What Does it Take to Build a Fashion Business?

Fashion business owners reveal the challenges and 'pinch me' moments they've experienced since launching their start-ups.

Part 1.

Interview with Jack Maden-Wilkinson, Elena Brook-Hart Rodriguez and Sydney Badger.

By Emma Golley

06.11.2022

When Fashion and the Free first launched in 2020, the goal was always to tell real stories by real people in the fashion industry. After interviewing countless entrepreneurs and business owners right from the get go, I wanted to circle back with some of them to see how far they’ve come since we last spoke. A lot can happen in a short space of time as these entrepreneurs can attest to. We asked them to spill the tea about the positives, negatives and ‘pinch me moments’ of their business journey’s so far. This is part 1 of a multi-part series.

You may remember Sydney Badger from our article with her in 2020. Sydney is the Co-Founder of Public Habit, a slow fashion label that first came into fruition in 2018 with her business partner, after they decided to leave a major corporate giant - Amazon. Being able to observe the traditional manufacturing process and the amount of waste it resulted in was a huge wake up call for both of them and they felt compelled to do something about it. They set out to shake up the industry with their label, challenging the manufacturing process we have become all too familiar with. Since then life has changed dramatically for Sydney, with a new baby and a new business model…

Sydney, it's been almost 2 years since we first spoke to you about your brand Public Habit, tell us what's been going on?

Wow, two years. It's flown by but also been filled with every version of highs and lows you can imagine. Business was tough in 2020 for sure but we got creative on how to pivot away from in-person events. We focused on building partnerships with digital creators who have strong, authentic voices in both sustainability and fashion. Those collaborations brought some beautiful, thoughtful new pieces to our line and a whole new direction for Public Habit as we saw ourselves as the agent of change, not the face of the change.

Has your business model changed or pivoted in any way from how it started?

To my earlier point, we have really shifted away from seeing our brand as the important story to tell. Instead, we're focused on helping other creators and brands bring their ideas to life in a more thoughtful, less wasteful way. Effectively we built a second business to help serve a need we felt was missing - a full-service sourcing and production platform that streamlines and digitizes the supply chain with a focus on sustainability and minimizing waste. 

Name 3 things have you learnt over the past 2 years:

• Learn to ride the waves: everything is temporary.

• Believe in yourself like your best friend believes in you.

• Everyone is winging it. You do have a seat at the table.

Has anything about the process so far surprised you?

I am surprised by the gap between perception and reality. Meaning, there is so much recent marketing and buzz around sustainability since the pandemic started. But I find very few examples of people doing the simple (but hard) baby steps of owning more of their supply chain end-to-end and really focusing on overproduction. Globally, the apparel industry is still on track to produce more than ever this year despite the claim that fashion is cleaning up its act.

Tell us about any 'pinch me' moments you have encountered so far:

Seeing Gigi Hadid pictured in Daily Mail, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar wearing Public Habit while out on a casual stroll with her baby, Khai.

“I still feel like an outsider in this industry and I'm glad I do because it's going to take people like us to change this industry.”

For any parents out there, how has it been juggling your business with having a little one?

Hard and wonderful. I would advise any other entrepreneur who has a baby whilst running/building a company to try and be as thoughtful as you can before the baby arrives about how you can carve time out for yourself when you'll need it. Get that support lined up early so you aren't conflicted when you're exhausted and overwhelmed by your new job.

Lastly- based on your experiences so far, what's your latest piece of advice for fashion entrepreneurs:

There is still so much room for innovation and thinking differently. I still feel like an outsider in this industry and I'm glad I do because it's going to take people like us to change this industry. If we apply the mindset we take from other industries/vocations, I think there's nothing we can't apply to fashion.

You can read Sydney’s previous article with us here.

Introducing Jack Maden-Wilkinson, Founder of Duco. Jack was one of the first business owners I interviewed back in 2020. Some of you may remember, Jack left the corporate world of fashion - working for the likes of Adidas and Puma at their headquarters to launch his own design studio. The name Duco stands for ‘Think, Draw, Lead’ and Jack felt compelled to launch his own purpose driven design company which used creativity and collaboration to help environmental projects. Last time we caught up with him he was working on creative direction for brands, product ideas, graphics, logos and packaging.

Jack, you started your company Duco, in 2019 and it's been 2 years since we first spoke to you, fill us in on what's been going on?

We have been very busy with new clients and projects! We have diversified our creative offer and are now exploring new areas of design from product, identity, motion and art. 

I want to bring the Duco vision to multiple mediums/disciplines. The past 2 years have been a whirlwind of growth in the business and personally.

What's been your biggest challenge to date?

The hardest challenge of our business is getting the opening conversation, the opening with the brand and the person at the right level. The person who understands the value Duco can add, both in terms of creativity, perspective, profits and positive impact.​ Sometimes the frustration is having multiple ideas on how to help a brand but not being able to land contact with the right internal person.

“Yes, leaving has been hard work but the freedom creatively, environmentally and financially has been very rewarding.”

