Victoria Eggs, Founder and Creative Director of Victoria Eggs Ltd, has built a British-made homeware and gift brand rooted in storytelling, craftsmanship and meaningful design. In this Member Spotlight, Victoria shares the journey behind the brand, the inspiration behind her collections, and the realities of growing a business over the past 15 years, from working with heritage organisations to creating products designed to be used, gifted and kept for years to come.

Can you tell us a bit more about your brand? Who is your audience?

Victoria Eggs Ltd is a UK-based homeware and gift brand that captures the magic of life’s little moments through beautifully crafted British-made designs that spark joy, evoke nostalgia and create lasting connections.

Every product is proudly made in the UK by skilled craftspeople - designed to feel meaningful, connect people to place, and be used and enjoyed every day. From the very beginning, the ethos has been simple: make less, but make it better. We focus on creating thoughtful pieces people genuinely connect with, and go on to use, gift and keep for years to come.

Our core audience sits within the museum, heritage and cultural sector. Many of our customers are visitors to these spaces who want to take home a small piece of what they’ve experienced, something that captures the place, the story and the memory of their visit.

We work closely with buyers to create collections that reflect their location, audience and story, helping them offer something distinctive, relevant and commercially strong.

Storytelling sits at the heart of everything we do. Each design is carefully considered and often includes what we describe as a small “Easter egg hunt” of hidden icons within the illustration. People love discovering these details, and it allows each product to tell its own story.

How long have you been trading and what is the history of the company?

We’ve been trading for 15 years this month (March 2026), which is quite hard to believe.

It’s been an incredible journey, full of highs, challenges and many lessons along the way. I’ve always thought of the business as building a ladder one rung at a time. However imperfect each rung might have been, we’ve simply kept climbing.

We’ve grown organically, building strong relationships with heritage organisations, retailers and cultural institutions. Those relationships have shaped the brand and helped us develop collections that celebrate British culture, storytelling and craftsmanship.

What’s particularly special is that many of the buyers and retailers whom I first met at trade fairs 15 years ago are still customers today. Those long-standing relationships are something I’m incredibly proud of.

What three words best describe your business and its products?

Storytelling. Craftsmanship. Meaning.

Everything begins with a story. That story is brought to life through skilled craftsmanship, and every detail is designed with care so the finished product connects with people and lasts for years.

Where do you find your inspiration?

When a client is talking through a brief, I often find the design begins forming in my mind almost immediately; how the composition will look, which icons will appear, how the layout will flow, and what story we want the viewer to experience.

I love working from briefs because they open up entirely new worlds to explore creatively.

For our own collections, we often draw inspiration from themes that feel quintessentially British; London, the Royal Family, Christmas, and iconic cultural moments. These naturally lend themselves to storytelling.

Sometimes, though, the process takes you somewhere unexpected. Our Quintessentially London collection originally began life as an A-Z of London. I quickly realised I’d probably be 100 by the time I finished the alphabet, so the concept evolved into something quite different, and in the end, far better than I could have imagined.

Do you use social media to promote your business? How has the landscape changed over the years?

Yes, we do use social media, although as a largely B2B business we aim to create content that resonates with both trade buyers and consumers.

The landscape has definitely changed over the years, gaining visibility is much harder than it once was. What we’ve found is that people connect far more with behind-the-scenes content than simple product photography.

Posts showing myself and the team, how products are made, or designs being illustrated tend to perform much better. People connect far more with the story behind the product and the people behind the brand. 

Do you do any advertising or PR?

We work with Press Loft, which has been a fantastic platform for us. We create monthly press releases and upload our latest product images, which has helped generate regular PR opportunities.

We’ve also experimented with paid advertising across Facebook, Instagram and Google. We’ve found it works best when it’s tied to a clear moment, such as the Queen’s Jubilee or the King’s Coronation.

Without a strong strategy, advertising can be less effective. Our next step is exploring LinkedIn advertising to reach more trade buyers and partners.

What do you wish you had known at the very beginning of starting your business?

There are probably far too many things to list!

One of the biggest lessons has been around stock management. It’s tempting to order larger quantities to reduce unit cost, but if a product doesn’t sell as expected you can end up holding a lot of stock.

Another lesson has been the importance of putting myself in front of the camera more. For a long time I was reluctant, but my team really encouraged me. People want to know who they’re buying from, and brands connect more strongly when there’s a real person behind them.

