Most people know Anna Daly as the stylish television presenter on Virgin Media One’s breakfast programme Ireland AM. But, Daly is also a fledgling fashion entrepreneur with her new clothing company Little Bliss.

With the pandemic steering Ireland between lockdowns for almost a year, Daly saw it as a chance to pursue a long-time ambition to create her own business. Little Bliss, an ethical lifestyle brand, was officially launched in December 2020.

Daly thought about various ideas before creating her fashion start-up. In the end, it was her social media following that spurred her on to create a clothing company.

“I think because I would post stuff on Instagram and hashtagged my daily outfit, people would bombard me with questions about the outfit as if I was selling it myself.,” said Daly.

“And really all I was telling them was where the stuff was from as 95 per cent of the time, I wasn’t being paid to put that up. But it just became a bit of a thing and it generated quite a bit of traction. And people were looking for advice or asking questions. And I suppose it built from there.

“I do have a genuine interest in fashion. I see it for what it is and I don’t take it too seriously. But I really enjoy it.”

Ironically, however, Little Bliss clothing is not what Daly wears on air, which is usually chic designer dresses, suits and heels.

“There’s been various approaches and meetings with other brands who asked me to do an edit with them. We were kind of down the line with one of them. But actually, when I thought about it and kind of took a step back from the whole thing, I thought, if I’m totally true to my style, it’s not really what I wear on air,” said Daly.

“A large percentage of my week is spent in very comfy, cosy, easy-going, casual clothing as a mum of three boys who kicks the football around the green and runs out and collect the kids several times a day. My husband would often joke when I come home from work and the glamour would disintegrate fairly rapidly. The hair goes up in a ponytail, the makeup is scraped off and he goes, ‘don’t feel you need to make an effort for me.’”

The lockdowns not only gave Daly the chance to explore business ideas, but it was an added bonus for her that many people were hanging up their workwear and pulling on more comfortable clothing while working from home.

“When I developed it this time last year, people were starting to work from home. So, people weren’t necessarily wearing their corporate stuff or their dressy clothes. So, it just made sense to be true to my own style and also indulge in that kind of off duty style, because that’s what everyone was wearing. So, from a business point of view, it made sense as well,” saidDaly.

“Everything is organic. And if it’s not 100 per cent organic, then 85 per cent organic and 15 per cent is recycled polyester, which is obviously contributing to the circular economy”

Anna Daly

Her passion for fashion combined with her background in marketing, having worked in the TV3 marketing department before becoming a presenter, has given Daly the ability to spot emerging consumer trends such as investing more sustainably in everyday clothing.

“I think the way Irish women have shopped, and I include myself in this, so I’m not being judgy because I’m totally guilty of this myself up until the last couple of years, we have thrown money at outfits for weddings and parties,” she said.

“And then on a Tuesday, when we’re going about our normal day-to-day life, we just grab the nearest thing. And I think the way we’ve started to shop is more mindfully, in terms of sustainable fashion, and spending the money on the stuff we wear all the time rather than just grabbing that tatty old top or that tatty coat or whatever.

“I think we’re shopping like Frenchwomen almost. And I know that sounds a little bit like a cliche. They spend money on their classic white shirts for their really nice leisurewear because they live in it. And it makes so much sense to do that. Then, for the big wedding or the big party coming up, they just wear that classic black dress from their wardrobe that they’ve worked several other times. I just think that’s a much more clever way to operate,” says Daly.

Consumer influence

Little Bliss sells unisex hoodies, t-shirts and sweatshirts for adult and children. The design will make many people nostalgic for the days when Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister were the height of casual fashion in the noughties with the similarities in styles. Including the neutral and pastel colours, the focus on casual top-wear and the name of the company written across the chest.

“I launched with a range of colours that would be very true to my style, which is very neutral. A very neutral palette which I think will be the basis of everyone’s wardrobe, as there’s cream, navy, grey. Grey is at the heart of the whole collection, because I think it’s very chic. It works on everyone’s skin tone in Ireland, particularly because we’re paler,” said Daly.

Then a demand crept in for Daly to create pieces with more colour, which she was hesitant about doing at first but eventually evolved her collection with her Spring edit.

“It made sense to listen to what customers want. I’ve kept the greys and I’ll keep that as kind of a flow line that will run through every collection. But I’ve introduced these dusty shades of different pastel colours. And people can’t get enough of them,” said Daly.

“What I need to do here is really important. I need to remember that I’m not buying for myself. I said to the designer at one stage that I’m not really that ‘girly girly.’ And he said, can I just remind you, they’re not for you.”

“And then I see the pink after him encouraging me to do these lovely ice-cream shades and it arrives and I’m a complete girly girl over it,” she add.

Daly developed the designs in consultation with a designer, who helps create designs for various other brands. The process starts with bouncing ideas back and forward and creating samples she can feel and see before sending the designs into production.

Like many entrepreneurs creating a business within the fashion industry now, sustainability plays a strong role in the production of Little Bliss clothing.

“Everything is organic. And if it’s not 100 per cent organic, then 85 per cent organic and 15 per cent is recycled polyester, which is obviously contributing to the circular economy, which I think we all need to be so aware of now in terms of just being kinder to the planet and reusing our materials and fabrics that are already out there,” said Daly.

A one woman band

Daly set up the business with her own money and did not raise external finance.

“What I’ve done is I’ve started small because I’ve had to. I’m a one woman band and I don’t have any investors. This is my own savings that I’ve put into the stock and building the website and registering the company and all of those things that you don’t necessarily assign a lot of money to initially, but they can build up very fast. You need to get things done digitally,” says Daly.

