FASHTALKS WITH OUT OF SYNC UK

When did you know you wanted to become a designer?

Kate: Starting our brand was a natural process. I would often make my own clothes and people seemed to notice what I was wearing, and warm to the fact that I had made it myself. We have always been inspired by fabric rather than fashion, so starting a clothing line made sense to us and was also a great excuse to buy more fabric!

What is your earliest design memory for your brand?

Kate: It started when I spotted this quirky gorilla printed fabric. I just had to buy the roll and from that made a few t-shirts and sold them to friends and family. People responded well to owning something that was truly original yet wearable. This inspired the limited edition atheistic of Out of Sync of owning garments that are unique and special.

Where do you find inspiration?

Meg: We design what we love using our brand name as inspiration. Developing ideas that are created in the moment. We feel that naming our brand Out of Sync frees us from conventional structures. When designing, we often find ourselves contrasting unusual fabrics, draping on the stand, and experimenting with details to create unexpected Out of Sync moments.

Our Welsh heritage inspires our color palette of muted earth tones that are a reflection of textures from the Welsh landscape. 

“We want Out of Sync to be recognized for reliable investment pieces that reflect your own identity so that you stand out from the crowd.”

What is your favorite part about designing?

Meg: It is exciting finally seeing all your hard work come together and watching the collection transform from fabric to hanger. Exploring the ways you can style the pieces with other items in the collections, as well as seeing the variations between how my mum and sister would style them. It’s also lovely to hear the positive responses to our collections and that is something we are very proud of.

How would you describe your personal style?

Jackie: I think we all describe ourselves as dressing in an alternative feminine style. Feeling more comfortable in a pair of trousers rather than we would in a dress. When we design, this is still prominent in our aesthetic - we love creating feminine silhouettes in an unconventional way. 

What part does sustainability play in designing for OUT OF SYNC Clothing?

Meg: Sustainable fashion is no longer a negotiable extra and is considered at every stage of the design process. We have six main pillars that we focus on throughout the process; Made Local, Fabric, Versatile Design, High Quality, Limit Wastage, and Eco-Packaging.

We have learned so much on our journey and along the way we have been shocked by the impact of our choices, as well as excited by the new possibilities and innovations happening within the industry. We believe it is our responsibility to always learn and always improve on incorporating sustainable strategies.

What is the most important thing you would like your brand to be recognized for?

Jackie: We want Out of Sync to be recognized for reliable investment pieces that reflect your own identity so that you stand out from the crowd. We want to be known for revitalizing the value of clothing through thoughtful design and layering. To create high-quality clothing that you will treasure beyond a single season and ethically made by people who care about craftsmanship.

How would you define fashion?

Kate: As a way of expressing your individuality.

How has the fashion industry changed since you first started out? 

Meg: Sustainability has been the biggest change in the industry, accelerated by the pandemic.

It’s great to see consumer habits change to support a positive cause. People are becoming more aware of issues surrounding ethical and sustainable practices and are making a stand. This is the momentum the industry needs to drive a positive change for both people and the planet.

What can consumers expect to see next from your brand?

Kate: With each new collection we are getting even more creative with the ‘Out of Sync’ design elements. Experimenting with fabric manipulations and sourcing unique fastenings. Our goals also included further increasing our sustainable fabric throughout the collection.

Where is your favorite place to travel? Why?

Jackie: We recently took a trip together for Paris Fashion Week. It was truly inspiring being in the heart of Le Marais district known for its fashionable and vibrant atmosphere and a perfect place to relax with my daughters over cheese and wine.

“Producing these collections close to home ensures the highest standard of quality and a transparent supply chain with honest sustainable goals from a brand you can trust.”

Do you have a passion other than fashion or design?

Jackie: We all love going to art and cultural exhibitions for inspiration, likewise when traveling to other countries. We enjoy cooking and eating good food with family and friends. We like to stay active, and the best is taking our family dog, Woodie, out for walks.

If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career, what would it be? 

Meg: Great question, I think it would have to be that everything will take longer than expected, but all good things take time to grow.

Do you find it difficult to have a brand based in the United Kingdom? What are the strengths and weaknesses?

Jackie: I believe a strength would be having our collections made in the UK and maintaining a reputation for high-quality manufacturing, which is extremely important in the high-end market. A positive advantage as well is a transparent manufacturing process and being able to support local employment.

A weakness would be that Brexit may have made the process more complicated, which is just another hurdle to cross but hopefully this will smooth over in time.

What sets your brand apart from the rest?

Meg: What makes Out of Sync different is the founders behind the brand. Having cross-generational ideas invokes versatile, relatable, and customer-centric designs. Producing these collections close to home ensures the highest standard of quality and a transparent supply chain with honest sustainable goals from a brand you can trust.

What do you envision for the future of your brand?

Kate: We hope that Out of Sync can grow internationally, whilst promoting a conscious closet that is all made in Wales. Our future goals include owning our own factory in Wales and providing training and local employment opportunities. With each collection, we increase our use of sustainable fabrics and haberdasheries. We want to continually learn and evolve to become better for both people and the planet.

Along with a fantastic partnership with FashWire of course!