susan McKenna – Pop Culture Idols

Susan McKenna runs Fat Hen and Flo, her business named after two dolls she created nearly 20 years ago.  Now, as with many creative businesses, her products have evolved and are sold world-wide.  Based in Folkestone’s Creative Quarter since 2010, Folkelife met for an early coffee before the day’s work set in.

“I spend my days designing and creating figures from popular culture.  You can buy them as a kit to make yourself, or you can buy a ready-made idol to keep you company.  I started my business, Fat Hen And Flo, by making a large fabric hen (we had chickens) and a doll called Flo.  More dolls and Sew Your Own craft kits followed, then in 2015, I decided I needed to make a doll of Jeremy Corbyn. He came across my radar for the first time and I knew I needed to design a Sew Your Own Jeremy Corbyn kit, and I needed to do it quickly.  The kit was ready and available within a week.  I screen printed 20, figuring this wasn’t too many if they didn’t sell.  10 years on and they’re still in demand.  They’ve been featured in Buzzfeed, Vice, The Evening Standard and even adorned the walls of Corbyn’s office in Westminster.”

corbyn marketing

“This was a pivotal learning curve for me in my marketing. And also in the importance of not overthinking the tiny details when launching new products.  This still informs my business today.  Since then, more idols have come into being.  My most popular are Patrick Grant and Esme Young, the judges from The Great British Sewing Bee.  But there are others too: Paul Mescal, Taylor Swift, Sir Grayson Perry; people that bring a bit of happiness to our lives.”

creating a business

“I’ve trained as a hairdresser, and then a photographic printer.  As I was having my children, the photography world changed from film to digital.  Mine is a common story, of a woman who wants to work around her children, but I didn’t want to work for someone else, I wanted to be my own boss.  The creative part of me has helped how I manage my business.  That ability to adapt and evolve to the challenges of ever-changing laws and regulations, tax, tariffs, international shipping, all of that, is what helps the business thrive.”

Dolls and toys

“To start with, when Fat Hen and Flo began, I was making quilts and an assortment of dolls and creatures.  In 2011, Toy Safety Regulations changed: If you sell anything that looks like a toy now, even as a crafter selling at craft fairs, it must first go through a series of safety tests.  This is to ensure it is safe for little people to play with. When that change came in, I had to learn about the compliance procedure.  In doing so I knew that my product range and materials I use would need to be streamlined. It was another blow to my creativity initially, but this ultimately nudged me towards a business mindset. 

“I also ran workshops in schools, after-school clubs and an all-age art club at my studio.  I loved it! Nurturing creativity in people is a passion.  When Covid came along, that all came to a halt and teaching online wasn’t for me.  I want to be in the same room as everyone.  That was another adaptation to my business model as we came out of Covid. The workshops stopped, and focus has been on my idols since then.”

working across the country

“My business is designing and manufacturing the ever growing range of idols.  I deal with all that is involved in running an e-commerce business, selling to both individual customers and the 70 or so stockists across the country.  

“It’s great when my work gets picked up by the idol themselves. Keith Brymer Jones has used his idol as merch on tour; Prue Leith was on morning tv and the team wanted to present her with hers; the Jeremy Corbyn design was used as his avatar on his Snapchat account.” 

patrick grant and esme young

“Patrick Grant was appearing at The Stitch Festival in London and I supply Clothkits with my idols.  They created a Patrick Grant display of him in different suits.  It has to be said that this audience would mob Patrick were he to walk amongst them.  But later on in the day, when the crowds had subsided a little, he got to their stand and made a video with the wonderful Clothkits team! 

“Verity, who runs Miss Ginger’s on The Old High Street, is my nearest stockist.  We have fun creating little reels of our impressions of Patrick and Esme from the Sewing Bee.  Our viral videos of Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith from Bake Off have over a million views. It started as fun marketing content by two businesses who don’t really like marketing, but it speaks to our followers and we are constantly asked for more.  We love an excuse to dress up and laugh, and call it work!”

collaborations in town

“Being based in Folkestone since pre-regeneration times means I have seen a lot of changes.  I have had a studio on The Old High Street since 2010, and have collaborated with Moo Like A Monkey and the Chip the Seagull clothing line.  If you walk into Steep Street and take a look at their fire exit signs you’ll see they are slightly different to the bog-standard. 

“My creative business has rooted me in the creative community in Folkestone beyond just The Old High Street.  This is where my studio is, and it works as my base to be able to run my business across the country.  I have a studio space, my family are here.  My commute is often via the beach to swim in the sea, followed by coffee-shop-admin. I have built a business that works for me, and is growing in a way that I enjoy being in every day.”