Founded by Harriet in 2020, Saywood is rooted in a deep respect for craftsmanship. Every piece is thoughtfully crafted in the UK, with an emphasis on silhouette, proportion and finish. From the subtle placement of a button to the curve of a collar and unexpected details, each element is a study of precision and artistry.

Harriet redefines everyday dressing through her considered designs – creating timeless, distinctive pieces for the conscious woman and man who curate their wardrobe with care, purpose and quiet confidence.

DREAM

Did you always dream of starting your own business, or did the idea evolve over time?

I think I always wanted to have my own business. My dad has his own business, he’s a hairdresser, so I was definitely inspired by that. I’ve always loved fashion, I knew I wanted to have my own label, but I wanted to go out into industry and work first. I think making connections, understanding the processes, and learning how the industry works is really important.

There was a moment when I was in between jobs and it was the perfect time to get started on Saywood; I had three months where I started working on developing the branding, starting work on the patterns, and then I went back to work I did it alongside. It took me about four years after I was back at work to get it ready to launch, but I think through working, and spending time in industry, and just developing my own handwriting, my own personal style, seeing what was out there, that was really when I started to understand what the business was going to be and what the brand was going to look like. Inevitably it develops as you go, but ultimately when it comes to the product, that has stayed true to what I imagined it to be from the beginning.

What is the vision for your business, and how does it reflect what matters most to you?

I want to create the wardrobe essentials that everybody wants in their wardrobes; pieces that are unique and fit really well, are comfortable, and that you actually feel joy and love in wearing them every day. To me, it’s about what the customer wants, creating the pieces they can truly treasure. I think connecting with the story is behind our clothes is really essential to how we treasure them and connect with what we wear; no one founder or designer could do it alone, so to me, the people who make our clothes are just as important as any other part of the business, and it’s their stories that I really want to tell. But also as a brand, to create a label that is absolutely at its core sustainable, ethical and there to drive forward that circular fashion future, because I really believe that this is essential to fashion surviving inherently, and to our own survival on our planet.

Fashion has a huge impact on our Earth; it doesn’t need to. I don’t believe that producing so much clothing on mass, for such a high rate of consumption, is actually even good for our mental well-being, as well as the damage that it causes to the Earth. So, at its core, I really want Saywood to create beautiful pieces that people love and cherish, but that are inherently sustainable; that’s my job as a designer, and as a founder and business owner, to ensure that everyone in supply chain is paid fairly, that the materials we are using are sustainably sourced, regenerative, and that our clothes don’t leave lasting damage to the Earth, should it ever make its way to the ground.

I think this is where timeless design comes in to play too, pieces created to be worn through generations. The longer we can love and enjoy wearing our clothes, the better. Being able to eventually pass them on to someone you love, is all part of treasuring our clothes, and inherently part of circularity.

Your top piece of advice for anyone dreaming of starting their own business.

Be clear on what you want, why you are doing it, and what you believe in, but ultimately, just get started. I think it takes a long time to develop a business and grow it, especially when you do the math – how you go from those first few pieces to a more full collection – so I think getting started, working things out as you go, is sometimes the best way to do it: learn on the job, don’t try to perfect everything before you start, because you will evolve the business as you learn and increase your understanding from your customers.

I do also think, for anyone who wants to create sustainably, which I think this is really important for anyone trying to start a business at this stage, be really clear on what sustainability means to you, because you will have to back up any of your claims, any decisions you make, and it will help you stay on track. It will also reduce the amount of overwhelm in decision making that you have, because you’ll have to very quickly rule out a lot of things, sometimes that is actually really helpful, especially when you’re starting a business on your own.

Imagine complete freedom (no financial restriction) to grow your business in any direction – what would you create, launch, or change?

What a question! Imagine no financial restrictions! I’ve got a long list of what I’d love to do, from new product categories, such as jackets and coats; they’re something I’ve always struggled to find in natural fibres and styles that I really love. I’d love to do shoes eventually. I do love shoes, but I think actually for me, it’s probably having a team. I’d love to have a team behind me, people to bounce off, the support in the business and the vision, but also to actually be able to bring a lot more community activity and events for our customers, because I really love meeting people, I love the community atmosphere. The more I can do with that, and also to give back to everyone who has supported Saywood, especially those that have supported us since the beginning, I think that is really important. With a team, you can just do that bit more in this sense.

INSPIRE

Who or what inspired you to start this journey, and how does that continue to fuel your work today?

