The name was the first part of the puzzle to arrive. I always wanted to have my own business in retail, but in exactly what, I was unsure of. My career was always planned with the end goal of launching a business. I started with a degree in Business & Retail, keeping it broad incase my dreams of becoming a fashion Buyer were not all they had cracked up to be.

Having visited my sister, a teacher (already two polar opposites), living in London, I fell in love with the city. I became hooked with moving there and experiencing the big city life along with gaining some independence. I found a course in Fashion Buying & Merchandising at the London College of Fashion. It was a 4 months Masters that would allow me to move over to London and secure a job at the end of it. Once again, methodically thought out by myself.

The minute I unpacked my suitcase, I went from a girl who used to mimic other peoples' style to a confident young women who was quickly finding her own style. That is the beauty of London no one really knows you and the diverse cultures means no one judges you either.

I was onto my third London house and third year in London with my best friend Emma, we had become each other's family. Neither of us could keep a secret from each other, as the moment we would see each other, we would know when something was up. Everything good that happened, we shared it and and when one of us needed a pick-me-up the other was on hand to sort out the crisis and re-assure you that it would all be ok.

It was in this third house that the brand name was created. If one of us was ever stuck for an outfit, the others' wardrobe would be raided, no questions asked! Heading to a fashion event in Oxford Circus I met Emma one evening with some friends, laughing as she arrived, she was a clone of my wardrobe. 

A friend said; "it's like you're styled by Jane, it's like Emma by Jane".

That day and that comment has never left me, I could never think of a name that meant enough to me, even when I was advised, a few years later, to change the name. Nothing meant as much to me as Emma by Jane did.

After that, I just needed to figure out what the business would be!