Meet GFW19 alumni, Sarah Thompson, who since graduating two years ago has had an incredibly eventful start to her career. Sarah found an internship in London with Self Portrait and then quickly after a job with River Island, which she began just before the global pandemic hit. Since then, Sarah has been busy working on her soon-to-launch brand, TOM-O, which upcycles old garments into new creations. She’s also collaborated with friends and other businesses to share her passion for recycling dead stock fabric. Read more about her journey below!
What was your time at GFW19 like?
Firstly, the opportunity to showcase my work at GFW was amazing - Covid-19 has had huge effects on events like these & I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to have my collection on a catwalk and be at the 3 day event. I showcased my work on the catwalk with my university, Sheffield Hallam, I was shortlisted for the ‘best of’ gala & also scouted by Fashion Crossover to join their 2019 Graduate Talent Programme! I was also invited to interview for a design position at ASOS, after making it to the 4 finalist for the position I was told they were no longer recruiting - the opportunity to interview & the project I created for the final interview round was great experience in itself regardless!
What have you been up to since showing at GFW back in 2019?
After showcasing my work at GFW, then our University catwalk which was held in Sheffield I returned home to the North Yorkshire and worked in my local pub (which I had worked throughout summers of uni) This helped me earn some money, and alongside working I applied for jobs in the fashion industry! Appyling for jobs was a long, tough process - of course the competition is fierce, but I persisted and had a handful of interviews, all which went very well, I met some great people in great companies - but the common feedback was my work was not commercial enough!
Whilst applying for jobs & working, I had been accepted by Fashion Crossover onto their Graduate Talent Programme - they promoted my collection through their website, and I also took some pieces down to London for their showroom. Between Aug-Dec I had various success with my pieces being pulled from the showroom, some editorial shoots, some catwalk appearances etc. A favourite of mine being Japanese band, End of The World wearing one of my collection pieces for a cover shoot with 1883 Magazine!
I continued applying for jobs but with little success I secured a 3 month internship with Self-Portrait & moved to London in Jan 2020 - it was great to be back in a studio, working as part of a fashion team & I really enjoyed my time there. Whilst I was interning I was contacted by GFW about showcasing my work at LFW - which was a great experience I’ll tell more about on Q2 - then in the February I was offered a job with River Island as a Design Room Assistant so finished my intern early, which Self-Portrait completely supported!
I started at River Island mid March 2020, of course, this was when Covid-19 started taking over. I managed to have my induction day, and another day & a half in the office before the company decided it was safest for employers to work from home. At the time, I was so eager to get stuck into my new job it was disheartening that from then on it would all have to be virtual - but like everyone - we all adapted, and the team were amazing at virtually welcoming me through teams!
I moved back to the North East again for the national lockdown, where I continued to WFH for River Island, it was a crazy way to start a new job and after a month in my new role of learning the ropes through Microsoft teams I was furloughed! I spent my furlough time making wash bags for the NHS & also making face coverings for people, accepting only donations to MNDA a charity that means a lot to me! It kept me busy & I had soon turned my parents living room into a make shift ‘studio’ I also created my own website/online portfolio!
In June, River Island had to let me go due to COVID-19. Obviously companies were having to make these decisions in such a difficult time!
I was back on the job hunt … I soon realised though that sustainable fashion, like the collection I created for GFW, up-cycling & patch working old garments to make new was what I really loved! In a time that I knew no-one would be hiring I reached out to various companies about potential collaborations, which is when By Rotation got back to me. Doing the collaboration with By Rotation really did make me realise how much I loved creating my own fashion, I LOVED pulling together different fabrics, some from left from my GFW collection, some my Gran gave me, some from garments I had no use for etc.. I loved clashing prints & patch-working fabric together to create my very own garments! It was then I realised I would not continue looking for jobs, and work towards building up my own brand!
So from that point, I worked towards building up my own brand, TOM-O ! I spent a month in the summer renovating a small cottage with my mum (plastering walls, taking out radiators, building shelves) it’s not far from the farm I live on with my parents in North Yorkshire - it’s only small, but perfect for me at the moment!
I reached out to see if people had any fabrics, garments, curtains they had no use for & the response was amazing! So over recent months I have been collecting fabrics & garments which I will eventually patchwork into new garments which will be available to buy online!
It’s massively important to me, the future of fashion has to become more sustainable! I want to build a brand that shows how sustainable fashion & up cycling is fashionable - I would like to use it to educate people on what we can all do to be more sustainable shoppers etc. I really do believe in my idea, I’m so passionate & genuinely excited to start this new idea up!
How was the experience showcasing your work at British Fashion Council’s Positive Fashion Exhibition with GFF?
