How The Fuchsia Fox Was Born (And Why It Almost Didn’t Happen)

Some businesses begin with a plan. A pitch deck. A five-year forecast. The Fuchsia Fox didn’t.

It started quietly, and almost accidentally—during a time when I was still recovering from my first attempt at launching a product-based business. That chapter didn’t go quite as I’d hoped (long story involving a Chinese supplier and a lot of painful learning), and I was licking my wounds, wondering what came next.

Instead of throwing myself into another business idea, I turned to design. Just for me. I started experimenting with digital patterns and colour, mostly as a way to calm the noise in my brain. It wasn’t about selling anything—it was therapy. A quiet creative space where I could get lost in something that made me feel better.

Then my sister said something that changed everything: “Those designs would look lovely on a velvet pouch.”

That was the nudge. I looked into fabric printing, found a small UK-based supplier who could handle multiple designs on a single metre, and eventually connected with a seamstress who was happy to make in small batches. I made a handful of pouches as gifts, gave them to friends and family, and—because I couldn’t help myself—posted a few photos on Facebook.

The DMs started almost immediately. “Are you selling these?”I wasn’t. But maybe I could be.

From ‘Just a Few’ to First Christmas Orders

I put together a basic website—nothing fancy—and got it up in time for Christmas. The orders trickled in, and I started getting a sense of which designs resonated most. That’s when I tried adding some of them to sweatshirts and t-shirts. Again, no big launch, just gentle testing. Sharing locally. Asking for honest feedback.

I started doing markets. I wanted to see what people thought in real life—not just friends being polite on social media. And to my surprise, people responded. Not just with compliments, but with purchases. And not just sweatshirts and pouches. Bomber jackets. Big ones. The kind I honestly didn’t think people would buy at my price point. But they did. And they told me why: because it felt different.

That was the first time I realised that The Fuchsia Fox might be more than a side project.

What’s in a Name?

The name came to me on a walk. I’d already decided that “fuchsia” needed to be part of it—it’s been my forever colour. Then, one evening, I saw one of the local urban foxes darting across the pavement. That was it. The Fuchsia Fox. A little bit wild, a little unexpected, and absolutely rooted in colour.

Not Just a Shop—A Feeling

Everything about The Fuchsia Fox is shaped by how I want people to feel. That little dopamine buzz you get when you wear something you really love. When a friend compliments you. When you give someone a gift and know, instantly, that they’re going to adore it.

That’s why quality matters so much. I sampled around 20 sweatshirts before I found one that passed the test. I care about the cut, the softness, the longevity. I want these to be pieces people wear for years—not just until the next trend rolls in.

And I care about who’s making them. I only work with independent UK-based makers and ethical suppliers. I’m obsessed with cutting waste, so we print in small batches or make to order. It’s not always the easiest or fastest route, but it’s the one that sits right with my values.

Who It’s For (And Who It’s Not)

The Fuchsia Fox woman isn’t trying to be anyone but herself. She’s bold, creative, and often the first to compliment someone else’s outfit. She might be neurodivergent. She might be the mum at school pick-up in fabulous trainers and a bright sweatshirt. She probably buys better gifts than anyone else you know.

She’s the person who spots the detail. Who says “Where did you get that?” and means it. And she doesn’t shop just to fill a gap—she shops to feel something.

Why It Matters

I never set out to create a ‘brand’. But now that I have, I care about what it stands for. The Fuchsia Fox is about individuality, joy, and feeling a bit more fabulous on a day that might otherwise feel like a slog. It’s about colour, kindness, and being able to say, “I love your style,” and mean it—whether that’s to a stranger or to yourself in the mirror.

And the best part? People get it. Every time someone tells me they’ve never seen anything like it, or that wearing one of our jackets makes them feel amazing, I’m reminded why I kept going.

The Fuchsia Fox was never about chasing trends or turning a fast profit. It was about creating things I loved and sharing them with people who might love them too. That hasn’t changed.

It’s grown slowly, but with purpose. And we’re only just getting started.