It’s hard to pin Carol down to a particular job role. If something needs to be done, she does it. This is her nature: getting things done
and getting them done efficiently. However, if we were to give her a job title, it would probably be something like Head Honcho, or
Boss Lady.

After qualifying from Stellenbosch with a BA in Industrial Psychology, Carol worked in the hospitality industry for many years. She gave 110% to her positions at five-star hotels like the Lanzerac, Constantia Uitsig and the Cape Grace, before taking the Idlewylde reins from her parents in 2010.
She launched herself into running the business with the same enthusiasm and energy with which she embraces life, and there’s not much about her role that she doesn’t love. No days are ever the same, and she relishes the variety that this presents. The people, the beautiful fabrics, the travelling, the shows… what’s not to love?

Carol sets great store by service delivery and is passionate about customer relationships. Balancing these in an industry where she can’t control the manufacture or shipping of the fabric is a challenge, but one that she faces head-on. She would love to educate the end consumer on key performance indicators, as this would ease undue pressure on her team.

When she’s not on the road brightening up the textile industry, Carol is usually doing some kind of exercise or spending time with her family and friends. Sometimes she does it all at once: a run and a swim in the sea with friends, then coffee or breakfast with friends and family.

On a cold, rainy Cape Town day, you’ll often find Carol doing a 1000-piece puzzle with a glass of wine close by. But what’s always clear is that she embraces life – and everyone in it.