Derry woman opening her dream business just months after sudden death of her father

A new business launch is always a major milestone but the official opening of Sass & Halo in Derry’s Craft Village next week will be particularly poignant for a young Derry woman as it comes just months after her father’s sudden death. Sass & Halo, which specializes in bespoke handmade floral crowns for discerning fashionistas, is the brainchild of Aoife Doherty.

Aoife is a graduate of London College of Fashion where she studied Fashion Management and daughter of Helena and the late Thomas ‘Tucker’ Doherty, a well known local solicitor who died in September.

Aoife explains how she discovered the niche for her distinctive headwear quite by accident.

“I was bridesmaid for my brother’s wedding last May and for the ‘craic’ decided to make some special floral crowns for the hen party. When we posted photos on social media, friends asked me to make crowns for birthdays and other special occasions but it wasn’t until I started getting online enquiries from people I didn’t even know, that I thought I might be onto something.

“Since then, I’ve had requests from brides looking for a unique wedding crown, as well as requests to designs table plans and bespoke favours for their weddings from all over Ireland but also from the US and even Mexico. The more I thought about the different ways I could diversity, the more I realized that what started out as a bit of fun could actually be turned into a viable business.” So with her floral crowns in growing demand for people wanting to add a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ to an occasion, Aoife developed an eclectic range of wedding, birthday, festival, Christmas, ‘princess for a day’ and other special occasion crowns in her spare time. After her brother’s wedding, she was at a crossroads in her career. She was working in a local retail outlet and seriously toying with the idea of going back to London to rekindle the excellent contacts she’d nurtured as student in the capital. But with orders for the crowns coming in steadily throughout the summer, Aoife was having second thoughts of going back to London. Then in September, just as she had decided to take the leap of faith towards self-employment, her father’s sudden death changed everything. Floral crowns slipped way down her list of priorities and stayed there for the next couple of months until a casual conversation with stylists in Roco Hair lead to the salon stocking her Christmas crowns. “This was just the catalyst I needed to start thinking seriously about ‘Sass & Halo’ again. The salon was brilliant and I’m so grateful for their support. Best of all though, the response to the Christmas crowns was amazing and I had to restock several times. “With more orders coming in, I needed a somewhere to display prototypes and where people could call in for a chat about their own special requirements. I knew the Inner City Trust is doing a good lot of work to promote local crafts and fashion businesses so contacted them to see if there was any suitable accommodation available. When I was offered the last remaining vacant unit in the Craft Village, I jumped at it.” Since signing the lease a couple of weeks ago, she has been working flat out to get everything ready for Sass & Halo’s opening next week. “I wish I’d a really interesting story about the name but I don’t,” says Aoife. “I just love the sound of the word ‘sassy’ and the crowns are like a halo. Since I wanted a double barrel name, I put them together and got Sass & Halo.” Instead of slavishly following current fashion trends, Aoife’s confidence in her own quirky sense of style shines through her unique floral creations. “Floral crowns are a creative and fun way to express your personality. Every head deserves one but of course I would say that wouldn’t I?” Looking ahead to next week’s official opening of Sass & Halo and the challenge of running her own business, Aoife is both excited and apprehensive but thoughts of her father Thomas are never too far away. “I know Daddy would be really proud of me and delighted that I’ve an opportunity to fulfil my dream of working in fashion in my hometown.”