When we started this journey a year ago, I remember thinking to myself, “Starting a business how hard can it be? I’m a smart woman with a broad background in marketing, fashion, and design. Surely this will be a piece of cake.”
The reality? Quite the opposite.
The beginning of any business is perhaps the hardest part. You’re learning countless new things, meeting a million different people, and pitching an idea that’s not yet fully formed. It takes a lot of energy and even more self-belief.
Being a founder isn’t just about building a profitable business; it’s about staying resilient when things go wrong, remaining positive when the future feels uncertain, and believing in yourself when others (even those closest to you) might not.
I don’t have all the answers, but if I could give one piece of advice to anyone starting their journey, it would be: be excited to learn. Accept when you’re wrong, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and if you ever feel overwhelmed,step back. Nothing good comes from tearing your hair out.
So, let me share a few stories from our first year, our early wins and our honest failures.
One thing I’ve got on my side is my Type-A brain. I love admin, organisation, and that deeply satisfying feeling of ticking things off a to-do list. So, writing our business plan and timeline for the first collection felt almost therapeutic. I move fast, and I expect others to do the same but I quickly learned that in fashion, back and forth is constant, and perfection takes time.
We worked with several freelancers to help bring our vision to life and let’s just say, we kissed a few frogs before finding our princess.
Eventually, we reached the stage of having tech packs ready for a five-piece collection (later reduced to 2 pieces in 4 colours when we realised how expensive it is to make clothing out of linen). What followed were five fittings in a London studio,where we learned a lot. We realised just how much we didn’t know about making clothes. When you wear clothing, you know how you want it to feel and sit on your body but translating that into technical terms for a production team is another story entirely.
That was our first failure. But also, our first real learning curve.
Now, I know what a dart is (and what it does), how sampling and material pricing works, the timelines involved, and that “trims” exist so you don’t have to pay a fortune for bespoke ones. These may seem obvious to some, but for us, they were hurdles we gallantly conquered.
Now for a success story.
Once we defined our collection, found our factory in Portugal, and began production, it was time to build our branding. With ten years of design experience, this was the part I couldn’t wait to dive into. I explored over fifty logo options, countless colour palettes, and three full brand decks. The final outcome is something I’m incredibly proud of.
Even though I like to move fast, this brand identity took time to marinate and it shows. I reworked, refined, and reimagined it over a year, discussing ideas with friends, family, and mentors. Now, I truly feel we have a brand that’s strong in its vision, bold in its visuals, and most importantly confident in who we are.
So, where are we now?
Just six months away from launch, we have:
-
Our first collection ready for production
-
Our second collection designed and awaiting samples
-
All packaging finalised
-
Our launch venue booked and preparing for our debut
-
Social and marketing plans in motion (influencers pending)
-
Our website ready to go
-
Delivery partners locked in
-
A business plan which we are avidly following
- Events for our community already in planning mode
- Oh and I'm starting a sewing course so I can give better feedback for our factories.
And most importantly a network of incredible friends and mentors who’ve supported us every step of the way. I’ll name and celebrate them all soon, but for now, you know who you are and your kindness will never be forgotten.
So there you have it, our first blog post. Stay tuned for some more ramblings from yours truly soon.
Wallflowers it's time for you to bloom!