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Industry Insight

Piyush Suri

Textile Designer

Are you a graduate? If so, what did you study?

I have a background in engineering in India then did an MA Design for Textile Futures, at Central Saint Martins.

Brief description of what you do.

I do three things now. I have a design label called SURI London, designing luxury fashion and home accessories. I am Creative Director for Handmade interiors, a retail outlet in Cheshire street London, which is a lifestyle store selling home accessories, and I am Director of an events company called Handmade in Britain, which aims to promote British Designers.

What is a standard day for you?

My day starts in the office at 8:30 am and I’m working until about 7 o’ clock. I am working on designs, setting up events, running the businesses. I have two assistants that help me.

What skills have you come to rely on most in your position?

Project management is very important for me, time management, and a good sense of design. Communication too - I have to finalise business deals, I have to explain products to customers when I am manning the shop. For events, I liaise with contractors, exhibitors…everyone.

If you had to pick one positive and one negative aspect of your job what would they be?

Positive is that I am not answerable to anyone. I work the hours I choose, and I work for myself, so everything I achieve is 100% my own.

Negative is that I cannot get holidays. I am incredibly busy and my year is planned out already. I work seven days a week.

How did you get into your role?

I always wanted to start my own business. When I finished my MA I had 4 years experience in India running my own consultancy. I didn’t want to go back to doing free placements so started freelancing in print design studios a lot. After 2 years I thought enough is enough. I had learnt enough to understand the market and it was time to start my own.

Do you do any type of networking? If so, what?

I do a lot of marketing. I am a member of Craft Central, Hidden Art and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and meet a lot of people at their networking sessions. For Made in Britain we also send out newsletters.

Is there any advice that you would give students looking to get into your field?

Know your market. Understand what you are targeting. Think about what you want to achieve. Have lots of experience first. Be focused on what you want to do.

Remember that design is only 20% of the process. 80% is production, marketing, quality control etc. Design is not what makes you successful, it’s the whole package.

A lot of designer makers do one kind of work, and the market gets bored. Be versatile, branch out. Also, you need to be ready to have a bread and butter collection for the business to run, not just a designer collection that gets into the right magazines.