If you're a regular to 'Alas, I cannot Swim', you will have seen "Kiss Like Daisy" featured on my winter wishlist a few weeks ago. Daisy is the creation of Katy Louise Dyer, a 22 year old media graduate based in Reading, and is a luxury online boutique offering beautiful handmade jewellery and accessories for the urban fashionista.
I'm lucky enough to know Katy in real life- having worked alongside one another at House of Fraser (her on Ted Baker, me on AllSaints) and it is so wonderful to see her going from strength to strength after setting up her own business from scratch. All of her items are handmade with care and precision- so you are guaranteed to find something you'll love. And there is so much to choose from!! Here are some of my favourites:
The Double Bow
The Double Bow headpiece is Katy's fresh take on the classic bow- the staple Daisy item. Combining an oversized bow with a smaller counterpart creates a bold, chic, catwalk-inspired look, and being on a headband can transform any outfit in a matter of seconds.
I love the idea of this statement headpiece transforming a basic outfit into something quite sensational. The double bow is big, brave and bold- and comes in a variety of materials to suit this: black leather or coloured corduroy.
Team this item with an oversized cable knit jumper and jeans to make a daytime statement, or a simple little black dress and heels to turn heads in the night time. The Double Bow retails at £22.
The Leather Collar
I am such a huge fan of the current detachable collar trend, so this item is a real must have for me. Once again, Katy's unique take on styling comes into play- this is not the twee sequinned Peter Pan collar I have seen over and over again on the high street, but black leather with a gold drop chain- edgy, androgynous, and stylish. I love the way Katy has styled her collar on bare shoulders- giving the more feminine and classic necklace a miss for a really up to date look, but this collar can also be worn on top of shirts, or even plain-neck tshirts and dresses to give an old outfit a completely new lease of life.
The leather collar retails at £35
The Daisy Chain
Now, I couldn't make this post about Daisy without showing you the key Daisy item: The Daisy Chain! Katy has put her signature bows onto a gold chain for you to wear around your neck. I think these are fantastic and again come in a variety of colours and materials including floral, leather, denim, and corduroy.
The great thing about the Daisy Chain is the variety of ways in which it can be worn. Wear it long as a necklace or shorten the chain and fasten it under your collar for an androgynous bow tie effect. I love the idea of a masculine/feminine clash by wearing the floral Daisy Chain as a bow tie!
The Daisy Chain starts at £18, but has a special promotional Christmas price starting at £8, so is a great stocking filler for your loved ones and a wonderful way to introduce them to Daisy.
Glitter Cat Hat
In my opinion, this item is not only absolutely ingenious but completely adorable! Adding a new, feminine twist to the current beanie hat trend, the Glitter Cat Hat is such a cute way to keep your ears warm as the weather gets colder this winter. I was never a huge fan of the knitted "animal face" hats that seem to make an appearance this time of year, but Katy has come up with a much more sophisticated version by using a glitter material and leather ears. This grown up yet quirky look very much reminds me of Charlotte Olympia's chic and fun designs. The Cat Hat is a must have, and retails at £24.
Trio of Roses Headpiece
I have saved my absolute favourite item until last- I ADORE the Trio of Roses headpiece! Although I adore the masculine edge of some of the items available at Kiss Like Daisy, the Trio of Roses really stands out to me as a very beautiful, delicate and feminine item (although- it goes without saying!- the leather look material gives it a rock chick edge. I LOVE the juxtaposition of this- Katy's items work on so many levels!) Inspired by alternative bridal wear, the Trio of Roses headpiece offers real tailor made luxury to the girl wanting a unique look for a special occasion, and retails at £84.
Intrigued by the ideas behind these items and to find out more about Daisy herself, I interviewed Katy to find out more...
SI: Hello Katy! First and foremost, who is Daisy?
