With the pandemic proving a major turning point, I closed Henri London. I’d also been teaching shirt making classes as part of the business, and building on this, took a tailoring course that focused on hand sewing. Those four weeks proved the foundation of The Modern Sewing Co. I realised I wanted my new venture to be a platform to share what I'd learned over my 12+ year career in fashion. Not just sewing techniques, but a radically different way of thinking about clothes.

Making your own clothes isn't a perfect solution to the fashion industry's waste, but it is a genuine alternative. As you can imagine, I had a lot of questions from friends, family and my community about the decision to do something different. Things like, “Can you even be a fashion brand if you don’t physically make any clothes to sell?” and “Is home sewing really more sustainable?”

The answer to both those questions is: yes, absolutely.

An insight into natural dying process from one of my trips to India to meet with sustainable cotton manufacturers.

This is exactly the right moment in time to challenge overconsumption in the fashion industry and instead, empower people with the skills to make their own clothing. It certainly isn’t just me who dreams of feeling free from the pressure to consume new trends and limited edition collections that end up in the sale rack just a few weeks later. I wanted The Modern Sewing Co. to really epitomise a contemporary attitude to fashion at every touchpoint - ethical, beautiful, comfortable and consciously made. I turned those shirt making classes into online workshops and never looked back.

Practically speaking, it also freed me from the constant logistical demands of running a fashion business, from sourcing ethical fabric manufacturers to chasing up deliveries and balancing the books. It all adds up and takes time away from doing what I love - designing clothes!

Sewing Sustainably

When you make something slowly, with your own two hands, you are deciding to be in control of a supply chain that is usually invisible, and more often than not, unethical (if you want to dive into the details, I break down the full environmental impact of the fashion supply chain here). You’re making something that, when carefully considered and properly constructed, you will wear for years. You’ll build an emotional bond with it before you've even finished making and it will spark pride whenever you shrug it on, be it a beautifully tailored shirt or summer dress you reach for every season (and even layer up for winter).

Midway through the Classic Shirt - this lovely striped seersucker is perfect for spring.

Learning to sew your own clothes properly, with professional techniques and good quality, sustainably produced fabrics, produces pieces that become staples of your wardrobe for years to come. The opposite of wear-once culture, I believe every piece just gets better the more it’s imbued with memories from daily wear (and yes, perhaps the odd stain or two from enjoying red wine with friends). That piece becomes more than a jacket - it’s proof of a life lived well, in line with your principles.

Slow fashion for a long lasting wardrobe

I often hear that people don't have time to sew. To be very honest, I don’t believe that sewing should be quick. Productivity culture and overconsumption are completely intertwined in so many parts of our lives. There's constant pressure to use as little time as possible and maximise output. Sewing can and should push back on all of that. You might see influencers go viral on social media for whipping up a fun top to wear out that very night, but that isn’t the reality for most people who sew their own clothes - and nor should it be.

Controversial it might be, but speedy sewing can sometimes be no better than doing a fast fashion haul. When you invest time in finding sustainably made fabrics and mindfully crafting a high quality piece of clothing that fits you just right, it really does repay you by accompanying you through many adventures.

I’ve never regretted stepping away from the fashion industry. For me, it was a radical decision. As The Modern Sewing Co. slowly grows, I hope our ethos of conscious home sewing continues to inspire revolution in many other people’s wardrobes, too.

Want more?

• Take a trip with Hetty to India to visit natural dying facilities and cotton fields in pursuit of sustainable fashion manufacturing. Read on.
• Get Hetty’s guide to making clothes that you’ll wear again and again. Learn more.
• Learn how to turn your fabric scraps into a cute and earth-friendly Zero Waste Pouffe. Get the pattern.