North Yorkshire fashion brand Loft & Daughter offers kimonos and beautiful jewellery from India

Katie’s first ambition was to be a contemporary dancer and she studied at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Once graduated she went travelling but, just a couple of months into her year-long adventure she was struck down with a mysterious illness. After a series of tests she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

The diagnosis and the symptoms were devastating and Katie had to move home, back to her parents, in Yorkshire. After a year of recovery, dancing was no longer an option and a new ambition was needed.

Katie said: “I had been so focused on dance and, while after a year at my mum and dad’s I was physically a lot stronger, mentally I was pretty shattered. I needed a new path and focus. Fashion was always a passion and so I decided to make it my career.

“I researched and read anything I could find and absorbed myself in the industry. I got an entry level job at Republic and threw everything into it.”

After a couple of years the wanderlust was too strong to ignore and Katie moved to Australia to further her career and see more of the world. “I was working for a large womenswear retailer who were very much in the fast fashion part of the industry. My work would take me to India regularly, where I fell in love with the culture and the people. I would say I learned how I didn't wan't to do things, where fashion could support people living in India, and where it didn’t.”

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After five years Katie and her now husband, Cathal, decided to take a year off together and travel the world. She knew she was ready to start her own brand, and that a slower, more meaningful and sustainable business was calling her. At the end of their travels the pair got engaged and married and Katie went back to India to research partners for her new business.

“At this point I wasn’t completely clear what I was going to design or sell but I knew that the key to how I wanted the business to run was going to be building strong relationships with people and organisations I could trust.

“Fashion was supposed to be the focus, but I met our jewellery supplier and they were just so passionate and uplifting and dedicated to alleviating poverty through ethical practices. They are also certified by the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO). I drew our Triangle necklace and they got it straight away. This was our first piece and is still a piece we sell.

“It was on another trip to India that the name came to me. I wanted us to be the antithesis of fast fashion. A collection of beautiful pieces that you enjoy and pass on. My mum gave me a dress and a pair of blue clogs that she found in the loft and it’s that special moment I want to recreate for others with Loft & Daughter.”

It was now 2017 and Katie was in India when she realised she was pregnant. “Due to my MS I was never able to get permanent citizenship in Australia, therefore I was always on a work visa,” she says. They decided to move back home to York and their little boy was born in May 2018.

In June 2019 Loft & Daughter launched with a website and on Instagram. With the help of friends and past colleagues, word spread and the sales started to come in. The brand was sold through Etsy and Katie did a series of markets, trade fairs and shows to start building the brand. “At this point we were jewellery only, then we added some interiors. It was growing organically as we built our relationships with our customers as well as our partners in India.

“I would design a piece and then liaise with them on my trips back to India to ensure we all knew what we were doing.

“Now I work with two women's cooperatives, Anoothi and Saheli. Anoothi is part of an NGO that helps destitute children, housing, feeding and schooling them. They upskill the mothers in block printing and seamstress skills, empowering them to become self-sufficient. Their craftsmanship has grown alongside Loft & Daughter’s range. We work collaboratively blending my designs with their skills and inspirations.

Loft & Daughter’s first collection was inspired by Katie’s travels in India and her mindful practices that include manifestation and practising daily gratitude. “Everything within the collection means something to me and I love that our customers love not only the way our products look but also the messages behind them,” she said.

“All of our pieces, whether it’s our pyjamas made of saris, or jewellery, are pieces that last, that speak to our customers and are meaningful.

Loft & Daughter were recently B Corp certified, and working towards carbon neutrality is the next priority for Katie, followed by looking at more collections that use the beautiful saris and block printed fabrics the cooperatives are creating and sourcing for her.

“The cost of everything is increasing so keeping prices realistic is challenging. Working with such good people is intrinsic to Loft & Daughter. Knowing that money is going to good people and that it’s making a difference to the artisans, their families and communities, keeps us going. It’s a deeper purpose. I also love the creation and collaboration side of the work, there are always challenges but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

See loftanddaughter.com and Instagram: @loft.and.daughter