We meet Dani Pearce, founder and CEO of Merry People, in the UK to launch her latest collection, meet customers and brighten the every day with her joyful waterproof boots
Hi Dani, welcome to the UK. Tell us a little bit about Merry People
Thanks, we’re so excited to be over here, launching our latest boots. Merry People is an Australian brand that launched in 2014. We make stylish and colourful wellingtons – known as gumboots in Australia – that can be worn every day, from muddy country walks to the city-centre commute. No need to wait for the rain.
How did you come up with the idea?
I grew up on a farm in one of the wettest parts of Victoria, and lived in gumboots as a kid. However, the seed didn’t form until I was in my 20s and at a festival. At that point, gumboots in Australia were typically only made for children. It got me thinking whether there was a way to create something similar that was comfy, warm and waterproof, but with an on-trend silhouette so they could be worn as an everyday boot. There was also a gap in the market for an ankle boot. I remember opening my laptop, bringing up a blank Word doc and typing ‘Gumboot ideas…’
And Merry People was born?
Yes! Gumboots reminded me of my happiest childhood memories, pulling them on to get outside, whatever the weather. I wanted to build that positive, joyful feeling into my brand and the word ‘merry’ just felt right. I want to inspire people of all ages to pull them on and discover what makes them feel happy and alive, whether it’s being in the garden, getting creative, at a festival, walking the dog or at the park with the kids. I just want people to feel merry in them. We now have six styles of boot in ever-changing colours, plus sandals, kids’ boots and accessories.
So how did you turn your idea into reality?
It hasn’t always been easy. I felt really vulnerable at the start. I had a secure career in banking and many people thought it was too high risk, especially with no experience in fashion or business. However, I’d just come out of a relationship and while a lot of my friends were settling down and moving up the career ladder, I figured that I was young, free and wasn’t chained to a mortgage, so I ploughed all my savings into Merry People. I sketched out my ideas and made a solo trip to China to find a supplier.
Wow, you really jumped in with both feet!
Absolutely. During the early days, I travelled far and wide selling my boots at weekend markets. I had weeks where I would sell out and weeks where I didn’t sell a single boot. It was a roller-coaster and money was often tight, but I always believed in the brand. It’s been over 12 years of hard work, but it’s paid off. I now have a team of over 35 and Merry People is sold in Australia, the UK and the US. I think of Merry People as my first baby, but I’ve since become a mum of two and juggling the business with young children now feels extra rewarding.
You must be so proud
Totally. I’m so proud of my team and the brand that we’ve created together. I love the creative process and bringing new products to market, doing things the Merry People way, but we also strive to be as eco-conscious as possible. All our rubber is FSC certified and we surround ourselves with experts to help inform us on our environmental impact and where we can improve. For example, old boots are sold to support an Australian charity or they get chipped up for school mats. Most importantly, in almost 13 years, I’m proud that we have never gone on sale or discounted our boots, staying true to our values and providing transparency to our retailers.
What’s next?
We recently launched our Tully boot in chocolate and pink in a collaboration with Oliver Bonas in the UK, and we have a few more ideas up our sleeve to brighten up rainy days, so watch this space. But most of all, after a long work trip, what I’m really looking forward to is getting home to my kids and an extra big snuggle.
For more information and inspiration, visit uk.merrypeople.co or follow on Instagram at: @merrypeople
