The Cover Star: Molly-Mae Hague
Tell me about the Maebe journey – you said it’s been three years in the making…
I started working on Maebe before I fell pregnant with Bambi – it had always been a dream. At the time I was working in a different capacity with a few other brands, learning about business and fashion separately. I knew there was a gap for a brand that nailed that mid-price point but was also well-made – I have really seen the value in investment pieces and how long they last, but felt there wasn't much of that same quality for a reasonable price. So, it felt like the right time to start thinking about my own project. I’ve had years to learn what my audience loves, so I’ve been able to perfect every part of it. There are no investors – I’ve funded it completely and done 90% of it myself, so it really has been a labour of love. It’s been a big learning curve, but I think I needed something new to sink my teeth into.
So, you decide you’re going to launch a brand – what’s the first thing you do?
I found that so hard – no one tells you where to start. The name came first – once I had that, it defined the vision and I could go from there. I set aside the financial investment – that was an important first step – and then set about creating the look and feel. That meant moodboarding, a lot of Pinterest and Instagram researching, pulling pieces from my wardrobe for inspiration and constantly wearing and figuring out what my dream capsule wardrobe looked like.
What’s the vibe?
I first fell in love with an old English, old money aesthetic – a lot of the moodboards looked a bit traditional, a bit masculine. I really wanted a gentleman’s club vibe. I was Pinning pictures of dark oak rooms, leather sofas and men smoking cigars. I haven’t seen that from another brand – the references are old, but they also feel modern and feminine.
You said you started with the quality but had to work your way back to the price point – can you tell me more about that?
Looking back, if I could make one change, I would have done it in reverse. We started with the samples, and even though we ended up tweaking them a lot, I was instantly wowed by the quality. But then I found the price point was just too high – I was told we couldn’t physically go lower without making a loss. It was a big lesson. I wasn’t aware of the cost of production at all. I just really wanted to give the customer amazing quality, but I also didn’t want to charge a price that felt unreasonable. I had to get the balance right. Our pieces start from £35, which I hope means lots of people will be able to experience Maebe in some way.
What would you like people to think about this new direction you’re taking?
Since I started Maebe I’ve become a mum, so naturally, I’ve grown in so many ways. For one, my wardrobe’s changed a lot and drop one reflects that – it really represents who I am now. But really, the main goal is for the brand is to become a name that stands on its own without me attached to it – I want people to return to it because they love the clothes, not because it’s Molly-Mae’s brand. My dream is to not have to scream and shout about it. We’re technically a start-up. I think people expect it to be a fully established business but we’re just getting going.
Is it fair to say it isn’t the collection you would have created five years ago?
Oh my God, no. When we started, I envisaged it as a tracksuit brand – I still love my tracksuits but they’re not exactly big in the same way as three years ago! Five years ago, I would have been scared to wear a blazer if it had already been seen in a picture, whereas now I go back to my favourites all the time. My approach to fashion has really changed.
Have you had any mentors along the way?
I’ve been working closely with someone who really plugs the gaps in my own skillset. A CAD drawing wasn't going to happen for me! But doing it as independently as possible was really important to me – it sounds cheesy, but I wanted to be able to say to Bambi in the future that I did it alone. I want her to be able to figure things out for herself in the same way I have. I have also surrounded myself with like-minded, ambitious working mums – I share my office space with an inspiring jewellery entrepreneur – and I take advice from all my friends who have successful brands and businesses. My tan brand Filter also taught me so much about business – I needed to do that first to do Maebe now. It was like a learning project.
So many entrepreneurs say they had naïvety going into their business – do you think you would have gone ahead if you knew then what you know now?
I don’t think I was naïve going into it – I’ve seen the sheer level of work needed to build out a business. But I have been surprised by how intense the attention to detail needs to be. I wouldn’t have done it any other way though – it needed to be perfect.
Have you always loved fashion?
Instead of sixth form, I went to the Fashion Retail Academy in London. It was a few fun years, basically living in Topshop on Oxford Circus, running around and getting up to no good. But I didn’t have the best dress sense. I would spend hours getting ready to go to college on a sweaty train. But my dream was to have a job in fashion. I didn’t know what that would look like but going to FRA is how I fell into influencing – I was getting my friends to take street style pictures of me in my college outfits. That’s how I built a following and now it’s all come full circle. I actually found messages on my phone the other day from when a brand first approached me about a paid post. I charged £30 and I remember I was absolutely buzzing.
