Meet Jo, owner & founder of Etton Taylor... Chloe interviewed Jo to understand how and why Etton Taylor was born and the inspiration behind the brand.
How did your love of fashion come about?
My passion for luxury fashion started at a very early age. My mother had her own Womenswear & Children’s clothing shop named after me ‘JOANNE’S’ in our local village from when I was a few months old. I was always an extremely well-dressed child, with all the prettiest dresses & obsessed with lovely shoes!
Just before I hit my teens, she stopped selling children’s clothing and concentrated on ladies. To my joy at the age of 12, I could fit into an XS! I also did my first fashion show for her at a beautiful hall local to us. To say I was excited and nervous at the same time would have been an understatement!
When I was 16, my mother sold her shop. Shortly after, I embarked on a hairdressing apprenticeship and a few years later I went back to work for our family business in wet fish, game & poultry. I was asked to model for my fashion shows & charity events; from punk to new romantic trends!Back in 2015, I started researching manufacturers and designers that could work with me on creating good quality, ethical and timeless garments. Sticking to my routes, I wanted to launch a range that never dated and therefore were investment pieces in your wardrobe.
Using my maiden name, Taylor, I launched this brand in 2018. First attending local Christmas events and in 2019 we traded at horse trials, country fairs and game shows.
As the years went by, I got married, had a
child and moved to the countryside. I’ve now got working Clumber Spaniels; Ellie & Pete. I wanted to get back into the country lifestyle and always had a dream of running a stand at The Game Fair on their Main Avenue. Scary to think this will come true in 2022!
This is when I started to realise how hard it was to find stylish yet warm and versatile outdoor clothing. I started looking into ways that could take you from field to fashion and still be practical and fashionable.
What advice would you give someone looking to create their own fashion brand?
Don't give up on your dreams. Things don't go to plan, take 2020 & 2021 as a prime example! No one knows what the future holds but my ambition holds big dreams that I will work towards. Everything happens for a reason, even if it doesn't make sense at the time!
Jo x
