S3 E3 Polly Leonard, Founder & Editor, Selvedge Magazine

I met our guests today on the innovating for growth program at the BIPC in the British Library about six years ago, and fell in love with her creation, a textile magazine, not just any magazine though, a visual feast of storytelling ascetic and authenticity. What started off as a one-off publication in 2004 became the bimonthly independent magazine to Selvedge The Fabric of Your Life. The world's leading textile magazine with a global readership of 75,000.

The success and attraction to Selvedge has seen the brand extend its offering to a monthly podcast World Fair, virtual specialists workshops taught by experts from across the globe, textile tours, talks, chat rooms, and an online shop you must check out their tote bags. Collaborations include Liberty and Anthropology, as well as the National Trust and V&A. The brand is currently celebrating its centenary publication with the iconic nonagenarian Iris Apfel on the front cover.

In this episode you will hear Polly's chapters from her dream of wanting to be a painter, to teaching, to publishing. She shares her trigger point, how she got it off the starting blocks (a definite pre-runner to crowdfunding) and what her driver is. We chat about how the pandemic has accelerated areas in the business but also held other areas back. You will find out her mission with textiles, what she thinks of fast fashion, what she has learnt about herself, where the teacher mindset has come in handy and loads more.

My song recommendation: Feeling Good by Nina Simone
Polly’s Fav Book: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Chocolate: Rococo’s Rose Milk Thins
Quote: ‘To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.’ ~ Dalai Lama