Small But Mighty... Why We Support Small Brands
Small brands are at the very heart of Gather&See. One of the very reasons we began Gather&See nearly a decade a go was because we wanted to provide a platform that really championed small, sustainable brands who had amazing stories to share. We are so honoured to have spent the last 10 years supporting brands who really are leading the way in doing things better.
Running a small and sustainable business, especially in an industry like fashion, is no easy task. It requires determination, flexibility and very thick skin. Our small brands have these attributes in spades and we are continually inspired by their beautiful collections and innovative approaches. In many cases these brands are one woman bands, or just two founders working together (like us ourselves!) and our aim is for Gather&See to provide a supportive community of like minded founders as well as a platform from which they can sell their pieces. We really are all in it together and as a group we have more of a voice to get the message out there. And right now, my goodness, do we need it.
Authenticity and transparency with our customers have always been of the utmost importance to us and the truth is that this year - more than ever before - we are having brands coming to us and saying they don’t know how much longer they can keep going because costs are high and sales slow. In many cases these are well-established brands who have spent years building innovative, transparent and sustainable ideas that big brands regularly try to copy. It breaks our hearts.
If we want to have be able to have the choice to shop small, to shop brands who have gone the extra mile - who are treating their workers fairly, caring for the planet and actively putting the greater good first, then we must support them now or we will be left with only the Amazons and Zaras of this world. And what a bleak world that would be.
If you can please support small and independent this Christmas - or we risk loosing them for ever.