F*ck fast fashion. That's what I really think. And if you’ve landed here, chances are you feel the same way and chances are you're trying to change it.
If you love fashion but you really don't like what it's done to the world, no doubt you've started something. A dream. A passion. You've listened to your purpose. And you’re not just trying to build a fashion brand. You’re trying to build something meaningful. Something that reflects your values. Something that makes the world a little bit better than it was yesterday. Something you can sit back and be proud of, because it has a positive impact.
You might care about ethical sourcing, low-impact materials, fair wages, and thoughtful design. At the same time, you might also feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and bamboozled at the business side of things, and maybe you don't know how to keep going without selling out your values or yourself.
If that sounds like you, hello good human. And take a deep breath. You’re exactly who I’m here for and things are going to get a heck of a lot easier from here on out.
Because I’ve been in the trenches, a few times, and I know what it's like. I know what it's like to desperately want to change the world, but feel so helpless because the problems are so big. I know what it feels like to work 10-12-14 hour days and flop into bed at night so drained and so empty but so full of determination at the same time to keep pushing. I know what it's like to struggle, to be broke, to not be able to pay my own rent. It's hard doing something for the greater good.
And my road here hasn't been easy or straightforward because following your purpose never is.
I started my first circular, sustainable, ethical and handmade fashion label nearly 20 years ago. I had no plan, no mentor, and no real idea how to grow a brand. What I did have was an unwavering belief that fashion could do better and I loved making things with my hands.
Back then, no one was talking about 'slow fashion'. Ethical and sustainable brands were few and far between. Most people assumed sustainability meant hippy harem pants or beige basics, and I spent years trying to educate people why my handmade dresses weren't 'too expensive'.
I’ve been burnt out. I’ve launched things that flopped. I’ve struggled to pay myself. I’ve cried in the car after markets. I've melted down on the kitchen floor. Several floors. Every floor in my house.
I’ve also built an internationally recognised ethical fashion platform, worked with hundreds of brands, and helped slow fashion founders finally find momentum, without burning out, selling out, or turning to paid ads out of desperation.
And that’s the road that led me here: mentoring purpose-driven fashion founders who are deeply passionate about what they do, but don’t always know how to do it as a business.
So what do I actually do?
I’m a slow fashion business mentor and strategist. I'm a sustainable fashion cheer squad girly. I'm a creative thinker and problem solver. I'm a listener and a do-er.
I help ethical, sustainable, circular and handmade fashion brands grow in way that works for them, around life, with or without kids, with or without money, and without compromising their values or their wellbeing.
I specialise in coaching creative, purpose-led fashion founders who want to build a brand that feels good and does good.
My work sits at the intersection of practical business strategy and human-centred leadership. Because I didn't start my business to learn how to 'optimise my sales funnels' or 'master my conversion rates' and I doubt you did either.
You started your brand because you care. About people. About the planet. About changing the way things are done in fashion.
You’re a designer, a maker, a storyteller. Not a salesperson. Not a digital marketer. Not a numbers person. And that’s okay.
That’s why I’m here, to help you make sense of the business side and make things easy so you can do more of what you love and stress less. So you can find more joy and ditch the juggle. So you can wake up everyday and love what you do, instead of constantly question if the blood, sweat and tears are all worth it.
But I don't work with everyone who comes to me.
The founders I work with are the real deal. They’re not greenwashing. They’re not just using sustainability as a trend. They care, deeply. About ethics, natural and low-impact fabrics, fair wages, diversity, inclusion, circularity, transparency, and community.
They are creatives, artists, visionaries, who bring their purpose to life through fashion. But many of them feel like they’re constantly struggling. They’ve tried different strategies (maybe even a few paid ads), but nothing has really clicked.
They don't want to be salesy. They don't like talking about themselves. They just want to do the work and magic the magic, not promote it all day. They're passionate, but not practical with business. They don't want to be the next Country Road or Nike, but they do want make their version of enough.
And I know that feeling. I also know this: You are not the problem. The system is.
You’ve been trying to build a purpose-driven brand in a world that rewards fast, cheap, disposable fashion. Of course it’s hard. But hard doesn’t mean impossible. In my house, when one of my daughters is struggling with something and they say, 'I can't do it', the only word I meet them with is, 'Yet'.
And I'll say the same to you. If you feel like what you're doing isn't working, it's just not working yet.
With the right support, the right systems, and the right strategy, you can grow a business that is profitable, impactful, and aligned. You can grow without burnout, without relying on ads, and without losing the heart of why you started in the first place.
And this is what makes my approach so different.
There are a million business coaches out there but not many who truly understand what it means to grow an ethical, sustainable fashion brand in a world obsessed with fast fashion, because they haven't done it. Most coaches and mentors worked in the marketing department for one, but they haven't actually muscled their way up from the bottom.
My approach is grounded in three things.
1. Ethics-first strategy. I’ll never tell you to cut corners, compromise your values, or push something that feels off-brand just to make a sale. I believe business should feel good and that slow fashion founders deserve strategies that are as thoughtful and values-led as their products.
2. Real growth, no burnout. I teach organic, practical, purpose-first marketing that actually works. No shouty sales tactics. No draining your energy on Instagram every day. Just real, grounded strategies that get you visible, build trust, and convert into sales, consistently.
3. Mindset meets marketing. Most slow fashion founders think their problem is marketing. But 90% of the time, it’s mindset. I even made a pie chart about it. Self-doubt, comparison, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, they’re all part of the journey. I weave tools to overcome them into everything I teach, because your mental health matters as much as your metrics.
And I do it because the world doesn't need more fast fashion. It needs more of you.
I believe we are in a powerful moment of change in fashion but that change won’t come from big brands with empty sustainability pledges.
It will come from small, brave, purpose-led labels. From founders who care. From you.
If you’ve been looking for someone who gets it, someone who’s been where you are, who understands both the emotional and the strategic sides of building a slow fashion brand, then I’d love to work with you.
Whether it’s through my workshops, my mentoring programs, or the Slow Fashion Lab community, I’m here to help you grow a brand that reflects your values and makes a real impact without sacrificing your energy, your ethics, or your sense of self.
If you're ready to re-align, I'd love to help you.
You don’t have to figure it all out alone. You’re not behind. You’re not bad at business. You’re just building a different kind of brand in a world that hasn’t quite caught up yet.
But your people are out there (right here!). Your community is out there. Your growth is possible. And I’m here to guide you, every step of the way.
Let’s change fashion. Slowly, ethically, powerfully, together.
Claire x
