Alie Waterproof coat launched AYM Studio straight out of college with only a stitching machine and a imaginative and prescient to create actually women-centric clothes. What started as a passion rapidly grew right into a social-first model recognized for its sculpting silhouettes, made-to-order fashions and sustainable ethos.
AYM, which stands for ‘All Your Moments’, was born out of Waterproof coat’s obsession with design that solves actual issues. Her designs, which you’ve in all probability seen in your TikTok feed, are cleverly engineered type options constructed to flatter the wearer’s form with waist syncing options and double-lined materials.
With a mixed social following within the lots of of 1000’s, each the Founder and the model have cultivated a loyal, engaged group that performs an lively position in shaping AYM’s route.
On this interview, Waterproof coat shares the teachings she’s realized from constructing AYM from the bottom up, how group and social media helped form the model and the significance of listening to what clients need.
Can you’re taking us again to the start? How did AYM first come to life?
AYM first got here to life as a passion. I taught myself how one can sew and began experimenting with making clothes once I was at uni. I used to be (and nonetheless am) obsessive about good design. Good design, to me, is discovering a strategy to remedy issues by means of aesthetic and purposeful options that actually ship what the client desires.
@alie.waterproof coat I began AYM as ‘Increase Increase Boutique’ with a field of scrap cloth I discovered for £14 at a charity store. I borrowed my sister’s stitching machine and made my first assortment. Reinvested the cash into cloth and saved going. One way or the other my designs have ended up on Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber & Kylie Jenner. However better of all, I’ve had my designs worn by you. My unimaginable clients. To you, I’m endlessly grateful for this journey. I can not wait to proceed creating for you #businesswoman #buisness #aym ♬ Actuality of entrepreneurship – Imogen | Model Strategist
You launched AYM straight out of college, with out conventional trade backing. What have been the largest classes you realized from constructing a model from scratch?
Studying to grasp what’s vital and what isn’t. If you’re rising your individual enterprise, every little thing can really feel vital, however that may result in complete overwhelm. Prioritising the suitable issues and giving them the time they should excel makes an enormous distinction.
Getting the suitable individuals in the suitable seats. I do know it sounds cliché, however it makes an enormous distinction. Aligning myself with individuals who get the imaginative and prescient and are simply as passionate, with the suitable abilities to match, unlocks big potential for making the dream a actuality.
There’s actually no such factor as a silly query. I’ve requested some outright daring and – a bit bonkers – issues. I actually really feel that until you ask, you’ll by no means know what is feasible and what isn’t. The worst that’s going to occur is somebody will snicker, after which it’s okay to snicker with them. They’ll no less than respect the need to be daring, and in the event that they don’t, then it’s not the suitable particular person to be having these conversations with anyway.
Within the early days, AYM gained traction by means of word-of-mouth and social media. Are you able to inform us about your social-first strategy? Was there a defining viral second that propelled the model ahead?
We’re nonetheless gaining traction this manner. Constructing a group of like-minded individuals who love what we stand for, nice high quality design that’s created thoughtfully. Our social-first strategy is born out of our want to have suggestions from our group, and to have real-time suggestions by means of interactions we’ve on-line is totally unimaginable. Once we publish one thing on socials, it’s clear to us immediately whether or not that type or strategy is beloved or not-so-loved.
When did you suppose ‘ah we’ve made it’?
I haven’t received there but! The most effective feeling for me is once I hear different individuals telling tales about an AYM merchandise and the way it has made somebody really feel. For instance, I’ve heard associates speaking about how they’ve been at a celebration and noticed somebody carrying AYM, and once they’ve spoken to the particular person carrying it, they shared how superb the costume makes them really feel.
How did you translate that on-line momentum right into a sustainable retail mannequin, and what have been the largest hurdles when entering into the industrial aspect of trend?
On-line momentum is difficult to foretell as viral movies may snowball in a single day. Inside the area of 24 hours, you can have a very totally different degree of demand than you had the day earlier than. The character of that signifies that you will need to concentrate to what’s working in the course of the common days, lean into issues that really feel proper and ensure that the retail mannequin is repeatedly evolving to get higher and higher. Having the ability to reply rapidly – even when that’s to say ‘we are able to’t take extra orders presently’ – is a crucial factor to grasp. We’re not there but, however we’re working laborious each day to proceed studying what our clients need and the way we are able to serve them in the easiest way potential.
AYM’s made-to-order strategy stands out in a world of overproduction. How are your items made, and the way did you persuade clients and companions to embrace this slower, extra considerate means of procuring?
For 10 years, we made all our garments on a pre-order mannequin. This meant that we didn’t construct inventory, however we centered on producing solely what was ordered. We’ve now received to the purpose that we are able to begin investing in small portions of inventory. It’s taken 10 years of studying, knowledge and buyer suggestions to get to this stage, so it’s a gradual however very thought-about strategy to inventory creation.
We now make a really small amount of inventory once we launch a product. That is primarily based on all the information we’ve acquired and our steady evolution of our product providing, in order that we really feel assured that types will promote effectively earlier than we make any inventory of them. We take only a few dangers on the subject of inventory manufacturing as as soon as a uncooked materials is changed into a completed garment, there’s no room for adjustments (until you’re capable of rework – however that’s pricey on assets!).
Our items are made by hand in London. We use double-layered cloth, sewn into what is known as a ‘bagged out’ design. This development method hides the interior seamlines, making a clean and cozy end on the within of the clothes in addition to the skin. We expect fastidiously about what ladies need from their garments and ensure clothes try this, making clothes bra-friendly, supportive, and sculpting.
Retail historically favours velocity and scale—how have you ever resisted stress to compromise on values for the sake of development?
Fairly just because I need to make nice merchandise. Nice merchandise take time to make. I’d relatively make fewer however higher. I don’t need to compromise on high quality for short-term wins.
From self-shooting lookbooks to dealing with customer support, you’ve worn many hats—how has your position advanced as AYM has grown?
My position has advanced from being a ‘jack of all trades’ to now having the ability to take a slight step again and look extra strategically on the enterprise. I like having the ability to bounce into the initiatives that require getting actually into the weeds, but additionally love having the ability to take a step again and recognise if that venture is important for the long-term imaginative and prescient.
Trying forward, what’s subsequent for AYM? Are you exploring new classes, retail partnerships, or different methods to scale? Can we anticipate any third-party partnerships or any brick-and-mortar retail openings?
We’re persevering with to give attention to evolving our product providing and companies to be the most effective they are often. We’re dedicated to that initially. I don’t see us as chasing the following huge factor, however specializing in how we are able to ship excellence to our clients.
