Reflections On Building A Brand (2025)

I’m not entirely sure who this is written for. In many ways it’s more for myself than a wider audience, but as this journal sits alongside the ideas, values, and processes behind the brand, it felt appropriate to reflect on the past year and what it has revealed about the work I’m trying to create.

This year has been tough. Even referring to myself as a “brand owner” feels slightly bold, especially when the year has been defined more by setbacks than successes. But learning how to navigate those moments is, I’m realising, a large part of what building something responsibly actually involves.

One of the biggest challenges was a project I had been developing for a long time that didn’t unfold as expected. After months of planning and refinement, production issues surfaced, sizing came back too large, timelines shifted, and what should have been a moment of progress became a series of adjustments. The process demanded constant problem solving and recalibration, resulting in me having to scrap half the project and delay the release for the rest.

Post production brought further complications. Delays accumulated, communication became heavier, and small issues began to feel disproportionately significant. Over time, the pace took its toll, and burnout became difficult to ignore. It forced me to confront the gap between intention and execution, and to reflect on how much patience and structure meaningful work actually requires. And again, I couldn’t release what I had worked on for so long.

At the same time, this year offered lessons that would have been difficult to learn if everything had gone well. It reinforced the importance of slowing down, paying closer attention to detail, and allowing processes to take the time they need. It also clarified the kind of practice I want to build, one rooted in care, learning, and long term thinking rather than urgency.

While the year was challenging, it wasn’t unproductive. The experiences have shaped how I’m approaching the brand moving forward. I’m already preparing for next year’s projects with clearer expectations, better planning, and a more grounded understanding of the realities of production. The intention remains the same, but the approach is more considered.

This year laid a foundation I didn’t know I needed. And if this is part of what it means to build within slow fashion, then it feels worth continuing, learning through mistakes, refining the process, and creating work that holds meaning beyond the finished product.