17 years on Etsy: My journey as a designer, maker, and now a mum
Seventeen years ago, in 2008, I opened my Etsy shop.
I had just graduated from my degree in Fashion Design, entered the world of unpaid Fashion internships but craved the creativity I got during University, so I carried on in my spare time. This included sewing late at night, upcycling vintage dresses, and listing pieces on Etsy with the blurriest, most unprofessional photos you can imagine. I had no real plan, no strategy, and definitely no idea that this little shop would become such a defining part of my life.
But here we are… 17 years later.
Hundreds of products, countless hours of making, and one baby later, I’m still here… creating, still learning, still loving what I do.
How It Started: Upcycling Before Upcycling Had a Name
I’ve been upcycling since 2005, long before it was a buzzword. I was at the University of Westminster, starting a new project and was totally addicted to eBay…why? Because it was cheap! I didn’t take out a student loan because I lived at home with my mum and eBay was my saving grace! As I was putting my moodboard together, which consisted of embellished pieces from the 80s, my course leader, Andrew Groves, asked me to just get those pieces so I could see them in real life. I remember being so confused, I didn’t know that I could just buy samples that matched my ideas? I thought I had to think of things from scratch and create them from scratch?
Luckily for me, those moodboard images were from eBay! I bidded and won (nobody cared for vintage back then, AT ALL!)… and when I showed Andrew, he simply told me to use them as a base for my ideas. I was absolutely in love with this idea of giving forgotten garments a new story!! I had no idea I could do this. I had no idea that I could take something apart and rework them into something else!
I managed to find some old photos of this piece and some of my portfolio work. I took out the horrible acetate lining, changed it into a top and then embroidered into the sheer sections with thick yarn and added in large circular paillettes. It became a highlight in my portfolio as a fresh fashion design graduate especially since I also redesigned the idea of it into a catsuit which looked much more modern.
This was one of my favourite projects and definitely unlocked something in my brain in regards to upcycling and reworking existing products. I was on a path of embracing circular fashion without even realising it.
Then & Now
I decided to have a little mooch around my early listings to see how they evolved. I had no photography experience, I can’t even remember what camera I used at the time!
Before: I remember wanting to create the ultimate ‘book’ bag and I had some heavy canvas fabric in gorgeous pastel colours and white spots all over. The bags had big internal and external pockets and I remember always being so surprised when someone wanted one! I also made and sold little tutu skirts as well as bodycon sequin skirts with chunky velvet bows on them. One of the things I no longer offer are my handmade books where I hand tore each individual page because I loved the effect of the roughly feathered edges and would spend forever trying to source handmade papers that had petals embedded in them. I finished them off by hand binding them with ribbon. These were extremely time-consuming to make but they were so satisfying to complete, especially when I was being commissioned to make some for super special occasions.
After: I got really busy in my full-time Fashion Design career (but also increased my skillset massively!) so I had to drop some product categories but continued to develop my favourites such as upcycled clothing, pouches and introduced new items like tea towels and other accessories… but I like to think that I still very much kept that whimsical essence all the way through⭐
My photography skills got much better, I became so much more conscious in ‘styling’, Etsy offered more than 5 photo listings, and a video option. I also branched out and started offering my products wholesale and had them stocked in independent boutiques.
Some of my Favourite Customer Reviews
Beautiful vintage piece, had a wonderful bank holiday in my swish new jacket , great communication, lovely seller xxx
-Lauren, United Kingdom
“Photos don't do it justice. It fits perfectly and exactly as described.”
- Cheyenne, United States of America
“It fits well, it's comfortable, and it's magical! Very impressed by your upcycling!”
- Lillian, United States of America
“Such a timeless, elegant and classic dress, that I have no doubt I will keep for many years to come and pass down. The packaging and service was first class. Thank you so much! Highly recommended, Helen x ”
- Helen, United Kingdom
Thank You
Whether you’ve been here since my early Etsy days or have only just discovered my work, thank you. Supporting handmade and choosing small businesses truly means more than you might realise. Those memes about small business owners doing a little happy dance with every order? Completely true, whether it happens out loud or quietly in our heads.
Here’s to whatever comes next…🌸