This international women’s day, we at Discover wanted to try something new! We’ve decided to shed a light on some of the women behind the thriving businesses we showcase in the vibrant area of Portobello, London.
We spoke to the entrepreneurs behind: Oil Of Nature, Anna P Headbands, Devlin’s, Utopian Creates and Crown Ivy about who they are and what they do!
Oil Of Nature
‘Oil of Nature grew from my twin daughters need for gentle and clean skin products.
Now we are an award-winning UK-based brand offering handmade, organic, and vegan skincare products including soaps, butters, and balms. We use ethically sourced botanical ingredients, avoiding harmful chemicals and artificial additives. We are Committed to sustainability; we use eco-conscious packaging and production methods. I am passionate about my creations and proudly export them across Europe.’ – Marcia Edwards , Oil Of Nature
Anna P Headbands
‘I’m proud to be an independent female business woman, hand making all my headbands from repurposed antique, vintage and contemporary textiles.’ – Anna, Anna P Headbands
Devlin’s
‘We are a local 5th generation family run business. Mum left her job as a florist to help my Nan and Grandad, and hasn’t left the stall since. As a child she would sit on the stall and sell 6 lemons for a sixpence!… We all grew up on the market, this is how we were raised – all the stall holders children were raised the same. If you’re not at school, you’re on the stall!’ – Cheryl Devlin, Devlin’s
Utopian Creates
‘My name is Leah, and I started Utopian Creates to share my quirky sculptures and unique paintings, all made to add a little joy to your day. Before opening my art stall at Portobello Market, I trained as a Prosthetic Makeup Artist and spent some time working in theatre. I then decided to follow my true passion—creating art that makes people smile! I sell my art on my website, and you can also find my stall at Portobello Market—a little hub of imagination where every piece is handcrafted with love.’ – Leah, Utopian Creates
Crown Ivy
‘I first started trading on Portobello market in 2016, selling festival products. This year, I am very proud to have opened my first physical shop located next to portobello green in the arcade, where we sell handcrafted hair accessories and luxury silks. It’s been a lot of hard work with lots of obstacles to overcome and still a long way to go on the journey but I’m loving every minute.’ – Jana Fustok, Crown Ivy
It was an honour to chat to these business owners and to be given a glimpse of their stories. We hope this blog helps to inspire young women to pursue their passions and to thrive in business, anything is possible!
To learn more about these independent businesses (and to discover others like them!) – you can download the free Discover App here
Want to read more? Check out our other blogs here