Whose style have you always loved – and whose do you love now?
I take a lot of inspo from Instagram girls – there’s a girl in Paris called Mimi who I’m obsessed with. In terms of vibe and energy, I love that soft girl look that Hannah Schoenberg does so well. When I was starting out, Emily Shak was the ‘It’ girl on Instagram. My mum used to take my pictures and I was always trying to recreate what Emily did.
What’s the best fashion advice you've ever received?
To dress for yourself and to wear clothes that genuinely make you feel comfortable. When it comes to red-carpet events, the minute I can get those clothes off, I do. I feel self-conscious in a ballgown, but in a blazer and jeans – that’s just me.
What’s your favourite thing in your wardrobe?
I have a camel Max Mara Teddy coat that is my ultimate winter essential. I've had to buy it twice – the first time I had it, I was doing a sort out and it ended up in a charity shop pile. Some lucky person would have picked it up for about £25, so I hope they know what they got there. I missed it so much I had to buy it again.
Is there anything you’re going to save for Bambi?
I collect coats and sunglasses, so both of those collections will go to her. Sunnies are an indulgence I wouldn’t forgo – I can’t leave an airport without picking up a new pair. Right now, I have a burgundy Loewe pair I’m living in. I’d love to give her my Chanel classic flap too, but I don’t think it will be useable by the time she’ll want it – it’s lambskin and it’s completely destroyed.
Is there a fashion moment you look back at and think you nailed the look?
This year I went to the Cannes Film Festival and wore a big black, long-sleeved dress with a huge skirt from Selezza. It was the first red carpet moment where I felt confident since having Bambi. I had just chopped off my hair, and Helen Mirren came up to me and told me she loved my dress. I know I said I don’t feel great in formalwear, but the top half was super stretchy – almost like a gym top – so it was really comfy and flattering. I used the big skirt to disguise the burger and chips I had 20 minutes before the red carpet.
Whose wardrobe would you steal if you could?
@MelissasWardrobe. I feel like she's becoming a friend now – we talk quite a bit on Instagram as I’m such a fan. I just can't help but reply to everything she posts. She wears coats so well, but all the looks are great. I also think she’s hilarious – and the fact that she had a secret baby was iconic. If I ever have another baby, I will definitely be doing that.
If you could go back and tell yourself something pre-Love Island, what would it be?
If you have something that you really want to do and you can't stop thinking about it, do it. Maebe is the embodiment of that. I'm so happy and proud of myself that I took this step to actually go ahead and do it. I’d also advise her to take every opportunity that comes her way and to say yes to things because you never know what doors it might open.
Is that the same advice you would give to young girls today?
Yeah. Life’s short – if you have a dream, just go for it.
Are there any other businesses you admire?
So many. Grace Beverly kills it with Tala and Jess Hunt’s Refy is so inspirational. I message her all the time saying I think what you've done is sensational. They both prove that if you’re super passionate about your product and are building it by listening and responding to your audience, it can be something really special.
Tell me about the pop-up…
It's an introduction to the brand. I would have loved to make it shoppable, but it had to be more of a showcase simply because we would run out of stock. I know the minute someone comes into the pop-up and feels the blazer they’ll understand the price point – it was really important for me to give customers that experience. No one has felt the weight of the blazer and said it’s not worth it. When you’re an online brand and you launch, all you see is a picture and a price. I wanted people to really get a feel for what they’re buying into.
You said something about trying to learn exactly what the customer responds to first…
Exactly – I want to see which pieces people love and what they respond to most. That may then dictate the brand’s direction. I also don’t think we’ll learn that from drop one – I suspect people will just want to get a piece of the brand to assess the packaging, vibe and quality. The bigger response will come in time.
Is there a five-year plan, or are you just going in headfirst?
There are certain billboards around London that I take photos of and stick the Maebe branding onto before sending them to my friends. It’s my way of manifesting – just subconsciously reminding myself to keep working hard because that is the result I want. I haven't set a five-year plan – I'll be honest, it's literally day five right now, so let’s get the launch done first!
What’s the blue-sky vision for Maebe? What would you absolutely love to see it turn into?
An empire. I know if I get this right and make the right moves, I really can see it becoming huge. That's the goal. I haven't done this for any other reason other than to make it a brand that everyone knows and talks about.
Sign up to shop the collection from 29th September at Maebe.co.uk
Photography: Alicia Waite
Videographer: Jonathan Weatherley