By Carla was a brand I was integral in developing during my time at Kits for Kids. The objective was to connect a portfolio of quality nursery and parenting products under one recognisable, ownable identity. At the time, the company I worked for supplied a range of own-label products to major retailers including John Lewis, Babies R Us, and Mothercare — but they were keen to build greater security in listings, improve margins, and nurture long-term customer loyalty.

My recommendation was to create an owned-brand that could unite these products, giving them a consistent voice, story, and lifestyle positioning that resonated with the target audience.

We began by analysing market trends across multiple categories and noticed a growing popularity of food and lifestyle brands using people’s names — a familiar, approachable touch that aligned with our audience’s preferences. Inspired by this, we developed By Carla — a brand ‘from mums who know.’ While we weren’t a singular founder-led business, our products were created in consultation with both parents and industry experts, ensuring every item had a meaningful benefit, whether educational, practical, or design-led to complement modern homes.

To differentiate ourselves, we ensured each product offered a thoughtful feature that parents genuinely valued. We even collaborated with Northumbria University to co-develop an innovative changing play mat, and drew our colour palettes and design inspiration from the latest homeware and fashion trends, keeping the range fresh, relevant and desirable.

The brand was conceived as a lifestyle-led proposition, and while in hindsight — with my added years of experience and the perspective of being a parent myself — I might approach elements like the name differently today, By Carla remains a highlight of my career. We successfully pitched it to existing retail partners, launched with a trade show activation, social and media campaign, and secured international listings with Babies R Us, Mothercare, and Fenwick.

Sadly, the parent company later encountered financial difficulties, preventing the brand from reaching its full potential — but it’s a concept I’d love to revive one day.