UK Enterprise 2020

114 | UK Enterprise Awards 2020 Lottie & Lysh is an online retailer of babies and children’s clothing, operating from the Cornish coast and offering ethically produced, handmade clothes that are both functional and fashionable. What began as a means to provide gentle clothing that did not aggravate founder Lottie Stokes’ son’s eczema has flourished into a successful business and community centred around children’s comfort and happiness. Most Ethical Baby &Children’s Clothing Brand 2020 Jul20058 Lottie & Lysh began in the spring of 2015 after Lottie had tired of the struggle to find leggings for her son that would not irritate his eczema and were not designed for girls. Having made several leggings and other pieces for him, she began to get requests from friends and other mothers, and soon, Lottie & Lysh was established. L&L create customisable, made to order clothing pieces for girls and boys that are ethically produced and use practical but funky fabrics. Carrying a huge stock of fabrics and offering a variety of modifications for varying prices, L&L create unique designs that are completely personal to each child, ensuring a fit beyond the size label. Operating from a studio nestled on the idyllic Cornish coast, the L&L team consider each other friends more than colleagues. Each team member is passionate about the work they’re doing, and coming together to create such personal pieces, whilst spending time with friends, creates a positive and productive environment to work in. Each member of the team is involved in every step of the process, from initial design aspect to production, social media management to brand expansion. This collaborative effort and passion for the company shines through the L&L brand culture. The L&L brand goes beyond producing clothing for children and has become a community for mothers and clients through the Lottie & Lysh Facebook Members Group. The group was initially established as a creative hub in which L&L clothing and designs could be discussed, previous designs viewed, and particular prints and designs requested by customers. Since then, it has become a community in which mothers share their highest highs and lowest lows and establish friendships. Although virtual, the L&L community has become a beautiful, inclusive and close-knit family. Across the fashion industry, there has been a growing emphasis on the importance of sustainable fashion, not just within affluent consumer bases but across all income ranges. Already creating handmade and ethical clothing, L&L launched a pre-loved community and rewards programme, that means responsible clothing is accessible to all customers. This pre-loved market is testament to the dedication of L&L team and customers alike to reduce waste, particularly poignant in the children’s clothing industry where throw-away culture is widely accepted. As business continues to develop for L&L, even despite the Covid-19 pandemic, plans for 2020 that had been put on hold are now beginning to be put into motion. These include a redevelopment of the website to create a visual custom order system that allows customers to view a mock-up of their designs before ordering, a move to exclusively using in-house fabric designs, and introducing a much-anticipated grown-ups clothing range. These plans however would not be possible without the resilience demonstrated by the L&L team throughout 2020. Lottie says, “2020 has been tough so far. As is true the world over, we have not had a clue what may happen. The L&L team have remained positive, dedicated and motivated throughout. Our group moderators who volunteer their time to help run the Facebook Group have been wonderful, and our members themselves deserve all the praise in the world for helping to create the community that surrounds L&L and helps us grow organically at every level. We wouldn’t be where we are today without all of these things, thank you doesn’t seem enough.” Contact: Lottie Stokes Company: Lottie & Lysh Web Address: www.lottieandlysh.co.uk