A mother sits contentedly breastfeeding in a corner while an-other, sitting in a comfy chair nearby, is given a demonstration of cotton nappies.

Bristol retailer Born, it is immediately apparent, is neither a typically soulless babycare store, nor a cool, cold designer label chain.

At the heart of this retailer lies a desire to educate about natural birth and parenting; it hires out birthing pools and encourages breastfeeding and the use of real, washable nappies.

Yet its style - and to some extent its prices - is very much designer boutique: wooden floors, white walls punctuated by black-and-white family photographs, space for customers to roam and artfully displayed products.

Green lifestyle meets designer label, one might say. 'We didn't want to be hippyish and muesli-crunching, and we wanted a name that wouldn't turn people off,' says Eva Fernandes, who founded the company with sister Georgina.

'Many people now use real nappies not just because it is green and worthy, but because it is a trendy lifestyle choice.'

Founded in 2000, Born's two stores, in Bristol and Bath, offer natural, organic, fair trade products that happen to be beautiful and practical.

Even own-label ranges such as the Bornnaked toiletries line are achingly stylish. It is also cutting-edge: it was one of the first retailers to stock the Bugaboo buggy, made famous by actress Kate Winslet and an appearance in Sex and the City.

Born plans to build on its style credentials through some high-profile contacts. Socialite Kate Goldsmith (nee Rothschild) has designed its first range of own-label clothing, which goes on sale this summer. The sisters hope it will be taken up by designer stores such as Selfridges or Liberty. 'We hope to use Kate's kudos to get us into the national press and show that there is an organic, fair trade alternative to the high street,' says Fernandes.

Yet there is more to Born than its products. First-time mothers crave information, and the stores offer relaxed, well-informed advice free with any visit. This side of the business extends beyond the shops' opening hours - stores host evening events for both NHS and alternative health practitioners, Fernandes gives talks on natural parenting to ante-natal classes, and Born in Water, the brand's water-birth business, is to set up a pool in a Bath hospital.

'We see our role as making things normal for people who have maybe never held a baby before, let alone breastfed,' explains Fernandes. 'Our staff don't sell you stuff you don't need.'

She is convinced there is a gap in the market for Born, arguing that established retailers such as Mothercare are successful chiefly because they have had little competition.

Fernandes believes Born taps into two major trends: ethical consumerism and the fact that women are having children later in life. More mature mothers tend to seek more information and be more discerning than younger first-time mums, she claims.

Born's growth suggests she is right.

It now has a turnover of pounds 395,000, and next month opens a third store, in London's Stoke Newington. For those not in the South, its recently overhauled its www.borndirect.com e-tail operation.

So far the brand has been built without any serious promotional support.

'We are quite proud that we haven't spent a lot on marketing,' says Fernandes. 'About 80% of our database is derived from word of mouth or midwife recommendations.'

Yet with plans for 10 shops around the UK - either through franchising or external financing of pounds 750,000 - Born is changing its approach This summer it will run its first concerted promotional campaign, using PR, direct mail and press advertising.

As Born raises its profile, the Fernandes sisters face a dilemma: with expansion, and in particular the development of the chain's online presence, will they be able to preserve the strong consultative aspect of the original stores? It may be that, like many parents, they will have to accept that their pride and joy must grow and change.

TIMELINE

1998: Eva Fernandes sets up the Bristol Real Nappy Information Service while a volunteer with the government-funded Recycling Consortium. She realises there is a demand for real nappies but that it is not easy for parents to buy them. She persuades her sister Georgina to leave her job in retail manage-ment to set up business together.

2000: Eva and husband James Long remortgage their house and lease a shop in Bristol. The first Born store opens its doors.

2001: Born launches borndirect.com. Its Bristol outlet generates a pounds 120,000 turnover in its first year and a small profit.

2002: Turnover at the Bristol store more than doubles to pounds 300,000.

2004: A second Born shop opens in Bath. Business development manager Kate Wylie is recruited and a warehouse/office is leased in Easton, Bristol.

2005: Birthing pool hire business Born in Water launches, the website is relaunched, and a third store is planned to open in June.
Brand Builders: Born

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889 words

Brand Builders: Born
11 May: Marketing. Born is an ethical babycare retailer founded by Eva Fernandes and her sister Georgina. It was founded in 2000 and has two stores, in Bristol and Bath. Next month they open a third store, in London's Stoke Newington and has an email service at www.borndirect.com It now has a turnover of £395,000 and has plans for 10 shops around the UK - either through franchising or external financing of £750,000. 889 words. Full text at ?
Eva Fernandes was born in the UK, is married to James Long and has a son called Jacob. Her sister Georgina was in Nairobi. Their parents, Georgio and Antoinette Fernandes live in London but are ex-Nairobi (Eastleigh/Pangani) They trace their Goan roots to ?
Check out http://www.borndirect.com/ for Born’s history, vision, products and more. It’s a riveting read!

TIMELINE

1998: Eva Fernandes sets up the Bristol Real Nappy Information Service while a volunteer with the government-funded Recycling Consortium. She realises there is a demand for real nappies but that it is not easy for parents to buy them. She persuades her sister Georgina to leave her job in retail manage-ment to set up business together.

2000: Eva and husband James Long remortgage their house and lease a shop in Bristol. The first Born store opens its doors.

2001: Born launches borndirect.com. Its Bristol outlet generates a pounds 120,000 turnover in its first year and a small profit.

2002: Turnover at the Bristol store more than doubles to pounds 300,000.

2004: A second Born shop opens in Bath. Business development manager Kate Wylie is recruited and a warehouse/office is leased in Easton, Bristol.

2005: Birthing pool hire business Born in Water launches, the website is relaunched, and a third store is planned to open in June.