Small brand shout-out: Peachy Den

In our new weekly series, Digital Fashion Editor Chloe Street gives you the lowdown on a boutique brand she's loving

28 June 2020

I’m an absolute sucker for a jumpsuit.

But a jewel-toned, form-fitting, flared-leg slinky satin jumpsuit that’s sustainably designed and made in the UK? Well, honestly, I’m done.

Which is why I was delighted to this week stumble across London label Peachy Den.

Founded in 2019 by Isabella Weatherby, the brand centres on reasonably priced seventies-inspired jumpsuits in satin and velvet that flatter the form and big up the bootie. The fabrics are all sourced in the UK and the pieces are made by a small team based in South London. What’s not to love?

I caught up with Weatherby to hear a bit more about the Peachy story...

Peachy Den satin jumpsuits

What were you doing before Peachy Den?

I studied Politics & International Relations at University so nothing to do with fashion at all. I continued to work in the realm of international relations until finally I made the leap to follow my dream and dedicated my time fully to Peachy Den in January 2019. On reflection, my naïveté helped me to kickstart my idea because I could focus on my vision, rather than being held back by the technical aspects of design. As I become more knowledgeable and the brand grows, decisions are definitely more daunting.

What was the inspiration for starting the brand?

The idea was born out of a personal desire as I felt there weren’t enough brands around making high-quality trousers that fit really well. So it all began with one pair – flared & perfectly fitted with an elasticated waistband. The result was a trouser that turns a pancake into a peachy derriere and truly celebrates the female form.

Peachy Den velvet jumpsuit

Tell me about the name?

"Peachy" comes from the fact our designs are form fitting and made to sculpt your body — and booty. I then added "Den" as I wanted the brand to create and build community - inspired by our "peachy people", friends of the brand and real women. The name encompasses our playful approach to fashion and a feeling of community.

You source and produce everything in the UK. Tell me about the challenges that come with that...

Over lockdown, my main priority has been learning about eco-friendly fabrics and brainstorming how to incorporate these into existing products and new collections. I have found it difficult to source sustainable noble fibre fabrics from within the UK, going forward we are looking to secure fabrics with a higher content of natural fibres and recycled fabrics and for that we are looking to the EU and Japan.

To minimise our carbon footprint and waste, our studio and manufacturer are based less than 2 miles apart from each other in South London. There are many high quality manufacturers within the UK - and ultimately, it is more expensive - but we love local craft and supporting our community.

We operate with a zero-waste policy with our fabrics meaning all our left over fabrics are made into scrunchies and any faulty garments and samples are sold via Instagram or Depop.

At the moment we are donating profits from our scrunchie sales to charity. Each month, we will choose a different local charity to support. To kick off the proceeds, we have chosen The Bay Tree Centre, a social inclusion charity for women and girls, based in the heart of Brixton.

Are you worried about the state of the fashion industry?

What makes the fashion industry particularly problematic is the pace of change it encourages. Consumers are pushed into buying the latest items season upon season. As brands, we have a responsibility to encourage customers to re-evaluate the relationship they have with their clothing. By designing quality, every-day-favourite items with cuts and colours that work beautifully across seasons, we can considerably diminish the environmental impact of each garment.

Brands need to implement several sustainable initiatives that focus on both protecting the planet and creating a better working environment for its workers. As well as disrupting the linear production model to work in a more circular model - recycling old textiles and garments from overproduction. Ultimately, brands that will thrive in the future will be those that are built around community, the planet and kindness.

Peachy Den blue satin jumpsuit

And how was lockdown for you?

Since Peachy Den is built around a slow fashion mentality and sustainable growth, our production has not been hugely affected by lockdown. Our summer collection is only three products, sold exclusively via our website, so our manufacturer in London has been able to continue working on these taking the necessary precautions, which I am very grateful for.

It has been amazing to feel such levels of support from the fashion community, and wider industry, during this time. Several magazines, online platforms, individuals etc. have made personal appeals to support and prioritise small business over big brands - this has been incredibly helpful and has definitely been felt in our sales.

Peachy Den

What can we look forward to next with Peachy Den?

I have just moved into my own Studio in South London and have hired the first members of our team - which is so exciting and surreal. We have a few upcoming collaborations around the corner and we can't wait to reveal what we have been working on with model and photographer June Bourgeois. At the moment - we are focusing on what we do best - slinky, stretchy, sets and jumpsuits but there are definitely some exciting new pieces we will be adding to the collection as we continue to grow.

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