Being selected to showcase my work at LFW 6 months after leaving university was madness, but totally amazing & an experience I will never forget! Nicola & Joy were fabulous in helping us get ready for the event and were great support throughout - The 3 other designers I showcased with were brilliant too, the whole event was just so inspiring and amazing to be part of!
I think it really did make me step back and see myself as a designer & I think it was when I realised sustainability in fashion was at the heart of what I do & what I want to create as a designer & what I feel most passionate about! It was great to meet other designers in the showroom who were also inspired by positive movements in fashion. I met so many amazing people, from other designers, to the public, to my team! Again I feel completely lucky I had this opportunity as it was only a month or so later the nation was in lockdown!
When did you launch your brand TOM-O?
I entered 2021 hoping to launch on January 29th. Due to COVID & the announcement of another lockdown I have chosen to postpone this date - mainly for the safety of any models/photographers I need to do a campaign shoot, fit sessions etc! I am currently working in my studio and will continue to create more sustainable patchwork garments which will go live to buy as soon as I feel it is safer but fingers crossed for late Feb/early March!
How did the collaboration between yourself and Ellie Hutton begin?
I went to school with Ellie, like me, she moved home for lockdown! In this time she started doing flower arrangements, and from this now has a floristry business, Blooms by Ellie.
Coming home for lockdown made me realise how inspired I really do feel at home, and again having the privilege of being out in the countryside throughout lockdown was something I never took for granted. It gave me a chance to really think about who & what I want to be as a designer and since then have decided to stay up North and continue with my passion for creating sustainable fashion by setting up my own little business/brand! I’m super excited, and honestly almost grateful for the time I had through lockdown to push me to follow my dream & do this!
In the same way I have, Ellie has had a very similar experience over the last 6 months. Throughout lockdown she began creating flower arrangement from the flowers in her dad’s garden & this has now developed & grown into her selling daily to people in and around Whitby. She similar to me (although I do fashion) had always wanted to get into floristry but for whatever reason didn’t. Her arrangements are so beautiful & she worked from her dad’s garage and is setting up her own business! Check her out on Instagram @bloomsbyellie - you’ll love her work!
Having both has a similar experience through lockdown, both creatives who have found lockdown has actually given us time to push our creativity and have time to explore & enjoy the work we create - and both now in a position where we are setting up our own businesses we decided we would do a shoot together - her flowers & my fashion!!
We did the shoot on my family farm, Ellie’s brother, George, who is studying Fashion Photography & Communications at St Martins took the photographs & we had 2 friends model for us, sisters Isla & Caitlin Macdonald! It was great to get local creatives together & just create something celebrating where we’re from & what me and Ellie are both starting!
What are your future plans for the brand?
At the moment I am working on a capsule collection of silhouettes which I will make up in various fabric combos - all totally unique & of course all made from sustainable fabrics!! I am hoping to do various different ‘drops’ throughout the year working with different materials, shapes & collaborations with other creatives too!
One thing I would love to see happen with TOM-O is that customers could begin to send in their own garments, which they still love, but maybe don’t fit/ have gone off the style/ faulty zip etc.. Then I could use this garment in my fabric combinations - this would extend the life of their garment but mean it can be returned them again, but in a more wearable way, preventing it from landfill, or collecting dust in the wardrobe!
I have loads of ideas for TOM-O, and I’m so excited about starting this journey! I really do believe sustainable fashion is something we should all be considering, and I also believe their is more character & personality in sustainable pieces!! I love what I do & I cant wait to share TOM-O with you all when I finally can launch!!
What advice would you give to a new graduate hoping to launch a brand?
Just create what you love & believe in! Whatever your style, audience, ethos! Just make sure it’s you - It’s not been a straight forward journey for me getting here, and I’m still constantly learning on the job with every sample I make, collaboration I do & even Instagram I post! It’s all part of it though & if you’re passionate in creating your own stuff just go for it!!!
How did your collaboration with ByRotation begin?
I actually reached out to a few brands & platforms after losing my job with River Island - ByRotation got back to me & were keen to collaborate. Between us we decided to create 3 dresses, all of these were made from left over fabrics, some vintage fabrics my grandma gave me, other donated fabrics - I even used some vintage patterns which were passed down to me to create some of the shapes! As a designer it’s great to collaborate with others, it was fun working with ByRotation & renting garments is something I feel can be such a positive step in making wardrobes more sustainable so it was great to work collaborate with them!
When do you launch the brand and where can we find you?
I am hoping to launch TOM-O end of Feb/early March COVID dependant!! I had hoped to launched Jan 29th but due to the 3rd national lockdown I have decided to postpone. I will be keeping everyone updated via Instagram & will release a new launch date as soon as I can!
Follow me on Instagram, @designedbytom_o for most my updates! My website is www.tom-o.com which will go live when I launch & you can also find me on Facebook & LinkedIn!