Meet the maker
Hello,
I'm Nicola, the maker behind Orla & Fern. The woman with many different hats.
From choosing fabrics to designing, cutting and sewing each garment, everything is made by me in my small garden workroom.
Thank you so much for stopping by, if you would like to know a little more about why I do what I do, then read on below.
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Designing for Everyday Life
My womenswear is designed around my every day life.
I wanted quality pieces that I could wear to suit my lifestyle and not too pricey, dog walks, popping to the shops, meeting friends, or relaxing at home.
So I design clothing for modern woman, clothing with no age range and no season restriction. The clothing is for the young woman, the mothers & grandmothers, those working from home, or simply anyone who wants comfortable, thoughtful clothing that works throughout the day.
And a small confession...
I love a pocket.
and I love an elasticated waist.
So you will find both in many of my designs
My fast fashion ick.
I started sewing when I was a teenager, My mum and grandmother both sewed, and I was fascinated watching them create something from nothing.
At 17 I began sewing for brands such as DAKS, M&S, Levi’s, but seeing the same garments produced in huge quantities never quite sat right with me.
I later moved in to alterations , then bridal & occasion wear. I loved designing and creating those pieces, but the world of fast fashion, and even luxury bridal, often felt wasteful
I remember making a pure silk wedding gown for under £2000, while polyester versions were selling in shops for £7000 and beyond.
It made me question the whole system.
(A wedding dress I made) - image by @sheryloobaloo
My Pivot towards slow fashion
During lockdown I started a small loungewear brand .
It grew incredibly quickly, so quickly that I was working from 7am until 10pm most days. Eventually I hired friends to help, and even my daughters joined in after school. Before I knew it I had opened up a shop and had a small team working with me.
For a while it was wonderful, but the overheads and pace became overwhelming and eventually I realised I had lost the slower, creative side of what I loved most.
So I closed the shop and returned to what felt right, making clothing at my own pace, in my own space. It took a few different paths to get here, a bit like goldilocks trying the the beds out for comfort, before I found the right one.
And this is it.
Orla & Fern, small batch clothing, made carefully and considerately from my garden workroom
@JoannaElizaPhotography for the above pic
(my shop window)
A few little things you might not know about me.
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I'm originally from Edinburgh, Scotland but now live in Herefordshire with my husband.
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We have 3 children (only 1 still lives at home while studying.
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I'm partially blind in my right eye (only my peripheral) due to an auto immune condition I developed at 26.
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I love reading, Currently working through the Seven Sisters series.
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I write Children's stories inspired by own Children when they were younger. One day I hope to get them published for my kids but for now it’s just a little hobby of mine.
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I also enjoy drawing and painting characters from those stories.
This is one of the characters from my Children’s books
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I’m a keen gardener and my husband patiently builds many of the garden projects I dream up.
