Monty & Ward - Mayfield, East Sussex
Getting contacts as a fashion student in the fashion industry is extremely useful, important and will help me to reach those goals! Back in December, I went to the store opening of Monty & Ward in Mayfield, East Sussex. Lucy who works in production for Zoë Jordan and whom I was given a contact by family and friends to get an internship, has her brand Lulu Hayes London and is a stockist in this store.
Monty & Ward first started when the designer Kate created a bra that would fit and be comfortable. It avoids having scratchy lace; wires; stiffening; irritating hooks and eyes; and the awkwardness of trying to adjust your straps. The reason for this was for her to feel comfortable after having a bi-lateral mastectomy and back muscle reconstruction. She has found a definite niche in the lingerie industry. All the stockists in store are from ethical clothing brands, including fitness and swimwear and then smaller accessories such as homemade chocolate, books, linen and recipe books.
This weekend, I met up with Kate and went through some tips that's I have learnt for social media, merchandising and promotion that I have found out from working at Zoë Jordan and what best works for a business. I attempted to sample a Monty & Ward bra. However, I knew that sewing a bra was going to be fiddly and that there are degrees for just doing lingerie. It is an extremely niche and high intensive skill to have or to learn, especially with jersey that I have always tried to stay away from after trying to make a pair of pyjamas at school. After my internship with Zoë Jordan, I have been given the opportunity to work alongside a swimwear collab with Monty & Ward x Lulu Hayes London. I have a several shifts lined up of working in the store by myself next month! I haven’t been given any further info about the collab and you will all have to see what comes available or you could follow @LuluHayesLondon and @MontyandWard on Instagram as they will be starting to share sneaks and peaks!
Working with both Kate and Lucy, has had me thinking whether after making a collection in my final year, could I become a stockist or even have my own business? I have always wondered about this and this could be easily an option for me. I have the retail skills, but there are so many areas of a business from working in Zoë Jordan, which is like the behind the scenes of working in a store but not on a shop floor. Have I got the skills for my own business? Well I am always up for learning a new skill and this could easily be possible if I put my mind to it. Maybe having an online store is a better starting point and working up from there and seeing how it progresses.
Image - Monty & Ward
Having a random but a super cool idea, could be the best thing for me? I have always been a keen enthusiast about socks! I have frilly ones, socks with faces, neon socks and I even made a pair of bright neon over the knee socks with an excessive amount of frills covering the whole length for a project last year. Maybe these socks could be my starting point for a sock brand? The only thing putting me off starting this business is :would people be interested in buying my sock designs; having a loss of money and having that money to start it up. Could it all just be a waste of money or could it be the best idea?
Image - Ali Wylie - My psychotropical socks from second year
Ali xox