I want to tell you a story about a slow fashion founder who reminds me so much of the incredible community we’ve built at The Fashion Advocate.
Let’s call her Emma (and I've changed her name for privacy reasons). She runs a beautiful, sustainable clothing label—think natural fibres, ethical production, timeless design.
When I first met Emma, she had the heart, she had the product, she had a brand that deserved success. But she was struggling.
Like many slow fashion founders, Emma was posting consistently, but not seeing any engagement. She was getting compliments, but not conversions. She was stuck in a cycle of content creation that felt exhausting—and she was burnt out.
She came to me saying, 'I feel like I’m shouting into the void. I’ve built something I believe in, but Instagram just isn’t working for me. I’m wondering if I should give up.'
And I hear this way more often than I should. And I know how defeating it feels when your work is powerful—but it’s not translating to sales—because I was in that void for the first five years in business when I operated without a plan.
So what changed?
Together, we shifted her approach completely. We stopped trying to 'market' her brand the fast fashion way—and started telling the slow, powerful story behind it.
Instead of posting daily just to stay 'relevant', instead of trying to sound like everyone else, instead of avoiding selling for fear of sounding 'pushy', we focused on creating trust through consistent, human connection. We shared her mission and process through story-first content. We started selling in a way that felt like serving, not shouting.
We mapped out a content strategy that aligned with her energy, her brand values, and her ideal customer’s mindset.
We built content pillars around her beliefs, her behind-the-scenes process, her design journey—and, yes, her beautiful pieces—but we told those stories in a way that invited people into her brand, rather than just trying to pitch to them.
And it worked.
Within three months, Emma was seeing her engagement increase without posting more often. She started receiving real conversations in her DMs—not just surface-level likes. She started making sales consistently from her existing community and reaching new customers worldwide.
No paid ads.
No sales funnels.
Just alignment, authenticity and intentional storytelling.
And so the biggest takeaway from slow fashion founder stories like this, like Emma's success, is that if you’re feeling stuck right now, I want you to know that you don’t need more followers to make more sales. You don’t have to post every day to be 'seen.' You can sell without selling out on your values and feeling sleazy.
Instagram can work for slow fashion brands and my clients are proof—but only when your content aligns with you personally and your unique business.
And that’s exactly what I teach inside Instagram Growth Lab.
This isn't just about sales. It's about sustainability in your business, your energy and your marketing.
If you’re ready to move from frustration to flow—like Emma did—this is the sign you’ve been waiting for.
Applications to my Instagram Growth Lab are open now. Spots are limited to 10 slow fashion founders (intentionally—I keep it small so every brand gets tailored support).
If you want to know if it’s the right fit for you, contact me and share your story.
Because if you're doing something good for the world, I want to help you do more of it.
Claire x
