Initial Idea and Development
Established in 1997 by Natasha Marshall and Neil Fullerton, Squigee design and wholesale interior fabrics. Their first collection of Urban print established them as one of the most original in the textile market. The collection featured simple yet stylized designs printed onto high quality base cloths.

Squigee have worked on projects with many of the worlds leading Architects and Interior Designers in all corners of the globe. The projects have included Groucho Saint Judes Hotel/bar/restaurant, Milton Hotel Apartments. The Hub/Edinburgh Festival Centre and The Lowry Hotel, RF Hotel.

The following models demonstrate the growth of their business, from a small in house design company to a leading textile and interior design partnership. The three models below demonstrate the RISKIT model and highlight the role, responsibility and rewards as Squigee develops and grows.

Model 1: Keeping It In-House
When the company first started they were hand printing all orders in-house. After the first two-three years they realised that they were gaining larger orders, which they were having difficulty in producing enough fabric for the time scales that the architect and interior designers were setting.

The company realised that they would have to source manufacturers who could print their designs. This would allow the business to grow and enable them to complete larger orders and compete in a less craft based market.

Benefit of the Model
They control the whole process of ideas, production and delivery to market. The company could produce fabrics to order and did not have the risk of tying up money in stock, which might not sell.

Negative Aspects of the Model
Squigee felt that the in house printing of fabrics was time consuming and prevented the company producing large orders to tight deadlines, thus preventing the company's growth.

Model 2: Outsourcing The Production
The company researched mills and printers who could deliver the quality and small orders that they required. This was crucial as they were ordering tiny amounts compared to the rest of the industry, and the manufacturer would have to be sympathetic to their company's requirements. This meant a new direction for the company, as they would now have stock.

They took a risk, as they had to invest large amounts of money into products that they had no guarantee would sell. However, this risk was calculated as they had done a lot of market research and had regular customers who had requested that the company held stock. Squigee have responsibility for the design and delivery to market however a manufacturer delivers the production aspect.

"We had already made a conscious decision from the beginning we didn't want to stay craft based that was never our goal; we always wanted to have a worldwide brand name with Squigee and going to model 2, using other outsourcing manufacturing was seeing that goal come to a realisation.

When you're hand printing all your orders you were doing your business by day and then printing by night and you can't do that forever. You have to look at your time and how best to use it and it made good business sense to have the fabrics commissions printed."
Natasha Marshall - Squigee, 2005.

Benefits of the Model
In this model Squigee could compete in a bigger market as they were able to produce larger runs of fabric and they could hold stock of their designs. It also freed up the companies time to produce further designs and to take their product to market.

Negative Aspects of the Model
This model presented some risk for the company. They would have to tie up their finances in stock. This means that they would have to invest time and money researching their market so that they did not produce stock, which would not sell. They would also have to make sure that they manufacturer was reliable and able to produce their work to a high standard.

Model 3: Returning to Ideas
The company has recently entered in to a licensing agreement with 'Today Interiors'. This licence agreement has enabled Squigee to realise a goal, which was to get back into designing. This means that Squigee will develop the designs and collections and control the look of the marketing strategy. Today Interiors will be responsible for the production of the designs and the selling of the products. This will have a major effect on how Squigee develops. Before the partnership, Squigee developed one collection every two years due to high financial cost, where as the licensing deal has enabled them to design a minimum of six collections a year.

"We had to concentrate more on our business activity initially, now with this licensing agreement, Neil and I are able to re-focus on our passion for design; creating beautiful fabrics and wallcoverings. The next five years and onwards are going to be amazing."
Natasha Marshall - Squigee, 2005.

 

Benefits of the Model
In this model Squigee have been released from the production and delivery aspect of their business. This has given them more time to develop their designs and forecasting element of their business.

Negative Aspects of the Model
This model is an ideal solution for Squigee as they wish to develop the design aspects of their company. However, it is important to recognise that, although they do not have direct day-to-day responsibility for the production and delivery, Squigee do still need to monitor their accounts and their sales within the licence agreement. This is to enable them to continue to develop strategies for their company's growth.

"Take for instance our license agreement with the fabric and wall coverings, they are only allowed to sell at mid-high end. The prices all have to be agreed with us.

We finalise the way the books look, the way the marketing is done for the range and we go down and work with them not as a rival company but as a partnership, where you work together, you looked at how to improve our market place together. It's not a case of saying goodbye to the design and product once you team up with a large organisation."
Natasha Marshall - Squigee, 2005.

The Future
Now that Squigee have got the fabrics and wall coverings deal done with 'Today Interiors' The want to set up other licensing deals to make the full home collection. This will mean that the brand 'Natasha Marshall' and Squigee are both known worldwide. They have started to work on that area of their business now and the next five years are extremely crucial to really realising that ambition and seeing the turnover of the business grow. They also want to build a great team of designers in Glasgow and create an office environment, which is not only fun to work in but will create innovative and intelligent design.

Full Squigee/Natasha Marshall Case Study			55k pdf
Quicktime - Introduction			3 mb mov
Quicktime - Planning the Business			3 mb mov
Quicktime - Planning the Future			3 mb mov
Quicktime - Promotion and Networking			3 mb mov
Quicktime - Running the Business			3 mb mov
Quicktime - Business Finances			3 mb mov
Quicktime - Production and Delivery			3 mb mov
Quicktime - Costing			3 mb mov