Female Founders Series; Wild Saint London
image via @raakheetailor
FOUNDER OF WILD SAINT LONDON
It was a year of work behind the scenes before my clothing brand went live. I spent that whole year uncertain if I was really going ahead with this. I studied at the London College of Fashion, travelled to Italy on sourcing trips and visited ateliers to partner with. Yet in my mind, I was still just ‘looking’. The moment I had to place the order for stock and pay for it was when it all became real. After that step, my commitment was unwavering. Looking back over the past 4 years I can see how it has enriched my life and how it continues to take me down incredible roads that I could never have imagined.
I remember the first scarf I sold; it was thrilling. Yet unbelievably not the most memorable sale, I once sold a scarf to a passenger on the London underground, specifically the Central Line. I was travelling home with a suitcase full of samples after a festive pop-up event one December and overheard a discussion with three people sitting opposite me. One of them was on his way to being interviewed on TV, he had a noticeable stain on his white shirt and in a slight panic was asking what he was going to do. I commented offhandedly that it sounded like he could do with a scarf to cover it up, to which he asked where he was going to get one at such short notice. The rest as you can imagine was history, as they grouped together their cash, I sold him a Wild Saint London Navy 100% Baby Alpaca scarf that paired flawlessly with his navy-tailored woollen blazer.
Wild Saint London was born out of a desire to offer people an alternative to the prevalent exploitation in the world of luxury fashion. From burning excess stock worth millions to cutting down ancient trees for catwalks or suppressing workers' rights in garment factories. These companies lost touch with the true essence of luxury, I could no longer wear these brands with joy, yet I recognised that people like me still want the finest fabrics combined with beautiful craftsmanship. Wild Saint London has fair and responsible values that underpin all decisions, from design to creation. From the final selling of our items to their end of life.
My scarves elevate my every day, not outshining me unless I want them to. I love it when the temperature drops and the feeling of being warm and cosy, wrapped in one of my scarves. My favourite is the Wild Saint London Antique Rose 100% cashmere scarf. It totally captivates me with its colour, how the fabric feels against the skin and how it works effortlessly as part of my sustainable capsule wardrobe