Today marks the kickoff of a new, occasional series here at Seasons + Salt called The Style Story. With each post I plan to introduce you to an independent designer and small business owner in hopes of sharing the story, which shapes the styles they create.
Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Haley Tucker of Only Child. The Oakland based clothing designer is turning heads with her bold pieces and unique shapes. She opened up her business just four short months ago, but she’s a rising star on the stage of small -run designers.
Seasons + Salt: How would you describe your clothing line?
Haley Tucker: Only Child is a collection of unique basics. I strive to make pieces that provide a solid foundation to build on, things that can easily be dressed up or down but still look interesting on their own.
What sparked your start into the apparel industry?
I’ve always been interested in clothing but things started taking shape once I graduated from art school and landed a 9 to 5 job. My medium of choice at the time was photography which meant all of my artistic pursuits hinged on when I could get the best daylight for shooting. By the time I got home every day it was dark and I couldn’t stand the feeling of not working on something creative. I didn’t have much sewing experience but had always wanted to make my own clothes. Once I got going I was hooked, I loved how meditative it was. It was really freeing to be able to make the things I had always looked for but couldn’t find in a store. I thought that if I was having trouble finding the clothes I wanted maybe other people were too. That’s when it started getting serious for me.
How did you do it?
The first thing I did was write a business plan. People usually only use these when they’re looking for a loan but I find it’s still incredibly useful even if you aren’t. It really forced me to nail down what my philosophy was, what the market was like, and who I imagined I would be selling to.
Next was finding the right fabric source. I work with what is referred to as a “deadstock” supplier. It sounds strange but really it just means that I save fabric that would normally be thrown out by bigger name brands. The retail industry unfortunately is a major source of our waste, I feel like even though I’m a smaller brand I’m still doing my part by saving perfectly good fabric and turning into something useful.
After that came the long process of testing patterns and making samples until finally I was ready to release my first collection in November of last year.
Tell me about your own personal journey of moving away from fast fashion and toward ethical fashion.
I actually hadn’t put too much thought into who made my clothes until I worked for a major fast fashion retailer years ago. Huge shipments would arrive every morning in these gigantic crates filled with plastic wrapped clothes, it was honestly astonishing to see how much we would receive on a daily basis. The whole process of it was cold and detached. So many of the products there were priced anywhere from 4-12 dollars, I couldn’t believe I could pick between buying a coffee or buying a tank top. It didn’t seem right. That was when I really started looking into where and how my clothes were made.
Outside of apparel, what inspires you as a designer?
As a creative person myself, I know sometimes that well comes up dry and I feel uninspired. How do you stay inspired?Even though feeling uninspired is the absolute worst I’ve tried over the years to not be so hard on myself. I’ll usually step away for a bit, I find if I force things I’ll just end up irritated and with a product that I’m not proud of. One thing that has really helped is keeping a big notebook of things that have caught my attention. I could be on pinterest all day long but if I actually take the time to print something out and paste it in a notebook it tends to get more of my attention. It’s like curating a collection a second time and weeding through the sea of images we all see on a daily basis.Of everything you’ve designed, what is your favorite piece to date?
I’d say my favorite is the newest version of my Mara Tunic in an amazing Japanese rayon that I just put out for Spring. I’ve worn it so many times already. I had some friends over to preview my new items and even though they all are different heights and sizes that piece looked great on every one of them. It was a really rewarding experience to know that something I made allowed so many different women to feel good about themselves.
What can we expect for Spring?
For Spring you can expect a lot of versatile, roomy pieces made in fabrics that can easily be worn year round. Most of my new pieces are one size fits most, allowing them to be light and airy for Spring and Summer but easily layered up when the weather cools down.
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Haley just unveiled her Spring line this week! You can see all her pieces over at Only Child. I’m currently drooling over the Olivia Dress and the Mara Tunic. To keep up with her latest designs be sure to follow her on Instagram.
I added the Elle Kimono Jacket to my closet for Spring and I can’t get enough. I wore it on my birthday when I went out to sushi with my husband, and then again for a girl’s night out. I cannot wait to layer it over dresses when the weather warms up and I know for sure I’ll be tossing it over my favorite cutoff shorts on cool summer nights. Effortless and chic, well done Haley!
[Look 1: Elle Kimono / distressed jeans / oxfords; Look 2: Elle Kimono / black tank, black denim, shoes / necklace, c/o Loop Jewelry]
cheers to a great weekend!
thank you for featuring OC! i’ve been contemplating the mara tunic and the madelyn wool coat. i love haley’s aesthetic and the clean lines of her apparel make its easy to layer without looking sloppy.
Agreed 100% If I could buy everything from OC I probably would!! She has a great eye. I love my Elle Kimono because it makes me feel instantly cool – ha!