Innovative and inclusive fashion by 'Recondition' | Mates of the Month

April is whizzing by! It’s already time for the next instalment of Mates of the Month, where we chat to one of our favourite brands and spotlight the amazing work they’re doing. We reached out to Ellie Brown from Recondition, to get to know her, her mission, and her business. Recondition is a clothing brand rethinking how we dress, making fashion inclusive for all bodies. Their ethically produced, adaptive clothing puts customers at the heart of their design process, so that accessibility and inclusivity is woven into the clothes themselves. To hear more from Ellie, the founder behind this innovative brand, keep reading…

Ellie, what inspired you to start Recondition?

 “It all came from a temporary disability that I suffered that completely opened up my eyes to the world of access. I suffered a break on my ankle that changed everything for me, I'd really not been aware of accessibility in many situations before this so it really changed the way I think. After my recovery, I started researching into the relationship between disability and fashion. It quickly felt like something much bigger and more important than a research project so that's where Recondition began.”

What has been your biggest achievement so far?

“Recently we were lucky enough to get showcased on BBC Breakfast News which felt like a real pinch-me moment. Recognition from an institution with that kind of reach was really amazing. We had the most amazing team on the day as well, who just made the piece better than we could have expected!”

What has been the biggest challenge?

“Finance is always a big challenge. We have so many amazing product ideas in the works, but no matter how amazing the designs are they can't be released without money. It often feels a bit of a chicken and egg issue within the business. The people with the money want you to have released more products, or achieved more accolades, but you need the money to do those things.”

What does it mean to design with a 'user-centred process' when it comes to creating new products? 

“So our customers are really at the centre of how we design. They help us equally with the look and the function of our products. We have a fabulous co-design group who have varying lived experiences of disability, and they help to make all the design decisions and product test with us to make sure the products we bring out really are easier and comfier for people.”

What does the Recondition community mean to you? 

“It's really been the beating heart of running this business. Starting something as a solo founder is so difficult and there's been many times I'm not sure I can keep going, but, in those times, it’s the messages and the conversations in person at our events that have kept me going and given me the energy to start again. I think the enthusiasm people have for what we're building really is infectious.”

What's next for your brand? 

“As I alluded to before, we are working hard behind the scenes on new designs. We’re going to be showcasing some of the first iterations of those products at an event we're hosting up here in Manchester in collaboration with Factory International called "A Space for Each Other". It's going to be the biggest, best catwalk we've done to date and we're so excited to share it with everyone at the end of June.”

CHECK OUT RECONDITION

It was so great to hear from Ellie all about her brand, and the incredible work she’s doing to use business as a force for good. At Y.O.U, we strive to do the same, which is why we operate on a buy-one-give-one model, donating one pair of underwear per sale to people in need. With our underwear, you can really make a difference. 

Want more? Try these related blogs:

Check out this interview with Y.O.U Founder, Sarah

Read our recent Mates of the Month posts, where we chat to EcoKiddies, and spotlight local B Corp, New Ground. 

Author: Evie Tucker, Comms and Retail Team, Y.O.U Underwear. Quotes from Ellie Brown, Founder of Recondition.

Images courtesy of Recondition.