Collaboration with Welsh Roots...

I have long been a fan of the iconic Welsh Band The Stereophonics and am super excited to tell you about a collaboration between Inch Blue and Jakki Jones who just happens to be the wife of Kelly the bands lead singer.  Like Kelly I grew up in the Welsh Valleys and our factory where Inch Blue shoes are made is less than 30 minutes from his hometown Cwmaman.

One of Jakki's favourite things is leopard print and when we saw a photo of her daughter Riley wearing a pair of our shoes (leopard print) we started chatting on instagram .

Jakki is a very busy Mumma who currently heads up the London Talent department with PR Entertainment Giant PMK*BNC by day and by night she is the illustrator of the quirky and fun world of Jakkidoodles. She also has a monthly column in Smallish a fashion magazine for stylish mothers.

I chatted to Jakki about motherhood, work and life as the wife of a rock star.

Hi Jakki

1 You have great individual style who is your biggest fashion influence?

For me I am much more about style rather than fashion. Personal style is so unique. It has to be a reflection of yourself and your personality, comfortable and individual.  It’s all about how you wear it!  Style wise I am a big fan of Kate Moss, effortless – yet always glamourous.

2 What is your signature scent?

3 As a mum how do you juggle work and family life?

Very chaotically! Working full time with a little baby, column and a side-line makes it quite challenging. Trying to fit everything in is almost impossible. I also have very high standards and so easily get disappointed with myself If I haven’t reached my own goals. I have to remember I’m doing as best I can – and I cannot do everything. Bit by bit – step by step, and try not to feel guilty! That’s the main thing.

4 You've worked with an amazing array of talent ranging from Kate Hudson, Russell Brand, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and Donald Sutherland? If you could invite 6 people dead or alive to join you and Kelly for dinner who would you choose and why ?

Oh wow interesting question….ok here’s who I would have:

1. Bon Scott (for the hubby…BIG ACDC fan)
2. Jack Nicholson (for the hubby …BIG Jack fan)
3. Carrie Fisher who I had the pleasure of working with. She was fascinating and always had great stories.
4. Sharon Horgan for laughs and vino
5. Kate Hudson - for the gossip and girlie chats. She is amazing. 
6. Robin Williams – Love all his work. Would love the chance to have met him and worked with him.

5 How often to you get back to visit Wales and what are your favourite places and things to do?

We try and get back as often as possible – but due to work and kids in school in London, that’s only that’s about 3 times a year. Most Easter Holidays we spend in Wales and my birthday usually falls in Easter hols. I will never forgot one birthday we went for a big hike up the mountain; me Kelly and the girls….I was wearing pair of Isabel Marent wedges and a White faux fur coat…anyway. From their kitchen window Kelly's parents witnessed me taking forever coming down the hill and they were in stiches laughing!! I was like Joanna Lumley in Ab Fab... You can take the girl out of the city!! I remember one day I went into their local working men’s club and there was a nice spread of sandwiches and crisps and a bowl of what I thought were Lychees. I said ‘Oh lovely….lychees!’…Kelly replied – 'they aren’t lychees Jak – they are pickled onions!'’ - needless to say I haven’t lived that one down yet.

6 What inspired you when designing the "Riley" shoe with us ?

I have a well documented love for leopard print and I wanted something that had a rock and roll edge with a pop of colour. I love styling my mini me and the shoes compliment everything she wears. Riley means brave/fearless which is how I think I aim to be in terms of personal ‘style'. The butterfly detail gives the shoe a simple and beautiful feel. I also love that the shoes come from a place rich with Welsh Heritage and was delighted when I first came to be introduced to the brand way back when Riley was only a few months old. My friend Liz from MTV was on holiday in Wales and came across a little pair of Leopard Print Inch Blue shoes and she said they had my name all over them! ..and I’ve been a fan of the brand ever since.

7 What is your favourite place to get away as a family to relax?

Italy is our most favourite place and we love to go there as a family. I personally love the people, the prosecco and the pasta!

Its a very special place to us as a family – as it’s the country where we got engaged – and also the place we found out we were expecting Riley.

Dreamy country! 

And finally...

8 I love your Jakkidoodles illustrations ....have you always doodled and where can you buy your products?

I was basically doodling whilst in playlist meetings working at MTV day-dreaming ‘Could I make this a reality?'. People were really loving the illustrations and inspired me to really try and make a go of it.I was showing people the various cards I had drawn and I was getting responses like ‘These are amazing! Where did you get them?'. I would reply ‘I drew them!’ and they would be shocked as they thought they were printed. I could see people were really reacting to them in a positive way and saying that they would buy them if there were in the shops!

I thought it was a million miles away. As I work in the entertainment industry, the greetings industry seemed such a far stretch from reality. Then my husband kept saying to me ‘You can make it happen! You just have to go for it!’. So I researched when the biggest annual greetings card fair was and went along to it in my lunch break. At Progressive Live, I luckily stumbled across the stall ‘ReallyGood‘ – and met the owner David Hicks.  This stall took my fancy as I loved all the artists they represented and if I ever went to buy a card – it would have definitely been one of these artists (Brightside and Waldo Pancake). This chance meeting was my lucky foot in the door. Since then – we have been lucky enough to be stocked by numerous stores including Scribbler, Paperchase, Fenwicks and Selfridges!   For commissions: Jakki@jakkidoodles.com

The new Riley design will be available online January 2018.