Lockdown fashion idea now global hit
AFASHION designer who created a clothing range f rom her spare room during lockdown now has international customers and a turnover of more than a quarter of a million pounds.
Jayne Lasley, a buyer for high street brands such as New Look and Internationale, was made redundant during the pandemic.
When she came across a collection she had designed in her final year at university to cater for bigger- busted women, she launched a Fairlie Curved Instagram page to share her tips.
Within a week, she had 1000 followers from around the world.
Buoyed by the response and passionate about body positivity, Jayne, who lives in Langbank in Renfrewshire, used her old sewing machine to design and sell a white organic cotton t- shirt, ideal for hourglass figures, via Instagram. Orders quickly came in from around the UK.
After receiving support from Business Gateway, Scotland’s national business advisory service, Fairlie Curved is now a successful e- commerce business selling clothing and accessories – including a bestselling leather jacket – for women above a
D- cup. After opening her first premises in Paisley in early 2021, Jayne is now based in Port Glasgow, and is planning to develop the wholesale part of her business, focusing on pop- up events and more visibility in boutiques.
Jayne said: “Although I had lots of experience in the fashion industry, I’d never run a business, and didn’t have any plans to when I launched the Instagram page.
“My vision was to offer fashionable but classic options that would stand the test of time while empowering women.
“Business Gateway played a huge part in helping me to take the plunge to transform Fairlie Curved into an established business. It was incredibly daunting, but I always knew that my adviser would be at the other end of the phone.”
Last year, Business Gateway introduced Jayne to Invest in Renfrewshire and Graduate Career Advantage Scotland, and as a result she now employs a graphic designer and a social media marketing executive.
She now has 20,000 followers, with Fairlie Curved successfully turning over more than £ 250,000. She was recently awarded Business Women Scotland’s Start- Up Business of the Year and has been listed in a national newspaper’s 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch.
Mario Alonzi, Business Gateway adviser, said: “Jayne has identified a real gap in the market with Fairlie Curved, and it has been fantastic to watch her business go from strength to strength.
“The global growth and financial success are a testament to her business savvy but also her dedicated passion to what she wants to achieve and help other women feel.”
I wanted to offer fashionable options that would stand the test of time