Daly is also using her own money to find local printers and photographers. Outside investment is something that could be on the cards if Daly decides to expand her business. For now though, she holds the reins.

“At some point I’ll need to look at scaling up. And maybe at that point I’ll need to look at letting go of some control. But right now, I’m holding. I’m holding it very tightly,” says Daly.

Daly is cautious of opening up a physical store, especially with the impact the pandemic has had on bricks and mortar retail. Daly’s husband, Ben Ward, knows all too well the effect a crisis like Covid-19 can have on a physical business. In the year Daly created her company, Ward’s business Mothercare Ireland shut down because of the financial burden caused by the pandemic. Ward and his siblings and business partners Laura and Johnny Ward, closed Mothercare’s 14 branches and laid off all its staff in June 2020. However, they did set-up an online store called Kaliedy, selling baby and toddler goods, in September 2020.

“My husband has gone through the retail ringer, so it’s not something I would rush into. I have the greatest sympathy for all of those retailers who have their shutters down at the moment and are in a position where they’re still paying rent and rates and everything else. They don’t have any revenues coming in and they’re all frantically trying to get online if they weren’t online already. So right now, none of that appeals to me,” said Daly.

“But I suppose the world is changing and when it opens up again, it might be a possibility, but certainly I’m not rushing to do anything. Maybe a pop up shop could be the answer, like a Kildare Village type scenario, where there’s less of a commitment, but the right audience at the right place. Something like that might work for me.”

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Up until recently, Daly was packaging and shipping all her stock herself and created a makeshift warehouse in her home before outsourcing that service to a company based in Portlaoise.

“My eldest boy always wanted to help but I just wouldn’t let him because I’m really, really particular about how everything looked like how the tissue paper sat, because I in particular, as a consumer, when I buy something, I expect it to look a certain way when it arrives,” said Daly.

Despite the extra pressure and stress of being part of the entire process, from creating the clothes to actually shipping them off to a customer, Daly recommends that anyone who starts a similar business should do the same. By being hands-on in all parts of your business you get to appreciate the parts of your business you love more, according to Daly.

“It’s lovely for me to be able to spend time now on the stuff that I genuinely, really enjoy, like building the brand and making it grow and the Instagram account and the social media and all that kind of stuff,” Daly states she is able to do this since she outsourced the packaging and shipping piece of the business.

“I didn’t realise how much was involved in terms of setting up a company. And it’s given me a sense of real respect. Not that I didn’t have it before for any entrepreneur who takes a gamble, I always had that sense of respect. But I never realised the volume of work that’s involved. And I haven’t even set up a bricks and mortar shop. I set up a website,” said Daly.

Going back to her roots

Creating Little Bliss is like going full circle for Daly, who studied and worked in marketing before pursuing a career in television. Now, she gets to work on the marketing for her own company.

“Before I ever went on camera, I was I was working in the marketing department of TV3. In a way, it’s coming back to that. And I have a lot to learn because marketing has evolved in terms of all of the digital stuff over the last few years. So, what I started in marketing is certainly very different to what you probably study now. But it’s nice to use all of that stuff again and indulge in the corporate marketing side of building and developing a brand. It’s lovely,” said Daly.

A big change in marketing and advertising in recent years has been the use of influencers, which comes with its own problems. Daly is not opposed to using influencers to promote her brand, but she would do so cautiously.

“I didn’t realise how much was involved in terms of setting up a company. And it’s given me a sense of real respect.”

Anna Daly

“I think it’s very clever when the individual is well chosen and the fit is there and they can talk directly to your target market if you choose the right influencer. So, I think it absolutely has a place. I do think it’s just about looking at it very carefully in terms of who is the right fit for your brand and who represents your values, your moral compass,” said Daly.

“I may end up overthinking it, but all of those things would be very important to me in terms of what that person represents. I definitely think it has a place and a value for businesses though.”

Doing what you love

Even though she is juggling her role as presenter of Ireland AM at the weekends with co-host Simon Delaney with her new business, as well as being a mum to three young boys, Daly says she has no intention of leaving the show.

“TV is something that I absolutely love. And even throughout the lockdowns, we have continued to broadcast Ireland AM. It really does feel like I’m going into another family now, at this stage. Simon and I are in our own special little pod and we have the best craic. They say do something you love and it doesn’t feel like a day’s work. And that is absolutely the case with Ireland AM. As far as I’m concerned, long may it at last. But of course, it will evolve and move into different things and I hope it does,” said Daly.

Daly joined the show 12 years ago, when Virgin Media One was still TV3, and still wakes up for the spontaneity of live television.

“I adore I love the thrill of it and I love the fact that you genuinely are pushed out of your comfort zone quite regularly. There’s never any harm in that and you’re always delighted later. Even if you’ve made a fool of yourself and someone has stood in their kitchen or their sitting room or wherever they’re having their breakfast and laughed, whether it’s with you or at you, it doesn’t really bother me. You know, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, if you put a smile on someone’s face I’m bloody delighted,” says Daly.

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Although Daly was experiencing highs in her professional career in 2020, it was also a tough year for her as her father underwent cancer treatment.

“He won’t be free of cancer, I don’t think. But he will have a life where it’s managed carefully. And that’s okay. We can all live with that,” says Daly.

Like everyone across Ireland, she is hopeful the vaccine rollout will give her peace of mind about the wellbeing of her loved ones.

“I’m in a hurry for them to be vaccinated in my head, But listen, I’m not alone. The whole country feels like that. We just want our loved ones, our elderly relatives, our vulnerable relatives to be vaccinated. It just can’t happen quick enough,” she says.