I think a lot of the inspiration came from everyday conversations; things people were looking for but what they couldn’t find in terms of their wardrobes; good fitting everyday pieces, interest, colour. And having been in the industry, and studied sustainability at University, just seeing the lack of attention being paid to the, I was determined to do something about it.

But I also love stories about people starting businesses from scratch, especially those who have had to do it without a leg up. I think it’s really inspiring, and I think the more that we can prove that anyone can do it, if you have the determination and the willingness to go slow, the richer the world will be. When you have financial barriers, you have to learn to do a lot yourself, and it can simply take a longer amount of time to get things off the ground. I think just being able to see people who have created these incredible design houses as well, that’s so inspiring in itself, to see the people that have got before.

What story about your business journey would you tell to inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs?

I think it’s to have belief in yourself. You will have people around you who will believe in you, and you’ll need them, but I think, ultimately, you have to believe in yourself, because there are times where you will struggle, it will get hard, you will feel low, and you really have to know why you’re doing it, who you’re doing it for, and absolutely believe in yourself that you can do it, because you have to push through those times. I think you don’t want to be reckless, but sometimes you have to have a belief that everything will turn out all right, and to be honest often it does. Once you lay the ground for it, you make it happen yourself, it’s like manifesting, you put something out to the universe but you don’t then just forget about it, you lay out your path to make it happen and you go get it. I think that’s how you make things happen for yourself.

If you could mentor your younger self at the start of your business journey, what would you say to her?

Break it down. I think breaking everything down into smaller steps makes things easier, and I would say just keep going. I think when you can start to see things changing, that’s when you know you have to keep going; change happens slowly, but when you see the trajectory that you’re on, that is mentally game changing for you, and you have to keep believing in it. When you think about the dream that you had, versus five years down the line where you are, it’s actually really remarkable, so I guess I would say keep going, because you’ll get there.

Can you name a woman in business who inspires you, and why? What qualities, actions, or values do you see in her that you aspire to.

I’m inspired by all the female founded small business women, who are doing what they do against the odds of a very male dominated system. Women entrepreneurs receive less funding, less financial backing than male business founders often do, and ultimately experience things differently. I think just seeing women go out there and get it for themselves is inspiring, and I think we should celebrate their stories more.

What part of running your business brings you the most joy, pride, or meaning – and how does that fuel your motivation to keep going?

This is definitely the customers; I absolutely love talking with them, getting to meet them at the pop-ups and events. Hearing what they have to say and how they feel in your clothes, just getting to know them too, I think it’s so inspiring. And often, they are inspired by what you do, and interested in you as a designer; you don’t often get to meet the people behind your favourite brands, so for them it’s really special too. But I think, as a designer, you’re so inspired by your customers and what you what they do, who they are, I’ve met such incredible people through having the business, and I am in awe of what they do every day, whether that’s in business, family life, who they are their commitment to activism or the planet, or to their industry, making change happen. I think you get to meet the most incredible people, and I think that is so inspiring, that’s what brings me the most joy and pride, it really makes this job meaningful, because without them, there is no brand, so it’s super special to meet them personally.

CONFIDENCE

What challenges have you overcome that proved to you that you’re capable of running and growing your business?

 I think there are several challenges. I think some of them are the disasters that you think, oh my gosh how am I ever going to get through this or fix this, and inevitably you do because you put your head down and you figure it out and you overcome them. I think that actually gives you real confidence for the next challenge, because you know you have to get through them. And then I think there are the sort of challenges, which, to be honest, when you’re at the earlier stages of business, a lot of those tend to be financial, and you’re figuring things out as you go. Sometimes you have to re-prioritise, or you have to work out away to make it happen. I think sometimes in business, especially when you work on your own and you don’t have a team, that actually is a really powerful thing to be able to do, because you put yourself in a position where you have to just go for it, and sometimes you have to make scary decisions, but those can be the things that actually can be the most rewarding and the best decisions you’ve made. For example, committing to a shop can be nerve-wracking, but it’s lovely when we get to do the pop-ups together, and you get to go out and meet people, you meet your customer, and you realise that everything that you’re doing is there to help someone in its own way, and I think that’s really special.

In which area of your business do you feel the most confident, and how did you build that strength?

 I think the area of the business that I feel most confident about is in the product, because that’s my background. Everything else I’ve been learning as I go; sales, marketing, how to get the brand out there. It’s all a big learning curve, but I think when you are very true to your product, the quality, the finish, the craftsmanship, manufacturing, – that’s what I’ve done throughout my career and time in industry – I think that when you then get to talk about your product in real life to people who live it and are intrigued by the story, it becomes really special, because you have a real connection with your audience through shared passion. Getting to have those connections in real life is so important. I love speaking with people, and the more you have these social connections, you become more confident with it. Meeting customers and people at the pop ups, people that have been following the brand, that’s really special, and people who you’re just introducing the brand too as well. So, I think that’s an area that I feel confident in, and that I really enjoy on a personal level.

