In 2023, five Irish finalists were announced for Brown Thomas & Arnotts' Pitch'23 initiative.
Aimed to support Irish start-ups, small businesses, designers, makers and entrepreneurs, the initiative offered a chance to win a €10,000 business development fund as some prime retail space in Arnotts.
Today it was announced that a panel of expert judges had chosen KALO - an innovative vegan leather accessory brand renowned for its designs using apple leather - as their winner.
Based in Dublin and founded by Kate O’Neill and Michael O’Malley, KALO has carved a niche in the Irish accessories fashion landscape with its distinctive vegan leather accessories.
The 'Everything Bag' was noted as a standout piece from their collection, garnering attention for its versatility and style thanks to its two interchangeable straps in thick woven and thin apple leather styles.
Speaking on the win, O’Neill and O’Malley express their gratitude, saying:
"Our experience with Pitch '23 has been an absolute dream come true. To be recognised by such an iconic retailer so early on in our business journey was such a massive boost for us, and now to call ourselves Pitch winners it just feels so surreal!
"We put our heart and soul into the Pitch journey and took in every second of it. The team at Arnotts made our experience so enjoyable and rewarding, we’re just so excited to be able to continue working with them and we can’t wait to see what the future brings"
Vena Doyle, Head of Enterprise at Brown Thomas Arnotts, remarked: "KALO stood out among tough competition. The brand's dedication to innovation and sustainability aligns perfectly with the values we cherish at Brown Thomas Arnotts.
"Embodying the stringent criteria we set forth, their remarkable journey showcased not only a robust sales performance but also a passionate engagement with the process. The brand's scalability and potential for growth were evident, marking KALO a deserving winner of Pitch'23."
