EXCLUSIVE Interview with Brat & Suzie founder

Brat & Suzie, the urbanwear eco label renowned for its fitted T-shirts and canvas bags, will be showcasing at the Clothes Show Live this December. Launched just over a year ago, the brand has already gathered interest from fashion magazines including ELLE and Drapers. Polly Vickery, one of the brand founders and designers, talks to Lucie Goulet about animal inspiration, being sold in Topshop and making the move from employee to fashion entrepreneur.

Currently sold in eight shops throughout the UK, including Topshop on Oxford Street, Brat & Suzie is now expanding towards Brussels and Japan.

The A/W collection includes cute, quirky and easy to wear tops adorned with unexpected pets such as a flying bat or an eating giraffe in punchy pink and grapefruit, white and red stripes or plain white. The menswear displays the same originality with green rabbit and red monkey tees. Prices range from £8 for a canvas bag to £22 for the T-shirts.

How did the idea for Brat and Suzie come about?

As a creative and artistic person, I have always thrived when producing my own garments. Another one of my aspirations has always been to have my own company and have full control over all aspects of the business. I worked in various companies for 7 years and during this time I gained the business skills I needed to be independent and confident enough to make the transition. When I met Louise, my fantastic designer, I decided it was time to take the plunge and really reach my full potential. Brat and Suzie are the names of my childhood pet cats and I felt it was the perfect way to combine my artistic talents with my own personal style and well learned business know-how!

What sort of women and men are your clothes aimed at?

Brat and Suzie appeals to smart, fun loving guys and girls who have an eye for fashion and are looking for something unique. The prints are detailed and edgy giving the Brat and Suzie customer a chance to create a fresh and young look.

Where does the design inspiration come from? How do you choose the animals which adorn the T-shirts/bags?

Our inspiration comes from all kinds of things; from Japanese fashion magazines to a dog seen in the street. Louise often adds her own quirky, unexpected flair which creates the final Brat and Suzie touch!

Which schemes do you have in place to make Brat and Suzie an eco-aware company?

Being an eco-aware company has always been one of the main objectives when creating the Brat and Suzie brand. At the moment it is not possible to make absolutely everything ethically sound, so I chose to focus on making the oversized T-shirts EARTH POSITIVE, in order to gain a foot on the eco-conscious ladder. As the brand matures I hope to have more eco-aware products, as this is an important part of my strategic direction. I do not wish to preach the eco-aware ethos of my company, as this is something that I feel consumers should be able to take as standard rather than as added value.

What is the main hurdle facing ethical designers these days?

One of the biggest problems is ensuring that the sources you use are in fact ethical, as there are many issues with sub-contracting in the industry. Being ethical often means more expensive production so it can be really hard to compete with cheaper fast fashion brands. It is also hard to get customers to understand why garments are more expensive. The fashion industry is characteristically fast paced, dynamic and ruthless. When products demand such a narrow time frame from design to in store, being ethical is often easily disregarded but must be seen as a core competency at all times.

Which eco brands do you admire?

I think Lowie Knits have just about the cutest collection! I love their transparency and honesty about their supply chain and that they tell the story of where their raw materials come from. I also think Beautiful Soul’s recycled kimono collection is fantastic. And I especially admire the way they have implemented a zero waste policy; this is both innovative and commendable.

Brat and Suzie is now on sale at Topshop. How did you reach this partnership? Has it changed the way you design the clothes?

Working with Topshop has been one of my biggest achievements to date and has really provided a springboard to establish the brand and gain recognition. The partnership was first made when I exhibited at the London Edge show. I gained some contacts with Topshop at the show, and I was in talks with the brand for some months. They decided to stock the brand in the London Oxford Circus branch and it has been a fantastic opportunity, which I hope will flourish in the future.

In terms of the effect on the design of the clothes, it has changed the pace in which I work rather than the aesthetic. As a fast fashion retailer Topshop expects a high turnover of stock and demands new products often. As an eco-aware company I found this challenging because I always want to maintain high standards of production for the end consumers.

Why did you decide to show at the Clothes Show Live?

The Clothes Show Live is a huge part of the UK fashion calendar, and it is a way to not only reach those in industry but also the end consumer. The Brat and Suzie brand is based on the idea that customers can receive a personal touch. By attending events such as the clothes show they can have some direct contact, which they cannot have on a day to day basis as I do not yet have my own store. Moreover, it is a great promotional tool and I hope to gain some new customers just in time for Christmas!

Brat and Suzie