How do you celebrate your wins, big or small, and how does that build your confidence?

 I am not very good at celebrating my wins, no matter how big or small. I guess, small wise, I love actually being able to share with my family and friends; it’s lovely to be able to feel excited about those little wins and what you’ve achieved. I should probably celebrate them in a big way more often, maybe that would help build confidence too. Maybe that’s a good reminder for me to take the time to celebrate more.

What risk or leap have you taken in your business that required confidence?

In terms of a big leap that required a lot of faith or confidence, I think this year has been quite a big year in that respect. I’ve been doing some long-term pop-ups; I think it requires a lot of trust and faith in your brand to commit to a space for a longer period.

And this year I’ve been able to increase orders for production significantly because of it, where I can see that I’m selling out of styles fast, and being able to actually restock styles too. That’s been quite a big thing this year, because you’re trusting that people will still want those styles, and I think that’s exciting. These are wardrobe essentials, classics, the things that everyone wants, needs and loves to have in their wardrobes. Just done with something a little bit different, in a different way, and I think that’s what makes them really special.

This year I’ve also worked on knitwear; this has been a real leap of faith as the development has been big – it’s taken time, there’s been a few disasters, but it’s also been wonderful at the same time. And in the two years I’ve been developing it, it did require faith that it was going to work out. I had to make some changes to the supply chain, but I am so happy with the final results. A confidence in where it’s going is often what’s needed as you stumble through the beginnings.

EMPOWER

AJ’s pieces are about feeling empowered and have embroidered quotes inside them – what is your favourite inspiring quote?

I often see quotes and smile, but there’s so many of them, they go in and out of my mind. What I often find though, is in a moment of need, you’ll see the quote that means something to you when you most need it.

How does your business empower others – whether employees, customers, or your community?

There’s a few sides to this. Certainly empowering the people who make our clothes, through fair pay, but also just the direct connection, meeting the makers and being able to thank them for what they create for you. So many big brands don’t have a personal connection with their makers, and I just think having this is empowering all round. I think, when it comes to the customers, it’s empowering people to wear what they love and to feel good in it for who they are. Clothes give us a superpower, how we choose to dress gives us an emotional feeling, and when you feel good in what you wear that is empowering. Equally, when it comes to the wider community, empowering them to make their own decisions about fashion, what they choose to wear, but also the type of brands they want to interact with. They don’t have to be your customer, but if they believe in what you do and the way you do it, in terms of ethics, sustainability etc, then that helps to empower them to commit to that in their own way too. The more people we have in the world committing to doing things better, the healthier, kinder, and more joyful our world will be.

What do you need to feel more supported or empowered right now as a woman in business? What is the industry lacking?

Support and financial backing. It’s still limited for women in business; there’s so many hurdles to jump, and often the support is very generic. Especially when it comes to fashion; few publications and big stores support smaller independents. Getting your name out there takes time, and whilst there are programmes and mentorships to support smaller businesses, it’s still really limited. Especially when it comes to sustainability; it’s not rocket science, we already have so many solutions, but backing what exists is never the route of Governments; they want to see big tech, things they can shout about… but what if they were shouting about what is actually happening now, through small businesses, and supporting them to grow.

In what ways does your business give you personal power – financially, emotionally, or creatively – and how has that changed your life?

Creatively it has given me huge personal power. I am designing what I really believe in, I get to cut the patterns for this, and just to work creatively most days. This has brought me a lot of joy. Emotionally, I think that’s been creating very powerful personal connections with people who believe in what you do. And doing it for what you really believe in too. It makes a huge difference to your everyday life when you do what you truly love and believe in it wholeheartedly. Financially, it’s a work in progress, but for every penny you earn, you have earnt it doing what you love and believe in, for your dream and not a big company that has no real personal connection or commitment to you.

And finally, do you have any exciting new plans or products for your brand?

Yes! This AW25 Saywood is launching our first knitwear collection. I am really excited for this. It’s been a work in progress for almost two years, so to see this finally come to life is really exciting, as the next chapter to our wardrobe essentials. Along with some new shirts and beautiful fabrications, I am also relaunching the brand and website; putting into practise everything I have learnt from our wonderful customers, and I’m really excited to be able to bring the world of Saywood to life in a more beautiful, more connecting, and more definitive way.

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