What inspired you to start Outsider Fashion, and what was the journey like?
I began researching ethical and sustainable issues in fashion around 2007, I was working in the fashion industry in London and having travelled in Asia, the back and forth with our suppliers was getting more and more uncomfortable for me. I realised that the conventional industry was so focussed on profit margins they were forgetting that human beings were sewing these clothes. I felt that getting a discount for a delay on an order caused by a flooded factory was kind of gross.
At that time, although I tried to push for changes within some of the brands I worked for there wasn’t much appetite for change. So in 2009 I decided I would try to fill a gap I had identified in the market at the time, sustainable fashion that looked like fashion at a mid-market price point. My first collection was purchased by 5 boutiques across the UK and so my business started! It was a steep learning curve, from dealing with minimum orders on fabrics, to chasing for payments I had to learn fast. But I had created something I really believed in and that there wasn’t a lot of at the time. Being part of that pioneering movement in London of sustainable brands was a great experience.
Can you share the meaning behind the name Outsider Fashion?
I had always been interested in designers that worked within fashion but in ways that critiqued the conventional approach, sometimes this was referred to as anti-fashion. I worked with designers such as Ann-Sofie Back and Susan Cianciolo after I graduated from my BA and they worked within fashion but were always questioning through their practice. When I came to start my own brand I knew I was in a way following on from what I had learned, for me it was questioning supply chains, relationships with suppliers, the materials that I used, and so the name Outsider felt appropriate. I understood the fashion system but I wanted to make fashion in a different way, which made me feel like an Outsider at the time. Not in a negative way, it was a positive notion for me, that I was choosing to be outside of the unethical, unsustainable approaches and models that are dominant to the conventional fashion system. It was a way to engage my clients too, they could join me in being an Outsider while still wearing clothes that made them feel great.
How has your mission evolved since you first launched the brand?
When I launched in 2009 it was somewhat of a different world, I was working mainly on a wholesale model so producing orders for boutiques and just doing a few pop ups and direct sales myself. Overtime I built my own website and joined with other independent designers to do more pop ups to grow direct sales.
A few years in I also realised that doing two distinct collections a year made no sense for me as I was designing versatile trans-seasonal pieces, so I evolved to a focus on my direct sales through website/pop ups with a year round collection of classic pieces for every modern woman. I would then add new styles/colours as and when it felt right or was what clients wanted rather than because a fashion season was demanding it. Direct selling and interacting with my. clients whether online or via pop ups is the most fulfilling experience, knowing something I designed is making someone happy is the best feeling!
Sustainability is central to your brand. How do you ensure your materials and production processes align with your values?
I have always spent a great deal of time researching materials, it was a lot more difficult in the past but it has got so much easier. For example the Future Fabric Expo every year in London offers a great range of sustainable fabrics. My main criteria are around where the fibre is sourced, organic or fair trade certifications where possible, luxurious hand feel and drape, and ease of care for the end product. I work with small factories which I have visited on many occasions over the years to ensure the working conditions are safe and the quality of the make is impeccable. My business is small enough that I know who made my clothes.
How do you balance the challenges of ethical sourcing with maintaining a competitive edge?
I don’t think very competitively, I think I saw a gap in the market and tried to design for that to start with, that then got refined over the years as I got feedback from boutique buyers and clients. I sacrifice more in the profit margin then most brands because I want the fabrics to be best and the pieces to be made to last. I want to know my pieces will have as long a useful life as possible and that is more important to me than competing with brands that don’t have the same goals.
Your designs are timeless and elegant. What inspires your creative process?
I love to look to the past and reimagine classic pieces that are already tried and tested as essential. For me this is the creative process, it’s redefining what is a shirt dress for this time, a wrap dress, a trouser, a shirt, playing with details and silhouettes. Design for longevity has fascinated me since I was a student (when that term did not exist). But I was always fascinated by the pieces we keep and wear for many years that are not connected to fast moving trends. So I look to vintage garments for inspiration a lot, as they are the successful longevity styles, even if they may not have been designed with that intention.
Are there particular fabrics or techniques you love working with?
I use a lot of organic cotton, merino wool, hemp silk, tencel, essentially natural fibres as much as possible and all carefully sourced. I explore different constructions and look for luxurious soft hand feel and drape qualities. I like to work with the fabrics in a way where they tell me what they would like to become, what kind of garment they are best suited to.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a sustainable fashion brand?
I think many sustainable brands struggle with reaching the right people and them understanding my prices in such a noisy market. Before people didn’t always understand what I was doing in terms of ethical/sustainable approaches. Now I think they are confused because so many fast fashion brands make claims regarding sustainability and ethics and yet charge so little for their clothing. For me cost per wear is where I can offer a difference, because I design timeless versatile pieces, you can wear for years to come, not 3 months which is what fast fashion brands design for.
Are there any exciting collaborations or projects you’re currently working on?
I am working on a book right now which I hope will support aspiring sustainable fashion designers and anyone interested in engaging with fashion in ethical and meaningful ways. It’s about my own work and journey and will bring together all the essential information I learnt as I went along.
I also teach alongside my brand and am excited to be running a new MA in Sustainable Fashion & Systems at Istituto Marangoni London alongside the established MA in Fashion Design. Working with the next generation of creatives is an important part of my work now, it really keeps me inspired and hopeful about the future.
What advice would you give to aspiring sustainable fashion entrepreneurs?
The important thing is to really spend time on research, you need to have as much transparency as possible in your supply chain. Start small and build on what works, don’t try to do it all at once or to compete with larger more established brands. It’s better to find a niche and become known for that, then diversify and grow from there.
For more tips you’ll have to read my book.
Is there anything you’d like to share?
I can offer a discount code for your readers, if they see a piece they love that they will wear many times, enjoy 20% off any order over £100 with code: PLEB
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A Curated Lifestyle Magazine Focused on Art, Creativity, Fashion, Books, Interiors, Mindfulness, Travel & Sustainability.
