About Us
One of Europe’s leading designer gift companies
Gisela Graham Ltd. is one of Europe’s leading design companies for seasonal decorations and gifts. Originally the Company made its name for Christmas and Easter decorations in which sectors it is a UK market leader.  A quarter of its sales are made overseas.  In the past five years Gisela Graham has turned her design flair to home interior gifts, with increasing success; already the diversification accounts for around a third of sales.
Gisela Graham now has some 60 full-time employees and agents in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Scandinavia selling to over 5,000 retailers in all five continents.  She combines the roles of Managing Director and Creative Director, supervising a team of in-house designers supported by outside freelancers. The Company remains privately owned, the principle shareholder being Gisela Graham herself.  A sizeable proportion of the equity was given six years ago to longstanding members of staff.
It is fair to say that Gisela Graham has had a lasting influence on the way that the British celebrate Christmas.  She introduced charm, innovation and a distinctive style into a sector where these qualities were notably lacking. Over the years the Gisela Graham brand has become well-established and her trademark silver label is eagerly sought out.  She can also claim a large influence in encouraging the British to adopt the German custom of decorating the home for Easter.
Gisela Graham was born in Germany and educated at Berlin and Goettingen Universities. While her father wanted her to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer, her ambition from her earliest years was to own a shop. She has always been interested in crafts and design: as a schoolgirl she once earned detention for skipping homework to help her mother make straw stars for the family Christmas tree. Gisela founded her business about 28 years ago with a borrowed £27, starting the business literally at her kitchen table when her children were small. One of her early products was a dolls house of her own design. She recalls ferrying components and paint to outworkers around London in a 2CV with a child in the back. Terence Conran was among one of her very first customers.