In the bustling markets of London's East End, a young Lucy Aylen began her journey in the world of fashion. Inspired by her market trading parents, she started customising small samples of clothing to sell at Portobello and Spitalfield markets. This humble beginning marked the inception of what would later become a global fashion brand - Never Fully Dressed. Today, the brand is known for its bold prints, creative styling, and multi-wear pieces that cater to a diverse range of sizes.
The journey from a small UK brand to a global business was not without its challenges. From operating out of her parent's attic to opening the first store in Essex, Lucy navigated the complexities of the fashion industry with resilience and creativity. The brand's growth was further propelled by the advent of social media, particularly Instagram, which allowed their designs to reach a wider audience.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Never Fully Dressed adapted and thrived, expanding its operations into the US market with a permanent retail store in New York City. The brand also places a strong emphasis on sustainability, incorporating eco-friendly materials and practices into its operations."
As we delve into this interview with Founder & Stylist, Lucy Aylen, as we explore the inspiring journey of Never Fully Dressed, the lessons learned along the way, and the future plans for this dynamic fashion brand.
1. Lucy, can you tell us about the journey of Never Fully Dressed from a small UK brand to a global business?
"I started Never Fully Dressed by customising a small amount of clothes to sell at London boutique markets, with a creative flair and passion to connect with customers so this was perfect for me. The business grew through stylists and a small pool of celebs wearing our clothes, even before social media. We then expanded with the launch of Instagram allowing our clothes to be shared further. We opened our first store in 2014 in Essex which was originally going to be our office but soon become a popular destination for our newness. I have always wanted to expand our community and grow our honest voice as well as give back which is why we now have 4 key charity’s we continuously support. Our international expansion has come organically with the desire to share our brands message of feel good dressing."
2. What inspired you to expand Never Fully Dressed into the US market and open a permanent retail store there?
"We love our customers all over the world, we saw a real desire for our designs at our pop-up stores in LA and NY over the years and wanted to expand on this excitement through our product offering. Opening in New York is a real honour especially with our size inclusivity running from a US 2-24. It’s been amazing to see customers coming into the store and being able to select their size off the rail."
3. How has your background, growing up with market trading parents in East End, influenced your approach to fashion and business?
"My parents always taught us from a young age that if we wanted something we had to work for it. I used to work at car boot sales at the weekend to pay for materials to make the first wave of clothing to invest back into the business. My Mum is the real boss of NFD, she is still very involved in our design and buying process, she’s got the most amazing commercial eye and business drive, she could sell anything to anyone."
4. You started manufacturing clothing from your parent's attic and selling pieces at London markets. How did this experience shape your understanding of the fashion industry?
"Well, my grandparents were seamstresses in the East End too, so think the hands on element was in my nature. When I first started I used to carry the clothes in a suitcase on the train to sell at the markets, then come home and upload a few images to our Facebook to keep selling. I have always been driven, creative and community focussed which are the aspects I have bought into the business at all levels. When you start as a one man band you do all roles so adapt to ways of working, I carved my own way working up through the industry."
5. Never Fully Dressed promotes sustainability in many ways, including using recycled polyester or eco viscose. Can you elaborate on why sustainability is important to your brand?
"All fashion brands should be responsible for their own footprint in the industry and be accountable for making a change, it needs to come from within and not due to exterior pressure factors. We work extremely hard to introduce new manufacturing processes, use sustainable materials and also reduce waste."
6. What challenges did you face when opening your first US store, especially what challenges did you face during the COVID-19 pandemic?
"The store opening was pretty smooth and the feedback has been so positive throughout. I wouldn’t call them challenges but it wasn’t as easy interviewing staff remotely as it would have been face to face. We have created such a strong team that delivers on our key brand messages daily."
"The pandemic forced us to be a lot more agile as a team (which isn’t negative at all), it allowed us to act on impulse and ensure that everyone was accountable for daily tasks. We changed how we shot from models to working with key creators and also myself stepping into that role."
7. How does the US market differ from the UK market, and how have you adapted your strategies accordingly to meet consumer needs?
"Our brand strategy has an International focus, we are always adapting to our marketing locally to ensure we offer a broad range of products and multi way styling that suits all. The US market is super exciting and powerful for us, we have seen a big increase in not only store but also our online sales which excites and motivates us to do more. Our inclusive size offering sets us apart from other stores allowing customers to shop in person, in their size within a competitive price point. The US customer loves our elevated fabrics, print innovations and styling methods."
8. Can you share more about your future plans for Never Fully Dressed, both in the US and global retail industry?
"Continue to grow our customer base internationally focussing on our core categories of dresses and occasion wear with the complement of outerwear and knitwear across iconic NFD prints whilst always listening to our customers’ needs for further product development."
