Led by Michelle Ojulah, Threads Creatives consultancy brings in-depth retail expertise to independent brands and businesses, empowering them to grow, innovate and thrive in a competitive marketplace.

 

Michelle Ojulah launched Threads Creatives to bring the kind of expertise typically found within large retailers to founder-led brands and independent businesses. With over two decades of experience in buying, design and product strategy for baby, kids and lifestyle categories, she noticed that many brands had strong ideas but needed strategic and creative guidance to scale successfully. After serving in senior positions at major retailers like M&S, Boden, Cath Kidston and George, Ojulah developed a deep understanding of how retail brands succeed, from product planning and sourcing to brand positioning and market access. Threads Creatives was founded to share that knowledge with growing businesses that want expert support without building a large internal team.

“Our approach is very practical and commercially focused,” says Ojulah. “Many consultancies offer advice, but we work closely with brands to help deliver the strategy as well as define it. Because of my background in retail buying, design and product development, we approach every project with a strong understanding of what works commercially. We also operate with a flexible network of experienced creative and product specialists, which allows us to support brands across multiple areas while remaining agile. Ultimately, our goal is to help brands gain clarity, confidence and momentum in their growth journey.”

Threads Creatives offers a combination of strategy, creative and implementation support to help brands and retailers grow, and its work typically sits across three key areas. First is brand and product strategy, helping businesses define their customer, refine their brand positioning, and build commercially strong product ranges. Secondly, it provides creative services, including range planning, trend direction, product design, and print and brand identity development. Finally, it supports implementation and growth, which can include sourcing support, retail partnerships, mentoring founders, and helping brands prepare for wholesale or new market expansion. The goal is to provide what Ojulah often describe as “big retail thinking for growth brands.”

 

 

Transforming retail strategy

Bridging the gap between industry-leading practices and the ambitions of smaller, founder-led brands, Threads Creatives aims to empower clients with the confidence and insight required to navigate a competitive market. By combining practical know-how with creative innovation, it enables businesses to lay strong foundations for long-term growth and success.

When working with clients, the starting point for Threads Creatives is always the customer. It works with founders to understand who their core customer is, what problem they are solving, and what emotional connection their brand creates. From there, it develops the foundations of the brand: positioning, visual identity, product architecture and price structure. This ensures the brand feels consistent across product, marketing and retail channels. It also focuses heavily on product strategy, because in childrenswear, the product itself is often the most powerful part of the brand story. When design, quality and brand identity all work together, a business becomes far more memorable in a crowded market.

“The biggest challenges we see tend to fall into three areas: clear brand positioning, product differentiation, and managing growth across multiple channels,” comments Ojulah. “Many businesses start with a strong idea but struggle to maintain clarity as they scale. We help them step back and define their customer, their brand story, and their product architecture, so that every decision supports a clear commercial strategy. We also help retailers and brands create product that truly stands out, rather than competing purely on price. With the right product strategy, retailers can build ranges that customers return to season after season.”

Within childrenswear, Ojulah is seeing a shift toward thoughtful, well-designed product rather than purely fast fashion, with parents increasingly drawn to high-quality essentials, organic fabrics, and products that feel both practical and giftable. Another growing trend she highlights is the demand for elevated everyday basics – beautifully designed layette pieces, coordinated sets, and timeless colour palettes that work for gifting as well as everyday wear. “Brands that focus on strong product quality and a clear design identity tend to build the most loyal customer base,” she adds.

Technology is also playing a bigger role in the creative process. Ojulah and her team are embracing AI as a tool to support creativity, particularly in areas such as early concept development, design exploration and visual storytelling through lookbooks. It allows brands to explore ideas more quickly and communicate concepts more clearly, while still keeping the designer’s vision and product expertise at the centre of the process. For independent brands, the opportunity lies in combining strong product design, clear brand identity and smart use of new tools to build distinctive collections that truly resonate with their customer.

 

 

Partnering with leading and emerging brands

Threads Creatives has worked with a wide range of brands and retailers across the baby and children’s space, from established names to emerging businesses. Projects have included work with Burts Bees Baby, Cath Kidston and Sophie Allport, as well as international retail partners and sourcing groups. It has also worked with growing founder-led brands such as Mini Cuddles, Mama Design and Indigo & Otis, which are looking to scale their product offer, refine their brand identity, or expand into new retail channels.

“Mini Cuddles is a wonderful example of a brand with strong manufacturing expertise and a clear vision for the UK baby market,” says Ojulah, who exhibited Mini Cuddle’s latest collection at INDX National Kidswear Show in February. “The brand is created by First Steps Babywear, a company with more than two decades of experience producing baby clothing for leading global retailers. Our role has been to help shape the brand strategy, product direction and creative identity, so that the brand resonates with UK families and retailers. We work closely with the team on everything from trend direction and range planning through to brand storytelling and retail positioning.”

Mini Cuddles focuses primarily on newborn and babywear, offering sustainable layette and fashion collections with coordinated sets, sleepsuits and gifting options designed to combine softness, practicality and thoughtful design. Premium and timeless in design, Mini Cuddles focuses on gentle colour palettes, charming prints, and high-quality fabrics that are designed to be kind to delicate baby skin. Sustainability is also an important part of the brand’s approach, using responsibly sourced yarns and fabrics while meeting international quality and ethical standards and minimising waste where possible.

 

 

Pursuing sustainable growth opportunities

Businesses that are exploring their next phase of growth and are interested in working with Threads Creatives can visit its website or connect with Ojulah directly via LinkedIn, where insights, trend perspectives and retail strategy guidance are also regularly shared. For now, Ojulah shares her tips for childrenswear businesses looking to refresh their approach in 2026.

“My biggest advice would be to start with your customer and build everything around them. In a competitive retail environment, the brands that succeed are those that have a very clear understanding of who they serve and what makes their product meaningful to that customer. When your brand story, product design and retail experience all align with that customer, growth becomes much easier. Clarity is incredibly powerful in retail.”

For further information, please contact michelle@threadscreatives.com or click here.