Meet The Founder Of Cult Brand Peachy Den
THE BACKGROUND
As the founder and creative director of Peachy Den, I oversee the business as a whole – but look specifically at the creative side of things, from our campaign shoots to social media, pop-ups and upcoming design capsules.
My start in fashion was unconventional. I studied politics and international relations at university – and I can’t pinpoint the exact moment when I knew I wanted to start Peachy Den, but I do remember wanting to create something of my own and being able to work for myself. It started as a side hustle – shipping parcels in my lunch hour – until I finally found the courage to dedicate my entire time to it in 2019.
The initial idea was simple: to create pieces my friends and I wanted to wear. I’m always looking at what’s missing from my own wardrobe – and constantly asking my friends what they want. This intimate ethos is how the brand was born, and today it’s integrated into the fabric of the company. Product wise, I couldn’t find a brand that was making high-quality trousers with the kind of fit I wanted – form fitting but with a straight leg that flattered the figure. Versatility is our biggest selling point. I want all the pieces to be mixed and matched, and our collections are built around the notion of self-expression.
Tongue-in-cheek is the best way to describe the brand’s aesthetic. Celebrating the female form and versatility is at the forefront of our design process and there’s a Peachy silhouette for every mood and moment. We design pieces that spark joy long after the initial thrill of the purchase has worn off. Plus, we wear-test products on our own team and a wide range of shapes and sizes. If we don’t all love it, we don’t make it – period.
My personal style depends on my mood. If I’m being honest, I’d say my wardrobe is around 80% Peachy Den. Recently, when I was on holiday with a group of friends, they dubbed me the Gen-Z girl because of my dress sense, even though I’m very much a millennial!
THE BUSINESS LESSONS
Growth isn’t always the most important measure of success. It took a while to learn this and take it on within the business. Now, I try not to devalue the brand just to hit targets. Remaining true to my vision is far more important in the long run.
To be a leader, balance and consistency are important. This is especially true when working in a small team like mine. I’m very aware that the way I'm feeling will impact everyone else, so I’m learning how to be a better leader. I have to remind myself a lot that this is my first time being a CEO, so it’s very much a journey.
The best advice I can give anyone else is to start with a focused product range. This means you can keep your inventory levels low and identify your core styles. The Slinkys and the Kernel jumpsuit are still some of our bestsellers despite being the first products I ever designed. Traditionally, the stronger the signatures of your brand, the easier it is to manage. Also, a core collection is the best way to attract new customers and a great way to get them hooked on the clothes.
THE VALUES & SUSTAINABILITY
Our community is paramount to everything we do. We regularly donate to different charities and most recently – for our Glory Days football-inspired collection – we partnered with Football Beyond Borders (FBB). It’s an organisation that works with socio-economically disadvantaged young people who are passionate about football but feel disengaged at school. The organisation helps them finish school with the skills and grades to successfully transition into adulthood. We hosted a grassroots football tournament for women’s teams and are donating a percentage of profits from the drop to FBB.
Being a made-in-London brand is important to me. We're proud that over 50% of our production happens in the UK and we’re committed to increasing this number as we grow. We work with fully audited, family run, ethical factories in the UK and across Europe, and visit them regularly to build and maintain our relationships. I feel very strongly about staying local to minimise our carbon footprint and build deeper connections with the seamstresses we work with.
We built the business out of mini capsule drops. Each drop is limited, so we don’t create too much waste. We find our star products within these fashion drops, which we then restock throughout the year before the product moves into our core range.
Right now, we’re actively reassessing our level of output. Each product goes through a rigorous approval process, including vetting by each member of the team to ensure we’re all truly invested in it. Each product we create has to make sense and we want to feel confident that it’s something our customer needs. This should also help us improve our environmental impact. In addition, we only source fabrics close to our suppliers to cut down on our transportation emissions, and always prioritise recycled and organic fabrics. Our monthly ‘Deadstock Drops’ match leftover fabrics with our bestselling patterns to create one-of-a-kind pieces we know our customers will love.
THE PIECES
Our Kernel jumpsuit really put us on the map. I found something special there and, at the start, we couldn’t even keep up with the demand. I remember when Madeleine Rose posted a picture of herself in the Kernel jumpsuit and we received hundreds of orders off the back of it. That’s when I remember feeling my hard work was starting to pay off.
Our customers are style-conscious women who enjoy experimenting with fashion. We see them as people who use fashion to show off their creativity and individuality. From slinky to slouchy, contemporary to nostalgic, refined to rebellious, there’s a Peachy silhouette for everyone to have fun with.
My go-to Peachy look right now is either one of our miniskirts (the Mimi Mini or the Pixie) with lace leggings and a vintage denim bustier or the Jenn jeans with our new vest (unreleased as yet) and lots of statement silver jewellery.
THE FUTURE
We can’t wait to meet our community IRL at our first west London pop up in Notting Hill next month. There’s also talk of a flagship store, but I won’t give too much away for now. Elsewhere, we’re shooting our upcoming campaign ‘Lucky Stars’ over the next few weeks – stay tuned on our Instagram and TikTok for some sneak peeks. We’re also working on staying local, boosting our UK manufacturing processes and introducing a resell service and vintage edit.
Visit PeachyDen.co.uk
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