testimonials

Christine Prescott, CEO - Highgrove Enterprises
I had the pleasure of working with Ashley at Highgrove Enterprises Ltd. Ashley is a very experienced and capable buyer and product development manager and develops products that are relevant, fit the brief and are commercial.
Ashley quickly grasps a good understanding of the customer and the brand and over the years we worked together she developed a number of very successful product ranges. Ashley also worked with some of our key suppliers to develop products under license which enabled her to bring in new key ranges with minimal risk to the business and increased the external awareness of the brand. Ashley is a team player, she has an outgoing personality and is positive in all that she does and communicates well at all levels.

Josie Will, Licensing Manager - Joules
An expert in her field, I had the pleasure of working with Carmen when she was Creative Director at Portico.
Her understanding of the power of a brand, and her appreciation for a brand’s quirks and eccentricities was essential to our partnership. Her extensive industry experience helped shape our partnership and set us on a solid path.
Her creative flair helped bring our unique brand to life. And crucially, commercially, she really listened to our brand’s voice and understood our customers’ needs.
I found Carmen to be a true professional; she would go out of her way to problem solve and no challenge seemed too tough, she always did it with a smile.
I’m really excited to see what Carmen is now building, no doubt it will be creatively, commercially wonderful.

Hugo Fenwick, Store Development Director - Fenwick
With her breadth of experience spanning both wholesale and retail over a number of years, Ashley McCracken has a fine track record of sourcing and developing own-label product. Her excellent eye and attention to detail ensure a comprehensive and professional service for the client.

Tracey Smith, Commercial Manager - Eden Project
I am very pleased to support Carmen and the Bloomfield team in their exciting new venture. I have worked with Carmen for several years and I can honestly recommend Carmen when looking for partners to help develop your brand.
Carmen took time to understand our brand values and continually worked with suppliers to ensure the products were as ethical and sustainable as possible. Carmen is very creative, and this was evident in the formats and presentation styles.
It was great to see this rewarded by securing exclusive listings in mainstream retailers. Good luck with your new adventures!

Jos Baker, Founder - Tinc
Ashley combines a strong business acumen with a flair for product design and quality which makes her a really compelling person to work with on any number of different projects. She brings energy, enthusiasm and common sense to proceedings and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend working with her.

Tim Hollis, Head Of Buying - RHS
At the start of our journey producing RHS exclusive ranges I met with Carmen and immediately had confidence that in collaboration we could achieve some fantastic products focused around our extensive archive library collections.
Taking artworks and updating them to produce a commercial and cohesive range we worked on 3 collections initially which were launched in store and online. All aspects from approval to delivery were efficiently handled and our expectations managed by Carmen and her team.

Alice Tait, Illustrator
From the very first consultation, Ashley helped me focus on how to move my business forward, and 18 months later my business had grown significantly. Together we developed the essential style guide and core values for the 'Alice Tait' brand.
Ashley identified and sourced good new product formats for my brand and gained contracts with other companies on my behalf. On a personal note, Ashley is great fun to work with, and I always have complete confidence in placing any project in her hands.