The Scottish Mail on Sunday - You
THE WINNER FOR OFF-DUTY WOW
Founded in 2003 by Mandy Watkins, Hush is beloved for its easy separates and comfort-first ethos – not least, its cult joggers. The idea for Hush was born from my first British winter after I moved here from Australia. The cold and dark came as such a nasty shock that my reaction was to hibernate, and I realised there must be a gap in the market for a clothing brand dedicated to making time at home special. When I was made redundant, it gave me both the time and a bit of money to follow my dream.
Brands often reflect their origins and I think me being Australian – Aussies are a pretty easy-going, optimistic bunch – shows in our products. Also, my husband is a journalist, so the lifestyle element of the brand was integral to Hush from the start and something we probably did before anyone else. Plus, we grew the business quite literally from the kitchen table, so it’s very personal. I hope our customers can see that intimacy and care.
We used to have a jumper that was our heroine style – until it started cropping up everywhere. Now it’s probably our leather joggers. My own favourite are the trousers I’m wearing [opposite] from our current collection – I love their colour, their androgynous vibe, the way they can be dressed up or down. They’re also comfy, flattering and don’t crease.
A customer once wrote to us saying Hush had changed her life. She told us she used to dread weekends because she never knew what to wear, but we’d given her a wardrobe that finally enabled her to look forward to them. That meant a lot. I know we’re not saving lives, but putting a smile on someone else’s face is always a pretty great achievement. hush-uk.com