Hello, it's nice to meet you!

Well, it's be on the 'to-do' list for around a year now, but here we are!

I have finally found my voice and started a blog for Bethany Rae.

Here you will find useful information about our products, customer experience, exclusive offers, and exciting news!

My aim is to get my amazing customers involved and help you learn more about our little company!

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Bethany with The Abbotsbury Cowhide Rucksack - Click here to shop

So to kick start our blog, I thought I should introduce myself for those of you who don't know me yet!

My name is Bethany and I am the founder of Bethany Rae UK, I am 25 and live in beautiful Dorset UK. I never grew up with running my own fashion business in mind, in actual fact I was always passionate about Health and Social Care - studying Social Work at university, doing numerous care jobs and eventually ending up working for the NHS Ambulance Service as a Paramedics Assistant, to which I still do part time today!

So where on earth did Bethany Rae come from?

I did not grow up in the countryside, nor did I know much about its beautiful world and community, until I met my boyfriend Andy in the ambulance service. A farmers son passionate about all things shooting & country. I quickly became enchanted by his world outside work and it felt as though I had come home. I loved it! I joined a ladies shooting club and so my business began.

I didn't have a great deal of money (NHS salaries!), and country attire is EXPENSIVE! So I began buying myself vintage country clothing and wearing it to events. Other country ladies loved my unique take on country style, so I began informally selling vintage to them, becoming 'The Country Ladies Closet' in 2017.

My little vintage hobby grew, and I was soon known for selling vintage scarves and furs, hello Bethany Rae Vintage!

At this point I had a career break from the Ambulance Service and worked in retail for six months, managing a luxury gun & country attire shop in Dorchester. Whilst I learnt an awful lot in this role, I couldnt shake the feeling I wanted to be my own boss, putting my energy and effort into building my dream and not someone elses.

2017, Where it all began - a handful of vintage scarves, a local point-to-point and a dream!

Coupled with this idea, I became increasingly unwell and was diagnosed with PMDD - Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. PMDD is a chronic illness caused by female hormone sensitivity, it wipes me out for around a week per month prior to my period with extreme fatigue, sudden depression and brain fog. (For more information on this illness please follow the link at the bottom of this post)

I was forced to take a year out to recieve treatment. Now with lots of time off to focus on Bethany Rae, I discovered a small family business in Pakistan who specialised in cowhides, and my goodness, I FELL IN LOVE. Every one of their products was unique, quirky, natural & just so different. Sourcing all their hides in their local community and hand crafting each of my products, they are an amazingly talented and resourceful bunch!

Having taken Bethany Rae Vintage as far as I could, I reached out to them to see if they would like to partner with me.

And so, in 2019 Bethany Rae UK was born. Gradually through designing my own products, my suppliers with experience getting better at crafiting & hours of love, attention and determination in my well weeks, we grew and grew!

I could not be more passionate about the products I sell today, savouring their amazing uniqueness, quality and personality everytime I open a new order!

View our cowhide collection here

Over the past year and a half, Bethany Rae has now become my part time job - I have an office in Sandford, Wareham and am ordering more and more units every season! Managing all enquiries, social media, photography, website, orders and accounting myself, it sure keeps me busy!

Bethany Rae has and continues to be a huge part of my recovery, allowing me not only to be my own boss, but manage my hours around my illness and other passion - helping others in the Ambulance Service, which I returned to at the beginning of the pandemic.

If someone had told me five years ago this is where I would be today, I would have laughed! I could not feel more full and greatful for the life that is unfolding for me, and it just goes to show, life has a funny way of working out and you really never know where it will take you <3

Thankyou so much for reading, I hope this gives you a little background around us and why each and every purchase you make doesn't just get you a fabulous new handbag, but also supports a dream, I also hope it inspires you to belive in and go for your aspirations also. <3

Lots of love

Bethany

Hello 2021! Getting my COVID 19 Vaccine for the NHS, of course styled with our Upton Cowhide Handbag.

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For more information on PMDD, or if you think you may be suffering please visit - https://iapmd.org/about-pmdd, 1 in 20 woman are said to suffer unknowingly. IAPMD are an amazing organisation who raise awareness for our little known disorder and provide an invaluable community for fellow PMDD Warrior Woman!