Small business spotlight: Calico Collective
Charlotte and Jess at a recent product shoot
Right at the start of my photography business, I began working with Charlotte of Calico Collective. Charlotte had recently started her business but had a very clear vision of how she wanted to bring her products to life. I’ve been lucky enough to work with her ever since then, and over the years, we’ve worked together to photograph her beautiful new collections, her journey behind the wheel, the launch of her pop-up shop, and more recently, her new studio space, SOAS Studio.
What’s held firm is Charlotte’s vision for her business. I’d be able to pick her work out in a crowd of 1000 ceramics, and I love her commitment to her brand values (from her glaze colours, to her matching wardrobe!).
In the first of my small business spotlight series, it felt right to start where it all began. Enjoy Charlotte’s insight into her work and our partnership over the years.
Tell us all about your business! What do you make and what got you into ceramics?
Calico Collective is centred around creating consciously crafted, small batch ceramic homewares. The business started back in February 2020, originally with lino prints & polymer clay jewellery at the heart, followed by four years working with jesmonite to cast terrazzo style homewares.
Over the years, my processes & materials have evolved naturally as my style developed - then, back in 2021 during a 12 week beginners course, I completely fell in love with pottery! I’ve spent years attending multiple courses & using memberships at different studios to develop my skills, until I felt confident to pivot the business almost entirely to ceramics.
Now, my focus is on crafting wheel thrown ceramics - inspired by natural forms, organic textures and the rituals that surround sharing food. My work is rooted in a belief that everyday objects can, and should, bring us together. This sense of connection guides my practice and informs the story behind each individual piece.
2. Cast your mind back to the early days - how were you showing off your work back then, and what was the biggest challenge in getting your products noticed?
Much of my ‘marketing’ (and I use that word loosely!) at the beginning was through word of mouth. I was lucky to gain some traction on Etsy through family & friends purchasing, and instagram helped with starting to build a local following. Trading at markets helped a lot too, with actually getting the physical products in front of people, as I always struggled with product photography & showing off my products online.
Left - my product photo
Right - professional product photo by Jess
How do you think having professional photos has changed how people see your work? Has it made a difference on social media, at markets, or when people land on your website?
Having professional photos of my full product range has genuinely changed the trajectory of my business entirely! Jess and I first worked together back in 2021, to capture my first core collection of homeware products. The aim for this shoot was to show each product in use, in each colour way, to show potential customers how & why they would want to use my products! Five years later, I still use this same set of images to advertise that same collection - through my website, for wholesale advertising & on socials. Jess has always been incredible at showcasing my products in a way that I just don’t see them myself - when you spend so much time crafting the products and seeing them so close up, it can be hard to take a step back. Having an album of professional photos to dip into has genuinely given me so much more confidence in myself & my business - I’ve applied for more events, reached out to dream stockists & collaborated on projects that I never would’ve gone for without these photos!
Since our first shoot, I have sold well over 10,000 jesmonite match striker pots through wholesale orders & website sales. I don’t believe this number would be nearly as high without the professional photos Jess took.
Is there a favourite shoot we've done together, or a set of images that you feel really nailed your vibe? Did anything exciting come off the back of it?
Every single time I receive a set of images back from Jess, I say ‘this is the best yet’! Working together over the past five years, Jess has truly seen the progression of my work & style and has adapted to the nuances of my collections perfectly every time. From prop requests to location ideas, we’re always on the same page.
If I had to choose though, my favourite shoot is probably the one we did to capture my first ceramic body of work. These images allowed me to apply for ceramic specific markets, create a new wholesale catalogue, update my socials & reach out to potential new customers with beautiful photographs that not only show off the new products, but help to tell the brand story too.
These images were an integral part of the change in direction for my business, and truly hits the nail on the head in terms of aesthetic.
“Beautiful products - we loved them on Faire and even more now they’ve arrived!!”
You've come such a long way since we first started working together - what's the biggest thing that's changed, and what's next for you?
The biggest change is definitely the pivot in product & process. I’ve shifted between lots of materials over the years, but truly feel I’ve found my passion in creating ceramic tablewares. I feel very lucky to have collaborated with some incredible local coffee shops recently and hope to continue growing this side of the business!
Next up, though, is my first Potfest event! I’m trading at Potfest in the Pens on 5-7th June, which will be my biggest event to date. Wish me luck!
Find Charlotte’s work and get in touch on the social links below, or check out her website here: Calico Collective