Darling talked to the founder, Sarah Milmine about her running a fashion business and how she is coping during the lockdown in Twickenham with her husband, who’s working from home, whilst home schooling their seven year old son, entertaining the dog and trying to keep it all together. Sarah’s label Wonderlust is one of the most innovative guilt-free or slow fashion brands.
We were introduced to the fashion label Wonderlust by one of our stylists, Emma Reed of Styling You Well, who has a real knack of finding the leading and most innovative sustainable and slow fashion labels and boutiques in South West London and Surrey. We were blown away by Wonderlust straight away, and lucky to be able to visit their new boutique ahead of the official opening on Teddington High Street at the end of last year. They also sell online, luckily for now, and design and make their own garments in their Teddington studio.
Boutique and studio on Teddington High Street 
Sarah Milmine – Founder of Wonderlust 
Goldie Wrap Skirt 
Spring Biker Jacket
Setting up your own label is a brave move in the ultra competitive fashion world. How did you get started?
“Setting up my label turned out to be an organic process that was years in the making, all be it subconsciously! As a child I had grandmothers who were both very talented seamstresses and so I’ve enjoyed sewing from a very young age but the idea of being a “Fashion Designer” seemed about as realistic as becoming a Rock Star. I worked in several jobs before finally finding my niche as creative at a branding agency and after that I ran my own consultancy for a while. It was a happy accident that several things coincided for me to have my “eureka” moment, including a destroyed hard drive, a rejection from the Great British Sewing Bee and a general realisation that nothing ventured was nothing gained.
I had stockpiled a garage worth of fabrics and trims over the years, bringing things back from all over the world so I had an abundance of resources – initially my plan was to find an empty shop in which I could sew and run various workshops, sharing my skills and more importantly putting my over flowing stash to good use. After a great deal of planning, pondering and hunting for the perfect premises I eventually realised that I very much enjoyed the designing and the making but I was less excited about having to market and run workshops to bring in income. After months of begging, charming and harassing I eventually persuaded the local dry cleaner, who was using an empty shop next door for storage, to sublet me the space for very little money.
Glamorous it was not, but the very first Wonderlust Pop Up was born in September 2016.
We had a trickle of customers those first few weeks, and initially only opened on Fridays and Saturdays. Being so close to the Twickenham Rugby ground meant that most of the Saturdays we were open the road was closed but the lack of customers meant more time to work on styles, source fabrics and try to persuade machinists to commute across town. At the end of the six months, the pop up was declared a success, mostly down to the fact that I wasn’t ready to give up. Mercifully the landlord decided that the space was worth more to him as a storage unit and declined my offer to stay on, which meant that I needed a new premises which led us to Stanley Road, in Teddington. When we opened our doors for the first time I realised I had acquired my very own fashion label!
You are clearly a multi-talented woman by combining very different skills as a designer, dressmaker and a business owner. What do you enjoy most?
“I love the design process as I often have to design within the parameters of what we have available and I think that challenge drives my creativity. I imagine so many designers are quite removed from their customers so our business is quite unusual in that we design produce and retail from one place. That means we are responsible for what is in the shop and how those clothes resonate with our customers. We are constantly able to evaluate fits of garments and also make more of what’s popular and less of what isn’t. Im lucky to have a background that covers both the creative and strategic sides of business and it’s the combination of these skills that are the puzzle pieces need to fit together for the brand to work, so when all the bits fall into place it is so satisfying”.
Stay Home Long Gardigan 
In the Studio
Wonderlust advocates sustainable and slow fashion. What makes your label different?
“Whilst I never set out to herald Wonderlust as the flag bearer for sustainability it has always just made sense to work with what we have available. The reality is that mainstream fast fashion has historically ticked all the boxes – there’s something for everyone at every price for every latest trend so where is there room to compete? By making what we can with the fabrics and skills that are already here and with a collection that constantly evolves around an core ethos we’re proud to have ended up with a (valid) alternative. I want the people who buy our clothes to get the same pleasure in owning them that we did creating them, and that makes me happy
What has lockdown meant for you and have you been able to keep your business running during this incredibly challenging time?
“Just like most businesses in this unprecedented time we’re having to reassess things on a regular basis. We closed the shop shortly before we were mandated to, as it felt like the right thing to do. Thankfully we don’t have huge advanced production or forward orders to cancel, it’s crazy to think of the volume of garments that will be written off with no one to buy them… We’re making a few mini collections at the studio and volunteering with the local scrub initiatives so I feel positive there is something to keep us busy. One of the biggest struggles is not knowing how long this is set to last but it is a comfort knowing we are all in this together. I have days where I’m brimming with future plans and good intentions, and days where I want to dissolve under the duvet cover -although both prove a challenge at home with a chatty seven year old.
Do you see the Covid-19 crisis making any permanent changes to the way businesses are run and goods are consumed by us all in the future?
“The Covid crisis is set to change the world in ways we can’t even imagine. I am hopeful that a return to local industry and placing more value on community will translate into a more positive place to live in general, and in turn helps local businesses to thrive. With already flailing High Streets It will be a huge challenge for businesses to stay shut indefinitely so community support will be vital when we do reopen, in the meantime we will work on growing our online platform.
Maybe just one more G&T first!
You may also enjoy reading https://darlingmagazine.co.uk/fashion/let-it-glow-winter-fashion/
