A Leap Of Faith

From London Fashion Week to Alternative Provision.

As I’m preparing myself for my first day volunteering At London East Alternative Provision, a PRU school specifically tailored to those excluded from mainstream school I look back on my journey over the past 3 years and how it all began.

“ You can’t just slap LOVER on the front of a t-shirt and give a bit of money to charity… That’s just not enough’….

Little did I know at the time but that was a stand out statement during a conversation at A/W18 London Fashion Week that changed the trajectory of my career path … I’m not exactly sure if they are the exact words but over time and through the distortion of internal Chinese whispers and a twisted kaliderscope of ruminating it’s what remains imprinted in my memory.

I started my journey of raising funds and awareness for the UK charity NACOA ( National Association of Children of Alcoholics ) just after my dad passed away. Knowing how some brands have made a real difference it was an obvious decision to use Darkest Star, my fashion label to produce a garment where the profits would be passed onto the charity.

Earlier that year I’d patiently stitched a custom made leather matador jacket with heavy embellishment for a private client, whilst spending many hours hand beading I would drift into storyland and imagined the matadors lover stealing the jacket from his wife after discovering his deadly impalement , or slipping it over a crisp white shirt and climbing out the window of his marital home after a secret encounter … the making of that jacket inspired a womenswear collection , aptly named LOVER.

I’m definitely not a one trick pony and have many ‘loves’, I also believe that if we all shared a little more love for each other the world would be a better place. I like the graphic nature of the word in heavy, bold type , so it was an obvious choice to use the word LOVER and call the collection “Let Lovers Unite” with all profits going to NACOA.

We produced a small collection compiling a dress and 4 jersey tops each with LOVER printed across the front. Because of my passion for design and Hand Made UK we decided not to buy in blanks but to cut and make ourselves using a fabulous factory in North London from an excellent quality jersey. We produced a lookbook with a section dedicated to explaining the charitable cause.

Being incredibly passionate NACOA’s work and “Breaking the Cycle’ of addiction I thought we’d covered all bases. I’m confident speaking about the impact alcohol has on a family, I can draw from my own experience and add a personal twist.

During one of the pre show flurries, energy was rising. There were periods of time where tumbleweed would sweep though the British Fashion Council so these waves of excitement were well received. With rails being flicked and peacocks parading I enjoyed introducing Darkest Star and talking about Lovers Unite.

One guy stood out, he was pretty cool and came over to chat. He owns a shop, ‘Never Fade’ on Old Compton Street in Soho. He invited kids from deprived inner city estates to paint and spray street art onto garments which he then sold. He’d created a community where the kids had a sense of belonging. We talked in-depth about giving back and how to use business for the power of good.

“ You can’t just slap LOVER on the front of a t-shirt and give a bit of money to charity… That’s just not enough’….

At that moment the wheel started to turn and my business, career and ultimately life began to change.

If I want to break the cycle of addiction then it’s imperative I start working on ground level. I need to understand teenagers from an environment of addiction and what they need to lead a fulfilled life. I can’t just rely on my own experiences.

It was a blessed day when I met Astrid, the head mistress of LEAP. We were talking about the kids in her school and how they come from a real mix of families , many from poverty and addiction. I asked if there was any way that I could shadow their art teacher in the hope of working on an art project with the kids.

Thankfully she agreed and that leads me to this moment…

Main Image Credit - Photo by Edu Lauton on Unsplash

Below Image Credit - Andy D’Cruze