mydeco.com in conversation with Abigail, from Abigail Ahern.

What's the ethos behind your brand?
The ethos is to fuse craft with bohemian artiness; to twist tradition on its proverbial head and showcase an unusual collection of products that don't follow trends, instead they make you smile. In a nutshell, it's an idiosyncratic collection with a sense of tongue-in-cheek whimsy, and any style abounds, as does the price point. You can rock up and buy something for £6 or spend £6000 pounds!
How did it all begin?
It began because I got bored with what was out there what with the same old products carried by retailers the world over. I wanted to stock products that you didn't see everywhere else and that pushed a few boundaries and took a few risks, so nine years ago we took a very bijou store down a little street in Islington and started the collection. It went so well that we moved premises sixteen months later to where we are today.
What is your most prized possession?
My most prized possessions are undoubtedly my dogs, Mungo and Maud.
How would you sum up your personal style in one word?
Kaleidoscopic.
Can you explain a little more about how you make your products?
We have our dog lights produced in a small factory in Stoke on Trent, pottery country. I draw a sketch of the product, which then gets made into a mould, tweaked where necessary and then produced. All the pieces are hand-glazed and the shades are made in Paris from the finest taffeta. With our tableware collection I came across an artisan group of makers in South Africa who produce the most amazing ceramics so we collaborated to produce a tableware collection. Again it's all hand-made and hand-glazed. The advantage of working with the small guys is that it's so hands-on, you can pick up the phone, email any time and tweak which has so many advantages.
What would you say is your hero product?
The dog lights are our hero products - they have literally gone all over the world and, if I had to choose one, it would probably be the bulldog. I love the contrast from the macho rather tough looking bow-wow to the frou frou fancy taffeta lamp shade. It makes me smile every time!