Luxurious Silk Accessories By Silk Works London

Silk Works London was founded by sisters Laura and Lydia and is a contemporary wellbeing brand that curates pure mulberry silk sleepwear and accessories dedicated to beautiful skin and hair.We spoke to Laura and Lydia from Silk Works London about their inspirations, challenges, and what they have enjoyed about their business.

Who/ What inspired you to start your own business?
We grew up in an entrepreneurial household with a ‘work hard and anything is possible’ mentality instilled in us both from an early age. Whilst the idea had been bubbling for some years, Silk Works only became a reality during the pandemic when in retrospect we were lucky enough to be furloughed from our full time jobs and were unable to leave the house for month’s on end! Joking aside, this time out gave us the clarity and headspace to focus on building our business from the ground up through developing a product we both had huge belief in and couldn’t wait to get to market.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
Working together as sisters definitely has it’s pros and cons! Being equally passionate and headstrong (cut from the same silk cloth as it were) we unsurprisingly often wind up head to head. The never-ending schedule which comes hand in hand with the demands of a new business undoubtedly puts a strain on our relationship and with so many plates spinning it  can often be hard to focus and prioritise. On the flip side partnering up with someone so close to you means that trust has long been established (vital if you’re choosing to invest your life savings into a dream!), there are no secrets or surprises and daily honest communication means that although conflicts arise often, they are also solved swiftly.

What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
As a small business we’re accustomed to wearing many hats which means no day is the same- perfect for someone like myself (Lydia) with a short attention span! The excitement of that first sale to a customer who neither of knew was addictive and fast forward almost 2 years it’s overwhelming to watch our loyal customer base continue to grow. We both love the freedom to innovate and run with our own ideas, have full control over our lifestyles and schedules and experiencing a workplace with no red tape- if we want something to happen it often does!

Which product/service have you enjoyed creating the most?
I think we both agree that our latest collection Silk Works Loungewear has been the most exciting and enjoyable project so far. It was important to us whilst entering this new product range to remain closely aligned with our core values whilst also offering something new and exciting to our customers. Designed for effortless comfort and crafted using our signature grade 6a 22 momme mulberry silk we went through numerous samples and design tweaks before landing on our sleek camisole and short sets to compliment our pure silk robes.