your stylish life.
Seven years and two additional children later (the duo has five between them), Jem + Bea is a hugely successful luxury brand, stocked in dozens of shops and department stores around the world, including John Lewis.
The business also features in Clearpay’s Make It Your Way series, which celebrates small business owners who are carving their own path and setting their own terms for success.
Make it your way
Early on, Hughes says the pair had little choice but to forge their own path. Although Da Silva Lima had worked for several high-end fashion brands, including Anya Hindmarch and Mulberry, running a business was new to them both.
“We’ve really learned on the job – in all aspects of the business. We’ve done everything our way because we’ve kind of made it up!”
Make it parent-friendly
They are upfront about the fact that running a business while raising five children has been challenging at times. “You’re spinning a lot of plates,” admits Hughes.
But they discovered their own rhythm. “Becky is an early bird, so she would often get up and do stuff early in the morning,” says Hughes. “And then I would be working late at night when the kids were in bed.”
We’re very female-oriented and [geared] around parenthood .
“That’s the beauty of our business,” adds Da Silva Lima. “We’re very female-oriented and [geared] around parenthood .I brought my youngest, Margot, with us to trade fairs [and to] meetings. I’ve breastfed her in meetings - and once on stage in front of about 200 people.”
Make it stylish
The brand’s big break came at a trade fair when a representative from John Lewis spotted their chic and minimalist range.
“We’re definitely fashion-led,” says Da Silva Lima of the brand’s distinctive aesthetic. “We’re not just looking to the maternity industry for inspiration – we are looking at high fashion, too.”
Sustainability is another key priority. “We have a big recycled nylon range… and sustainability is something that’s hugely important to the younger generation of mums.”
Make it practical
But the success of the business isn’t just down to the brand’s aesthetics. Jem + Bea bags are as multi-tasking as the mothers who carry them. “The design of our bags is drawn from our own experience as mothers. [There’s] lots of internal organisation – so places for nappies and wipes and bottles,” says Hughes.
The design of our bags is drawn from our own experience as mothers.
The bags are also known for their durability. “We’ve had customers say ‘We’ve had this bag for five or six years, and it’s still going strong.”
Make it customer-centric
From the beginning, the pair have always listened closely to customer feedback and responded – whether that means launching sustainable ranges or partnering with Clearpay. “We could see the popularity of Clearpay growing, and we wanted to give our customers an alternative option for purchasing [the bags],” says Hughes.
“We knew it would be a popular choice, but we were pleasantly surprised,” she says, adding that sales began as soon as they launched with Clearpay.
“[At Jem + Bea] we describe ourselves as ‘accessible luxury’. We have various price points and we want to be accessible to [everyone] [and] Clearpay helps with that.”
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