One of your key goals for Duco was to have a positive environmental impact, tell us more on what you have been able to achieve on that front:

We plant around 50 trees a month through our partnership with Trees for Life, which is a Scottish-based charity. There are many tree planting initiatives around but for us the key was to find an organization that is transparent, planting native trees and actively restoring ancient woodlands and biodiversity.​ Also, to have a place we can visit and see the hard work and transformation of the landscape. So far, we have planted 1,400 trees. As we continue to grow, we look to continue this pledge whilst also exploring our own re-wilding site in Sweden by 2025.

Has the risk of leaving a highly successful role in corporate fashion paid off? Do you have any regrets going it alone or wish you had done anything differently?

I have no regrets about leaving the corporate world. Yes, leaving has been hard work but the freedom creatively, environmentally and financially has been very rewarding. In my corporate profession, my ideas were limited by the perspective of leadership.​Upon leaving and stepping into new territory you start to understand the true value of your ideas and that the right brands will embrace you for them.

“My biggest driver is not wanting regrets, we all have the opportunity to make something special, a positive contribution to whatever field you specialize.”

What's next for Duco?

Expansion. Our goal is to build our studio - both in terms of numbers, projects, product type and of course trees. ​

Lastly- based on your experiences so far, what's your latest piece of advice for anyone considering going it alone and starting their own company:

Plan. Build in your spare time, at least the foundations. Save up some money and go for it. Life is too short to think what if. My biggest driver is not wanting regrets, we all have the opportunity to make something special, a positive contribution to whatever field you specialize. Share your vision. ​

You can read Jack’s previous article with us here.

Last year, I interviewed Elena Brook-Hart Rodriguez about her unique slow fashion business model and the amazing work she does with artisans in Peru. After an organized volunteer trip to South America in 2020, Elena saw an opportunity to partner with many of the skilled workers she met along the way. From there she created her own apparel, jewellery and accessories company influenced by Peruvian traditions, combined with modern designs. Her brand ‘Handmade Stories’ appears to have gone from strength to strength, so I couldn’t wait to catch up with her to find out more!

Elena it's so good to catch up with you 1 year later, tell us what's been going on with Handmade Stories?

I can't believe it's been one year already! Since we last talked, I've launched two clothing collections, one jewellery collection, a homeware collection and ventured out into accessories (mainly scrunchies and bags). I've also explored creating things out of leftover fabric from previous collections to reduce waste.

For the first 6 months, I was selling purely online, but before Christmas I started doing in-person events and that had a very positive impact on the brand. It's good to see the different ways in which people behave on different platforms and how they interact with the products. And that's why I'm opening a Handmade Stories pop-up in June in London so people can get immersed into the brand!

I also registered Handmade Stories as a social enterprise and got accredited in Good Market. Having external certifications is important as it gives our customers peace of mind that we are a truly ethical brand and put people over profit. And not only that, we're also part of Catalyst 2030, a global movement of social entrepreneurs and social innovators who share the common goal of creating innovative, people-centric approaches to attain the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

We were also selected for the Small Biz 100 campaign by Small Business Saturday UK, a campaign that highlights inspirational entrepreneurs from up and down the country.

But the most important for me, some of the women I work with in Peru have set up their own local businesses, which is a huge deal as it enables them to have a source of income and employ members of their community.

Talk to us about some of your biggest challenges so far:

Brexit has been one of the biggest roadblocks as when I launched the brand I had customers all over Europe, and now people don't want to buy from the UK anymore because they have to pay import tax and duties when they receive the items.

The changes in regulations and information regarding Covid have also been a challenge in physical spaces, especially at Christmas markets.

What reactions has your brand had so far?

It's had a very positive reaction, with people ordering once, and then ordering again when they realize the quality of the products.

Doing in-person events has also been great as people could touch the products and try them on before buying. They also love that each motifs have their own meaning and that they're handmade and their purchase supports communities in Peru.

“Building a brand from scratch takes time. We hear a lot on social media about overnight success, but that's the exception”

Tell us about some of the exciting plans & projects on the horizon for Handmade Stories:

I'm opening a pop-up store at 283 Hackney Road from the 2nd of June til the 3rd of July. In the store, people will be able to immerse themselves in the brand and hear the stories of our artisans, why it's important to support them, and learn about how our products are made.

During the month, we also have a range of workshops and events so people can learn how to up-cycle, recycle, and mend their clothes to make them last longer and prevent them from ending up in landfill. We also had a launch party on the 9th of June. All upcoming events and workshops can be seen and booked here: https://www.handmadestoriesworld.com/pages/workshops

We're also doing a Raffle for change, where people can donate £3 to our Development Projects Fund, and they have the chance to win a £100 Handmade Stories Gift Card. Anyone can enter here: https://www.handmadestoriesworld.com/products/raffle-for-change-ticket

Lastly- based on your experiences so far, what's your latest piece of advice for fashion entrepreneurs:

Building a brand from scratch takes time. We hear a lot on social media about overnight success, but that's the exception, and behind success, there are years of hard work, so don't get discouraged if you don't see results straight away. Building trust takes time, make sure you stand for something meaningful and build your brand for those who care about that cause.

You can read Elena’s previous article with us here.

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