muklet the beginning

B: (pointing down the road to my old office) Mummy, why don’t you work there any more?

Me: Because they decided they didn’t need my help any more.

B: Why don't they need your help?

Me: Because they think they can design their clothes without me.

B: So what are you going to work as Mummy?

Me: I’m going to make some cool things, some T-shirts and cushions, that I think you and your friends will like.

B: I can help Mummy, I can draw pink pictures for the girls and blue pictures for the boys.

And that was it, that was the moment I decided to go for it. I was going to stop procrastinating and wondering what if, and set up a kids' brand.

2014 had, if I'm honest, been a pretty crappy year. I’ll save you the gory details, but you could liken the events of the last 12 months to an episode of ‘Days of Their Lives’. Then, just before Christmas, came the icing on the cake: I was being made redundant from the job I'd fallen in love with. Cheers Santa!

Now, those who know me, know I'm the 'glass half full’ kinda gal – what doesn’t kill you and all that. So, dusting myself off, I decided to grab 2015 with both hands. I’d been working in the fashion industry as a womenswear and childrenswear designer pretty much since the day I graduated. My career had taken me to London, then New York, then back to London (dragging the American husband I’d acquired Stateside with me). While in New York I'd worked for Ralph Lauren, which is where I ‘found myself’ as designer. I'd discovered I loved creating beautifully designed and crafted clothing and accessories (out of the very best and sometimes most expensive materials of course!). I relished designing into the heritage of the brand and sourcing vintage items to inspire my creations. When we moved back across the pond I went on to work with other heritage brands including Jack Wills and Barbour.

Me & the muklets. Wearing my trusty Barbour Jacket

Although I loved designing and creating, the fashion world can be a tough one to survive in, particularly when children arrive on the scene. Since being made redundant I’d struggled to find a role I was passionate about and that got me home in time to see the boys. Like a lot of designers I’d always dreamt about having my own clothing brand, but never really had the guts to do it.

So, at this crossroads in my career I decided it was time … balls out Laura … time to go for it!