KLD: Daisy is a made up person. She is meant to represent the ‘ It girl’ that most girls either know or aspire to be. She might be your friend or someone you admire. She is a strong, confident and comfortable with herself and style. I chose the name ‘Kiss Like Daisy’ because essentially what I mean by ‘Kiss Like’ is ‘Be Like’. Therefore, I want my target market- young women in the UK, to be like Daisy, the strong and confident girl who is not afraid to try new fashion and strive for whatever path in life she may choose.
SI: Your degree was in media. What led you to the world of fashion, and more than that, the tremendous feat of opening your own business?
KLD: Fashion, Drama and Film have always been my strongest interests. I think I have a natural common sense and self-taught attitude towards fashion and design, therefore I decided by doing a media orientated degree that involved the technical side of film, I would have a broader knowledge in my interests that would help once finishing Uni and beginning my career. The desire to work within the fashion industry completely overtook my interest in film and drama during Uni, so I started looking for fashion internships as soon as I graduated. I did a short PR and marketing internship at Luna&Curious and here I saw how young designers like myself were making money from being stocked in the boutique. Then one day whilst being at the boutique, I thought I would open my own boutique. This way I could sell my own products whilst performing various fashion roles that were of interest, such as website design, PR and marketing. I decided an online shop was the best option considering I knew I would be funding this completely alone.
SI: Your range includes accessories that can spice up an everyday outfit, to more statement pieces such as the Trio of Roses headpiece. This clearly isn't an everyday item- to me it seems very high fashion and "catwalk". When you designed this and other statement pieces, what or who did you have in mind?
KLD: This piece is bridal inspired. It is for the alternative bride-to-be. It is a statement piece and I hope it shows my customers the more bespoke side of Daisy. I love big and extravagant headwear, therefore I had to incorporate this into the brand design concept and by making it Bridal inspired it is more fitting to my customer base- women aged 16-30.
SI: The staple Daisy item is the bow. Why is this?
KLD: The bow is something I think is complementary to all women. I personally love them. I incorporate what I love into all my designs, because I find I can only design and produce products that make me excited and appeal to my personal taste. For me, a bow is completely classic. It can make any women look instantly classy and elegant; for example in an evening dress, but at the same time girly and cute if in casual, sport or day wear. It’s transferable from season to season, day to night. No matter what your style: punk, girly, glam, whatever... I think you can add a bow to and look super stylish!
SI: You launched your online boutique in October, but how long had you been planning your business venture?
KLD: I have worked on it since August 2011. I have had to learn everything about business from scratch; however I am quite impressed that I have done it all in just over a year. I have worked full-time and had three jobs at one point whilst setting this up. However, I think if you really love and want something you will strive to finish and see it through, even if it means you get a little less time to yourself.
SI: What gave you the idea for Daisy, and how did you develop the concept?
KLD: I am a very empathetic person; therefore naturally I always feel a strong desire to help others. By building a business like this I knew I could inspire other people, especially young women who may have the same dream or are unsure about how to go about doing something in life. The concept of Daisy is how I want to inspire other women, I want them to be confident as people and not be frightened or scared to do something in life, because it is no secret how many anxieties can overwhelm a lot of young women these days, therefore I want to provide a little bit of hope and inspiration to other women.
To discover Daisy for yourself and find your own signature Daisy item, visit
www.kisslikedaisy.co.uk
Katy currently has a selection of items on offer for Christmas, so grab yourself a bargain from as little as £5!!
Last but not least, we teamed the black corduroy bun bow and striped chain bag with a high shine collared shirt that I got from Oxfam for £12. This is a power shirt if ever I saw one: gold buttons, huge collar and shoulder pads with batwing sleeves- so 80s it hurts, but so, SO good!! We teamed these with a little pair of sienna pleated shorts that I picked up from Sue Ryder for £4, then Katy swept my hair into a high side pony/bun to give the overall look a very "Madonna" feel- which, obviously, I loved. (the 80s was when Madonna was good...) 
