Where It All Began...

So, it has been 1 whole year since I created Hart & Co. Clothing officially from my family home bedroom, and what an insane year it has been. With Covid being the biggest thing to happen to us the past year, its been a year of trials and tribulations, but also of great happenings. The best things to come out of it for me, was of course, Hart & Co. Clothing, the most amazing people I've met along the way, and as a result you guys. Our beautiful customers and friends, that I've had the pleasure of making clothes for!

With the launch of the website, a new release, and a giveaway all happening for our 1 year anniversary, I thought I'd kick it off with a little look back at the first year of Hart & Co. Clothing.

It all started in the March of 2020 when the fist lockdown was announced the day before my 21st birthday, and of course, I decided to combat this sad and scary news with some retail therapy but was left bored and frustrated at the lack of clothes l could find that I liked enough to purchase! So I grabbed my Nana's 20 year old sewing machine, and any material I could find, and started following some basic YouTube tutorials to make my first tops (now known as the Classic Halter Neck Top we sell at Hart & Co. Clothing).

The satisfaction I felt from creating tops from material that was just lying around, or going to waste was amazing. Creating something new to love out of something no one gave a second look to was the best feeling. So I began pestering my friends to let me make and send them tops to practice taking other peoples' measurements. Who doesn't love free clothes? Even if the first few were a bit dodgy... But after a pep talk from my mum, I created the Instagram page on the 28th of May 2020 to become a shop page to show to the public! I was insanely nervous because showing strangers something you really love but are very new to is terrifying but I ignored those silly little thoughts in my brain and did it anyway, and oh maaaan I'm glad I did!

Through the lockdown I was lucky enough to meet the most amazing girls that had their own small businesses through a Facebook page called Gals Who Graduate, and my Instagram grew quite quickly from there. Below are some of the tops that I made for some beautiful customers. I loved making these summer tops from scratch because it allowed me to make sure these tops were perfect for them. Because I am so new to this world, I love making sure you guys feel a part of the journey as I do, and I always make sure I ask your opinions and advice, and having you as the customer say 'can we try it this way?' or 'how about this...' has created some of the most beautiful tops ever!!!!

Coming back to university in September 2020, I knew I wanted to keep Hart & Co. Clothing going, even though it was my 3rd and final year. With a rough start to the uni year I knew that putting my heart and soul into it was what was going to keep me going, and by October I'd launched our embroidered t-shirts and sweatshirts. This was made possible by an investment of an embroidery machine (my first big business investment), at the end of the summer. This investment was part funded by you guys through a mini fundraiser and I couldn't have been more blown away by the support you guys gave me (not just then, but throughout the entire year too) and I was able to make this investment!

Since then we've had the release of the Sahara, Forest, Night and Day Sweatshirts, and the most popular release, the HART Sweatshirt, which sold out in 20 MINUTES!! The support on all the new releases and my lil business in general has been utterly overwhelming in the best way possible. It's also included a feature article on my university online mag The Soton Tab!

I'm so so excited to share this website with you where as well as being able to purchase some Hart & Co. Clothing items for you wardrobes, you can also find blog posts alongside this one. I've always wanted my own blog, and a place to write and chat (if you couldn't already tell from my long rambly captions on our Instragram posts), so you'll find blog posts about new releases, topics on sustainability, pieces by guest writers etc. etc. so keep an eye out!

As I mentioned at the beginning of this rambly post, (if you're reading this on the 28th) we currently have a giveaway, new release and this new website for you guys to browse. So don't forget to go and check out the Instagram (@hart_coclothing) and enter the giveaway which is also in partnership with @little.betty.designs who is friend I've had the pleasure of making on the small business journey!

If you've made it this far, you're a real one. The fattest amount of love ever, Els xoxox