Most importantly, I’ve learned just how powerful storytelling is. Understanding what memory, feeling or connection a design represents for the customer has been fundamental to the success of our collections, particularly the bespoke ranges we create for heritage partners.

What do you see as the biggest challenge for giftware suppliers in the industry?

Giftware is, by its nature, a discretionary purchase rather than an essential one. That means the product itself needs to be strong, beautifully designed and meaningful enough that people actively choose to buy it.

At the same time, rising costs are having a significant impact across the industry. Everything we produce is made in the UK, which we’re incredibly proud of, but increases in National Insurance, minimum wage and energy costs are affecting manufacturers across the supply chain.

Our ceramic partners, for example, operate large kilns that require huge amounts of energy, and those costs have risen dramatically. Material costs have also increased, for example gold, which we use as 22-carat detailing, has more than doubled in price over the past year.

Suppliers are being squeezed from all directions across the supply chain, while retailers are often working within a ceiling of what customers are willing to pay.

Alongside this, standing out has become more challenging. With so much choice available, brands need to work harder than ever to communicate the story and value behind what they create.

What achievements have you celebrated over the past year?

It’s actually been the most incredible year.

It began with two bespoke collections for The Huntington in California and finished with a bespoke range for Liberty London, which included designing the Liberty Advent Calendar. It was honestly a dream come true and incredibly special.

We’ve also moved into a wonderful new office space, which has made a huge difference. It’s lovely to have a place where the whole team can come together and collaborate.

And of course this month marks our 15th anniversary, which completely blows my mind. It’s been an amazing journey filled with adventures, trade fairs and wonderful relationships. When I caught up with buyers at trade fairs earlier this year (many I first met all those years ago) we laughed about how it can’t possibly have been 15 years. I’m fairly certain I’m still 28… which can’t be right, because that’s exactly how old I was when I started the business.

What are you looking forward to next?

We have some really exciting bespoke projects coming up that I can’t say too much about just yet.

We’re also launching a new Trooping the Colour collection, as well as our first full-colour London Christmas range, which I’m very excited about. It’s a beautiful collection and a new creative direction for us.

How have you adapted to changes in the industry over the years?

One of the advantages of being a small business is that we can adapt quickly. We listen closely to what buyers are saying, what they need, what customers are responding to, and what might be missing from their collections. Because everything is made in the UK, we’re able to respond quickly and bring new ideas to life efficiently.

Over time, the brand has evolved to focus even more strongly on storytelling and meaningful collaborations within the heritage and cultural sector. That connection between place, story and product is what defines Victoria Eggs today.

What are your views on sustainability?

Sustainability has always been part of how we operate.

All of our products are made ethically in the UK, supporting local craftspeople while reducing transport and supply chain impact.

We have removed all single-use plastic from our packaging and use water-based inks, traceable cottons, FSC-certified card and responsibly sourced wood across our ranges. We also reuse packaging materials wherever possible when sending out trade orders.

Over the past year, we’ve also been working towards entering sustainability awards, including the King’s Awards, as a way of recognising the progress we’ve made and continuing to improve.

Have you collaborated with other organisations?

We’ve had the privilege of collaborating with some incredible organisations including Liberty, Abbey Road Studios, Tower Bridge, the Royal Albert Hall, Henley Royal Regatta, English Heritage, and many museums and galleries.

One of our most recent collaborations was with the British Library, where we created a collection celebrating Jane Austen. It was a fantastic project and a real joy to bring such an iconic literary figure to life through design.

Do you think awards such as Gift of the Year are important?

Absolutely. Awards like Gift of the Year are important because they shine a light on the creativity, innovation and craftsmanship across the industry. We were delighted to be shortlisted in five different categories for Gift of the Year with our British Library Jane Austen collection and our Royal Albert Hall slate coaster, made using slate from the roof of the Royal Albert Hall itself.

Awards encourage us to keep pushing creatively, but they also give us a moment to pause and reflect. When you’re running a business, it’s very easy to move straight on to the next project without recognising what’s gone well.

It’s also an incredibly supportive community. Over the years I’ve made lifelong friends within the industry with people who truly feel like family.

For me, the gift industry is full of passionate, creative people, and I feel very lucky to be part of it.