Lucy Aylen, the visionary founder of Never Fully Dressed!

Lucy Aylen, the founder of Never Fully Dressed, has embarked on a remarkable journey as a designer, propelling her brand to global recognition. With an unwavering passion for fashion and an innate sense of style, Lucy has meticulously curated her brand to embody a unique blend of timeless elegance and contemporary aesthetics. Armed with an innate entrepreneurial spirit, she fearlessly took on the challenge of transforming her brand from a local brand in London to an international sensation. Through her relentless dedication and innovative approach, Lucy has fostered partnerships around the world, expanding the global reach of Never Fully Dressed.Lucy Aylen’s indomitable spirit and unwavering pursuit of excellence have truly made her a transformative force in the fashion world, solidifying Never Fully Dressed as a truly global brand.

1- Can you tell us about your journey (few moments that made it all clear) as a designer and how you started Never Fully Dressed?

I guess my journey started at the markets in London. My parents were market traders, so I was brought up with that in my blood really. That’s what led me to start customising samples and selling them at Spitalfields and Portobello market. I didn’t set out to build a brand, it was just a way of using my creativity to make money back then. I used to work out of my parents’ attic, taking suitcases of clothing to the markets each week, we then expanded to the store in Buckhurst Hill which we still have today.

We have come a long way since then and things are constantly evolving, our community has grown worldwide. Our size offering has expanded to a UK 6-28, that is something we are really proud of. In 2023 we opened our flagship store in New York, we have loads of exciting plans for the next 5 years.

2- How did your experience in customizing clothing for London’s boutique markets shape your approach to design and entrepreneurship?

That market trader element has always allowed us to be in tune with our customer, we have really personable customer service and I think that stems from that. We always design with our customer in mind, looking for ways to make items multi-way, to make them work for breastfeeding, curve, petite, for everybody.

Fashion is so much more accessible today; bedroom businesses have the spaces to grow. Social media has played a large part in our growth, it’s where we have built our community and where we connect with them. I didn’t used to realise the impact of what we do, but it provides jobs, and it gives customers confidence. Those details are important, it’s so much more achievable and accessible than the Elon Musk’s of the business world and we have an appreciation for all of that. It’s more realistic and I think it’s that that allows us to connect with our customers.

3- What inspired you to create Never Fully Dressed with a vision to empower women through unique and versatile clothing?

I didn’t start Never Fully Dressed with a vision of creating a global brand or a plan to empower women. We have a really honest voice and I think that’s what allowed us to connect with our community. We really listen to our customers, so we know what makes them feel confident. That is incorporated from the point of design, and it is carried through every process until the point our customer tries on the item and feels ready to go out and do whatever they need to do that day.

4- How would you describe the style and aesthetic of Never Fully Dressed? What sets it apart from other fashion brands?

Feel good dressing. We bring colour and print to our designs to create unique collections which make our customers feel amazing. Colour can honestly lift your mood and the mood of the others around you, when you put on something you feel amazing in it empowers you to do anything you need to that day. We offer clothing in sizes in UK 6-28 without altering the design. Customers can come into our New York store and try on their size; I think that is quite rare – it’s something that means a lot to our customers and something we are proud of.

5- Can you share some insights into the creative process behind designing and developing new collections for Never Fully Dressed?

There are a range of processes when designing collections, there may be a brief that aligns with the season, a particular location or key inspiration. Our amazing designers then work into that brief, it may just be a colour or a detail of a place we have visited and the prints that they create evoke that particular mood. How we felt in briefing and at the point of inspiration is carried through to the final garment and makes the customer feel that way when they put the item on, it’s empowering for them.

6- How do you ensure that the clothing offered by Never Fully Dressed is both fashionable and functional for women?

We have some core shapes which we always repeat. Our iconic jaspre wrap skirt has been designed in a wide range of prints and fabric bases over the years, it is one of our most versatile styles which can be tied and styled different ways. Alongside these continuity lines we also design into new shapes and styles, these can come from a range of different inspiration; a move on from an old shape, something we have seen abroad etc.

7- In what ways do you incorporate sustainability and ethical practices into the production and manufacturing of Never Fully Dressed garments?

Honesty is a core principle for us. We always try to do our best. Working on the foundations in the background is the key thing, I believe as long as you are doing that then overtime it will come through to the customer. We have a moral responsibility to be sustainable, as individuals and as a business. It is something that we have to work on before the customer even starts demanding it.

Never Fully Dressed is very much grown out of the relationships we have built over the years. We have worked with our suppliers since the early days, they are an extension of us. We have an ethos to treat people how you want to be treated and this is applied to all partnerships and collaborations. 

8- How significant is social media to your brand?

Social media has been pivotal in our growth. It has allowed us to build our amazing community and it’s where we tell our story. I think particularly during lockdown we really built on that, we had to provide more than just clothing and it brought to life our feel good Fridays which broadened our community. Our amazing NFD community page on Facebook brings together individuals who connect, share styling advice and stories of them wearing their NFD – it’s so powerful.

9- What challenges have you faced as a designer and entrepreneur, and how have you overcome them?

Logistics is our biggest challenge. Expanding into new markets comes with new taxes, duties, inventory and shipping challenges, that can be difficult to manage. The opportunity is expanding our community across the globe, that’s what drives us and allows us to develop. You maintain a brand identity by making sure that brand is strong and unwavering. Of course, when entering a new market, you have to apply changes to align with the customer base but if the core brand is strong, then these principles shouldn’t change.

10- How do you see Never Fully Dressed evolving in the future? Are there any exciting plans or collaborations in the pipeline?

We have developed such a strong sense of community; I think we have reached a point where we are ready to take that further. We have plans to expand our retail offering across the globe and are excited to see what collaborations develop alongside this. We would love to extend that feel-good messaging, we are open to use our voice in new circles and working with new people to build this.

11- What advice would you give to aspiring designers and entrepreneurs who are looking to make their mark in the fashion industry?

I think as long as you know what you are doing is honest at its core you can make it work. Listen to your customers and those who you build relationships with along the way, they will all become part of your journey and have an impact even if you may not see it at the time.

12- What are Lucy’s must-have fashion items in her wardrobe?

I rarely leave the house without my bandana, it’s always in my hair or around my neck. I have this amazing bandana belt that used to be my mums, I love styling that to clash with a printed dress or add a flair to some denim. I also love adding vintage costume jewellery to my outfits, I have loads of amazing pieces which I inherited from my mum. Even though they are 40 years old, they are still working hard.