Dinki Friends.... Meet Alix AKA Boss Lady of Bandit Circus!

Bandit Circus on the Dinki Human blog kids lifestyle

I love chatting to fellow small-biz owners about what gets them going and what grinds their gears about being your own boss. I have created a series of Q&As with some of my fave small brand owners in the hope we can share some behind the scenes insight into our lives as women in business.

Alix and I met via Instagram, I came across her beautiful, bold bags and fell for Frida! We use our Bandit Circus backpack daily, I love it's versatility (it's designed to be carried by kid or owner of kid - in my case, it's me carrying it all the time!) and the prints are gorgeous. Go check out banditcircus.com to see what Alix is up to!

Who are ya?

My name is Alix, I am French and I moved to England 11 years ago with my French husband Lucien. I studied graphic design, illustration and textile design. We live in London with our 2 boys Oscar (almost 4) and Gaspard (almost 1).

How and when did you come up with the idea for Bandit Circus?

I have always wanted to do my own thing. I knew it would be creative and children related. Oscar had just started nursery and I was struggling to find a good size bag with a nice print. At that time I was called to do my jury service. There was a lot of waiting around so on day 2 I took my laptop with me. It was the first time in a year and a half (since I had Oscar) that I actually sat down to think about what I wanted to do on the side of my part time job. Everything made sense at the same time and this is how the idea came up!

What 3 things do you enjoy most in your job as Bandit Circus Boss Lady?

I absolutely love designing the prints. That’s one of the reason I started BC so I could do my own prints.

I love the research part, everything that involves doing a moodboard, designing a brochure, taking pictures or working on the website.

And the 3rd thing is seeing pictures of the bags from customers or hearing from them and knowing how they use them, where they take them. It is so rewarding to know that others like the bags as much as I do and actually use them daily!

What 3 things do you enjoy least?

I can’t find 3...Everything related to numbers - accounting, doing budget etc..., I am not good at it and never been!

Any advice for anyone starting out in the world of small biz ownership?

Just go for it. If you have been thinking about starting your own thing for a while and your idea still sounds like a great idea weeks, months later then just do it. You don't have to go on full gear. It took me 2 years to launch Bandit Circus. I had other things on the side and I was working on BC when I could. Do what you love, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Meet people, talk about your ideas, don't be afraid to share. People are a great way to know what works/doesnt work with your product and it is very important so you don't feel isolated.

What are your hopes and dreams for the future of Bandit Circus? Where do you see yourself in 3 years time?

I am hoping for BC to grow, I am seeing myself with a big collection of prints, more products (kid’s, home wear, grown-ups bags...) and I would love to do some collaborations with other brands or people.

What’s your favourite breakfast?

I love a good hot chocolate, some 'tartines' (baguette bread) with butter and blackcurrant jam! I can't wait to go to France to savour this! And a pain au chocolat too!

Where can we find you?

I feel like I am spending my time in parks. Victoria Park in London is my favourite. We love going and eating at Hackney Farm.

Website: banditcircus.com

Instagram: @banditcircus

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