Candy Candy is a sweet new addition to Leeds Corn Exchange

‘Candy Candy’, an original brand of costume jewellery and hair accessories, has opened its first store at Leeds Corn Exchange.

The store is the newest retailer at Leeds Corn Exchange, which celebrates its 150^th anniversary next year, and hosts a mix of young and established boutiques, designer-makers and food outlets.

Highly influenced by quirky Japanese style and vintage fashion, Candy Candy is a treasure trove filled with the brand’s signature jewellery and hair accessories, as well as home wear, gifts and a capsule clothing range that is set to expand. The company is the result of Spanish-born creator Helena Garcia’s lifelong love of making one-off jewellery pieces and hair accessories.

Comments Helena, 34: “When I was little, my mum used to cut my hair short like a boy and I hated it so I would make bows and flower accessories to put in my hair to make me look more feminine. I continued to make my own jewellery throughout my teens but at that point, it wasn’t something I thought I could make a career out of.”

Helena, whose father was in the military, lived all over Europe before leaving her family to spend her final year of high school in Las Vegas as part of a programme to help European children learn English.  She was hosted by a family of Mormons who imposed rules including attending bible classes, completing chores and sticking to a strict curfew. She still managed to make the most of her time in Sin City, visiting the casinos and becoming a dab hand at the game of poker, a skill which was to come in very useful later on in life when she needed a way to fund herself after University.

Add Helena: ‘After my year in Las Vegas I came back to Spain and began studying Psychology at University in Salamanca and, as part of the course, I was able to spend my second year studying in Leeds. I loved the city so much I begged them to let me stay here for my final year, which they did. I then decided to enrol in the Art and Interior Design course at Leeds College of Art and Design, but I still continued to hand make accessories and deep down felt that I was more suited to fashion than interior design. I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my career after my studies finished, so I used my knowledge of poker and became a bit of a professional poker player in the Leeds casinos. I didn’t make millions but I was able to pay my rent and bills for two years.”

Always one to grab any opportunity that came her way, Helena jumped at the chance to bid on a three bedroomed home up for auction on the street in Burley where she lived with her flatmates. She outbid the rest and several weeks later, rented out two rooms to two local Leeds lads, one of whom, Will Briggs, became her husband 5 years later.

It was in this home that she set-up her own workshop and began turning her talent for designing and making jewellery and hair accessories into a viable business, supplying her pieces to local independent shops across the city as well as getting commissions from friends and on referral.

For the last six years, Candy Candy has been one of the few local suppliers stocked by Rose & Co, the charming Yorkshire-based beauty apothecary. The story behind this partnership is another example of Helena’s tenacity and ability to make every opportunity count. Comments Helena:

“I’d always loved Rose & Co and regularly visited their shop in the Victoria Quarter in Leeds. I went in to try on a dress in the window but the girl that served me wouldn’t let me try it on and said it wouldn’t fit me. Eventually I did try it on and bought it but I was so angry I wrote an email to Caroline Rose, one of the company’s founding partners, who replied and asked to meet me. I wore some of my hair accessories to the meeting, which she loved, and asked if I could make some pieces to stock in the shop. I ended up working in the Leeds store at weekends and then took over as manager two years ago. Caroline is now a close friend, as is the girl that was rude to me that first day in the shop; it just goes to show everything happens for a reason. ”

Now striding out in its own sweet way, the new Candy Candy boutique is returning the favour stocking Rose & Co products, as well as host of other specially selected brands which reflect the fun and vibrant style that has become the Candy Candy trademark including Helena’s own 1950s inspired designs.

For more information on Candy Candy go to www.candycandyjewellery.co.uk