EXV Fashion House in the House! Words of wisdom from a clothing start up.

Today we met the gorgeous Tania at Indigo HQ, Tania, along with her brother Mitch, recently launched their own clothing line. We asked her about the development of her brand from initial idea to execution. Interview below.

Hi Tania, Thanks for meeting us today and congratulations on the launch of East15 threads!

• So what encouraged you to start your own line?

I always had a passion for fashion and the arts having studied art and design at LCF. From a young age I was always customising clothing and cutting it up for change. When I was out of work a couple of years ago I started customising one off pieces and selling them online. When I was made redundant recently I knew this was where my heart lies. My brother and I then co-founded EXV. Mitch currently works in the rag trade and has exceptional knowledge of the business which is a huge help.

• Where does the name EXV come from?

EXV means East 15, the post code in which we live.

• What complications have you come across during launch, if any, and what advice would you give to others to avoid this?

We had some technical issues online, the name was changed on our asos marketplace boutique so all links became invalid. We also needed minor trimming amendments during production. The best advice is to allow as much time as possible before launch, although I know this isn’t always possible!

• What inspires your designs?

I would definitely say the streets/ urban London. Something people would wear in the day and feel a little bit edgy yet quirky at the same time. We wanted to keep the collection different yet affordable. The mad hatters tea collection was inspired by my love for all things afternoon tea. Mitch has taken inspiration for the menswear logos/designs from every day people living in East London. He wanted to keep the new collection urban and smart.

• Why did you choose Indigo to assist in the print side of production?

I googled printers in London and Indigo Clothing came up, they were luckily based in East London which fits my brand identity.  I arranged a meeting with Stephan who was absolutely brilliant. He took my initial design ideas and turned them into digital print efficient files. We couldn’t have launched this collection without him. All of the Indigo team, especially Stephan in production, have been absolutely superb, I would definitely recommend them.

• What is your favourite piece from SS15?

Personally my favourite piece is the black contrast tube dress and the White airtex co-ord which are both hanging in my wardrobe raring for a day/night out. Mitch loves the men’s bomber jackets. Drop 2 of the ladies collection is due out end of April.

Thanks for sharing your wisdom with our readers Tania. Good luck with everything and we look forward to hearing from you soon! View and purchase the EXV range here.