‘I WON A BUSINESS AWARD’
CLOVER LEWIS, 41, APPEARED IN W&H IN OCTOBER 2014 TO SUPPORT BREAST CANCER CARE AFTER HAVING A MASTECTOMY FOLLOWING BREAST CANCER. SHE HAD JUST SET UP HER OWN POST-MASTECTOMY SWIMWEAR BRAND, CLOVER LEWIS SWIMWEAR (CLOVERLEWIS.COM). SHE LIVES IN LONDON WITH HER PARTNER JON.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT… When I appeared in w&h I was still in the pre start-up stage of my swimwear business for women who have had mastectomy surgery. Developing our product was proving tough, as post-mastectomy swimwear is technically challenging to make. But following positive feedback from the w&h feature, I felt a fresh wave of motivation to launch the business.
AFTER THE MAGAZINE CAME OUT, a woman sent me an email. She’d been ill with breast cancer, and told me that her mum had kept the article for her until she thought she was ready to wear swimwear again. She came to my studio and we picked out costumes that would make her feel comfortable. It was really emotional for both of us seeing her confidence soar again after such a tough time. Meeting her, I realised that people needed this product, and that it could work.
As a w&h subscriber, I read the New Directions pages all the time, and find it so inspiring seeing how women have turned their great ideas into successful enterprises. So, I got my head down and worked hard, and finally launched the business to retailers in 2015, and to individual customers this year.
I’m still developing my confidence, but I’m happy to say that now the company is on the up, and we’re continuing to grow.
We’ve even gone on to win an award! At the UK Lingerie Awards 2015, I was stunned to receive Post-surgery Brand of the Year. To be shortlisted with brands like Amoena and Debenhams was a complete surprise.
This business has been my recovery project after my own cancer battle. And that push to move it forward means I’ve created something that means so much to me, and that I know I can be really proud of.