How This Fashion Founder Turned Her Business Into A Cult Label

What first drew you to fashion?

I’ve always been fascinated by how the right clothes can completely change how you carry yourself. I’m half Danish, half English and growing up between those two cultures definitely shaped my eye. I’ve always been drawn to the restraint and functionality of Scandinavian design, but also the eccentricity and sense of occasion you get in British style. After university, I worked at Selfridges and then spent four years with Alex Eagle. Selfridges taught me a lot about the customer, the commercial side of fashion and how important the entire shopping experience is. At Alex Eagle, I learned so much about building a distinct point of view and creating a world that people want to be part of. 

Was founding your own label always the plan?

It evolved quite organically. I always knew I wanted to build something of my own eventually but GROES really came out of a personal frustration with my wardrobe – and noticing that the gap between luxury and high-street fashion was only getting bigger. I felt there was space for a brand that offered that luxury approach to design at a price point that felt more accessible. 

Maintaining that balance is probably one of the most challenging parts of the business. We source beautiful fabrics, including from Italy, and spend a lot of time developing fit and getting the details right. Sometimes that means going through several rounds of samples or deciding not to produce something because it isn't quite there.

Who or what has influenced the aesthetic most?

I'm always inspired by how women actually live in their clothes. I love seeing someone put an outfit together in a way I wouldn't have thought of. London and Copenhagen are both big sources of inspiration too. I love the contrast between the two: the energy and slightly undone nature of London, and the more considered, effortless approach to dressing that you often see in Copenhagen. I also look at vintage clothing, menswear, interiors, architecture and photography. Sometimes the most interesting ideas come from something that has nothing to do with fashion at all. I’m much more interested in style than trends. The aim with GROES has always been to make things that still feel relevant several years after you bought them, and to design pieces that make you feel your most confident version of yourself.

What gave you the confidence to turn the idea into a business?

I’m not sure I ever reached a point where I felt completely confident, and being totally honest, I am still not completely confident, but sometimes you have to start before you feel ready. What did give me confidence was the product. Once the first blazer started taking shape and I saw people wearing and loving it, I felt there was something there. I also approached the early stages quite practically. I tried to understand the numbers, margins, production and customer as deeply as I understood the creative side. Having that framework made the risk feel slightly less abstract.

Tell us your definition of success…

Initially, success was simply seeing someone I didn’t know wearing GROES, and that still gives me an enormous thrill. Now, I think more about longevity. I want to build a genuinely profitable, independent British fashion business with products women come back to year after year, without sacrificing the core values of the brand and why I built it in the first place. I’m much less interested in growth for the sake of it. I want GROES to become one of those brands whose pieces earn a permanent place in your wardrobe.

What’s your approach to sustainability?

Sustainability is really about longevity and restraint. We design seasonless pieces, produce in considered quantities and carry our strongest styles forward rather than constantly replacing them with something new. We also rarely do sales, and when we do, they’re usually on samples or damaged stock rather than excess product. A blazer that someone wears for five or ten years is ultimately much more aligned with how I want GROES to operate than something designed around a three-month trend cycle. I’m always conscious of fashion’s environmental impact and there’s always more we can improve, but longevity, restraint and making fewer, better pieces are really at the heart of how we approach it.

How has your own personal style evolved since starting the brand?

I think it’s become much simpler. Being surrounded by clothes all day has strangely made me want fewer of them. I know much more clearly now which silhouettes I feel like myself in, and I’m less tempted by something just because it’s new. I’ve become a real uniform dresser. A blazer, great trousers, a white shirt, a knit, a beautiful coat, I tend to return to the same shapes again and again and just change the styling. Starting GROES has made me more confident in repetition.

Is there one piece from the collection you’ll never tire of?

The Kate Blazer. It was one of the pieces that really defined GROES and it still represents exactly what I wanted the brand to be: strong but understated, beautifully cut and incredibly easy to wear. I love that different women make it look completely different. Someone will wear it with tailored trousers and heels, and someone else will throw it over leggings or jeans. That adaptability is what makes a piece timeless to me.

What’s something about building a fashion brand that people don’t see from the outside?

How operational it is. From the outside, fashion can look like shoots, fittings, events and designing collections, but a huge part of running a brand is logistics, forecasting, production timelines, invoices, returns, margins and problem solving. You can also never predict how a day is going to go or what emergencies or problems might pop up.