Fashion has always been my passion

When I was just 16, I won Young Clothes Show Designer of the Year - a moment that changed everything. Lesagé himself offered me the opportunity to study at his school in Paris, which felt like a dream come true.

In March 2009, I founded Hatastic! as a hobby, never imagining where it would lead. I went on to release three collections using reclaimed materials: Recreation, L'air du temps, and Candy - each one teaching me more about sustainable design.

My premiere A/W collection, Cold Cocktail, showed at Milan Fashion Week in February 2012. That same year felt like a whirlwind - my Sheerluxe SS13 collection showed at London Fashion Week in September and successfully sold out at Fenwick, Bond Street in just 10 days. I could hardly believe it!

For my Board SS14 collection, I collaborated with another sustainable company called Thrashion. This was my first collection to include menswear alongside womenswear designs, using sustainable materials like Fairtrade straw, upcycled skateboard (from Thrashion), reclaimed acetate, and fabric made from 100% plastic bottles by Newlife™. Fenwick, Bond Street exclusively sold this collection in bespoke colourways.

The recognition that followed was incredibly humbling. I was nominated as Accessory Designer of the Year in 2011, received a Hatty Award in 2012, and then won the BTAA Fashion Accessory of the Year 'Made in Britain' in 2015 for my collection In The Shade. In 2016, my Liquid SS16 collection was nominated in two categories at the BTAA awards and was awarded 'Highly Commended' Made in Britain Fashion Accessory of the Year.

Beyond the studio, I've had some extraordinary opportunities. I've been to No. 10 Downing Street to discuss how the Government can best assist the growing Designer Maker market - something I never imagined when I started out. I've also contributed to three books, and have been fortunate to see my designs featured in Vogue, Elle, The Times, and Cosmopolitan. It's amazing to think how far this small business has come since it started as a hobby in 2009.

In January 2016, I rebranded Hatastic to Chloë Haywood London to focus more intentionally on reusing waste textiles - something that had become central to my work and values.

Today, I design from my studio in Somerset and I'm proud to mentor others through the Sustainable Fashion Streets Project and the Hive Community Business School. Being a Blue Patch Member has been invaluable in introducing my repurposed designs to the right marketplace. I'm also honored to be an ambassador for innovative eco and waste-fighting brands like UpCircle, Mercedes Benz, and Wild.

But this is only the beginning...

You can hear more about my story in my interview with Tiggi at Draycott Diaries podcast.