Riddle me this… Elliott Rampley
Up close and personal with the founder of pocket square brand Rampley & Co
If you knew then what you know now… would you still do it..?
Absolutely, starting my own business was the best decision I’ve ever made. The one thing I wish is that I’d started it sooner. I’d had the idea for a while before committing to give it a go and there was always an element of risk that put me off, hoping I’d one day find the opportune moment. In reality though there’s never a good time to start a business and taking the leap was well worth it, if you want it badly enough you’ll always find a way to make it work.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Although similar to my first answer, the best piece of advice was from a friend that had done something similar in starting his own business. I was fretting over finances and whether I had a sustainable business idea as well as trying to moonlight alongside my full time job and he was fundamental in me making the leap in leaving that job, reassuring me that I’d absolutely make my own thing work if I was full time and giving it 100 per cent of my focus and attention. Don’t get me wrong - moonlighting is a very important step in my mind - but this particular person gave me the final push I needed.
What’s the weirdest rumour you’ve ever heard about yourself?
Nothing ridiculously weird… although maybe I just haven’t heard them yet! One that tickled me recently though was when I bumped into an old colleague and they asked me why on earth I’d started a napkin company, suffice to say it took some explaining that a pocket square is something entirely different…
What was your biggest break?
Being given the chance to work with some exceptional entrepreneurs within the music industry. They took a chance on me when I had no experience and these two individuals in particular gave me the chance to learn an incredible amount about starting my own business as well as opening me up to make some fantastic contacts that are still instrumental in what I do nearly seven years later, I couldn’t possibly thank them enough.
Do you consider yourself lucky?
Incredibly so, I have a very supportive and loving family and I’m able to run my own business from one of the most exceptional cities in the world. As much as I’m sure I can always find something to complain about, when I step back and look at what I have I remember how lucky I really am.
What’s most important in your life?
Again this would definitely be my family over anything else. Other than that I love the flexibility that comes with running your own business and the ability to travel the world meeting fascinating people interested in similar things. Another thing I find incredibly important is the ability to be creative in my job and Rampley & Co has allowed me to have this.
What brands do you admire?
The one that stands out for me is Hermès. They’ve been doing some stunning things with women’s scarves since the 1930s and were a real inspiration when I started the company. I still walk past their Bond Street shop and find myself standing and staring at the scarves in their window displays. Truly exceptional.
Do you have a guilty pleasure – if so what is it?
It would have to be Guinness although I’m not sure quite how guilty I actually feel about it…gin and tonic would fall into a similar camp…
Describe your own personal sense of style?
I’d say the overarching theme would involve quality and craftsmanship as well as attention to detail. That’s not to say expensive but I really appreciate when you find an item that has been really well put together that you know will last. I’ve got a real soft spot for Barbour as a brand; their jackets are still the best around in my eyes as well as not being crazily over priced. My general day-to-day or work outfits have generally been described as a bit ‘preppy’ though. I love wearing well-tailored jackets, especially if you can find an interesting or different fabric and have recently readopted wearing ties after a long absence although generally stay away from wearing suits. I really enjoy accessorizing as I’m sure you can imagine given I run a pocket square company and so my biggest challenge is often not overdoing it on that front. 