What inspired you to start Breast Dressed?
My friends all started to have babies, and they would keep telling me how there were no decent maternity clothes out there, and even less breastfeeding-friendly clothing. I started to have a look around myself and there really wasn’t anything other than stripy tops and floral wrap dresses. I needed to solve this problem for them, and all other mums-to-be, so I set out to start a brand that created functional, stylish and long-lasting clothing that could be worn for pregnancy, breastfeeding and long afterwards, too! What made you believe you could create a fashion brand? I studied fashion design at university and I have worked in the industry as a designer for the last 15 years. I have always had an interest in functional fashion, designing clothes that had a purpose and solved a problem. I have been lucky enough to travel the world with my job, and in turn have seen first-hand the damaging effects of the fashion industry – especially fast fashion. It was a no-brainer that my brand was going to use sustainable fabrics and trims, and everything was going to be ethically made in the UK. It was important to me that Breast Dressed garments were long lasting and wearable throughout all stages of motherhood – they needed to support you through pregnancy, have subtle breastfeeding access should you need it and be wearable well beyond pregnancy, too. I wanted my collections to make women feel amazing at a time in their lives when they can feel so vulnerable and not themselves. Our collections allow you to dress as you, they can be styled and layered in so many ways, so that your personality can always shine through. We don’t follow fast fashion trends, instead we focus on flattering, yet stylish, silhouettes that suit different body shapes. What have been the biggest challenges so far? Learning how to run a business. My background is design and manufacturing, so I feel comfortable with that side of things, however all the other hats I have to wear have been a big learning curve. Building a website, running social media, marketing, managing finances, networking … the list goes on and on. I am also a self-funded business, so I am learning to walk before I can run and deciding what to prioritise. When have you felt most-proud during your journey? My proudest moment so far would be my pop up in John Lewis a couple of years ago. It was such a great opportunity, and seeing my collection in the John Lewis in Sloane Square, London was really a ‘pinch me’ moment. I look back at photos now and it still doesn’t seem real that I got to do that. In general, I feel very proud every time I get an order and receive messages from customers saying how happy they are with their Breast Dressed piece, and how good it has made them feel. You can’t really beat that feeling and it’s those messages and photos of my customers that keep me going! What are your hopes for the next few years? My dream for the next five years would be to grow the brand, be stocked in some big retailers and small boutiques and to be a well-known maternity go-to for new mums and mums-to-be. I would love to be in a position to be able to grow the team too, currently it’s just me, myself and I doing everything! It would be amazing to maybe have a business partner to help bounce ideas off and share the load with. Up until now, I have worked on Breast Dressed in my spare time, in the evenings and at weekends whilst juggling a full time job and having a baby. Just before Christmas, I quit my full-time job and I am now focussing on Breast Dressed, so I am super-excited for the year ahead. I am also hoping to do some pop-ups in the local area this year, so look out for those. If anyone is interested in meeting up or collaborating I would love to hear from you! To find out more head to breastdressed.co.uk or Instagram: @breast.dressed
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