A woman who made scrubs for medics during the pandemic has started her own fashion label after struggling to get into the industry. Imogen Evans, 23, set up her fashion brand Imi Studios during the Covid lockdowns after learning to sew at the age of 12.
She spent a year in Milan, Italy, in 2017 after leaving school to learn the basics. After posting her skills on social media, Imogen was contacted to showcase a collection at Vancouver Fashion Week, Canada, in September 2018 at the age of 19.
The budding designer was then asked to showcase another collection at New York Fashion Week in February 2019. Imogen, from Edinburgh, Scotland said: "Over lockdown, I started working on scrubs for NHS staff and I realised that I had very good business acumen.
"Part of the reason I wasn't starting a brand was that I was scared of doing it and I didn't have any capital to invest in manufacturing. Lockdown was a perfect excuse to practice, improve my sewing skills and get a collection growing.
"I have been doing it for two years now and I am at the stage in my business where I can outsource some operations." Before starting her own brand, Imogen interned at womenswear brand Richard Quinn but due to the pandemic, she had to move back home to Edinburgh, Scotland.
While living back at home, Imogen realised that people were sewing scrubs for NHS staff across the UK. Imogen tried to join groups, but they were full and not looking for seamstresses.
After phoning around hospitals and speaking to doctors, she started her own group in April 2020. Imogen said: "What started off as a day group turned into six different groups across Scotland, with 80 seamstresses across the country.
"I realised that I had a network of seamstresses across Scotland that I could tap into and that was something I used to my advantage when I started Imi Studios." In October 2020 Imogen started preparing the branding for her company, her logo and designed the website, launching it in December 2020.
She said: "Between March and December I was practising my sewing on a daily basis. I had a bag of old materials and I would get myself to make something every day from the old materials which really helped.
"In the first year I was not making a lot of money. I was still living at home but I kept being really consistent with social media when I started the brand.
"I was just getting to grips with TikTok, and I was super consistent, posting on YouTube, Instagram and doing TikToks. After a year things took off, and my content was doing really well.
"We opened a pop-up shop in London in April 2022 and got sponsored by Absolute Vodka. I was able to hire six members of staff part-time."
Imogen has been running her business for two years and in that time has partnered with the likes of Depop and sent clothes to pop sensation Doja Cat. Imogen created not one, but two custom fabrics featuring Doja Cat’s Instagram selfies which she handmade into dresses.
Imogen said “This whole experience has been pretty surreal for me. Doja Cat is someone I’ve admired for years so receiving positive feedback from her is amazing.
"I have worked really hard to grow my brand over the last few years and exposure like this is monumental for any small business. It is rewarding to see all of my hard work beginning to pay off.
"I can’t wait to see where Imi Studios will go from here. Doja Cat is often supporting upcoming brands and creatives.
"I think this sets an amazing example to her audience as she is promoting an industry shift towards sustainable and ethical fashion, something I am super passionate about."
Imogen said her whole experience so far has made her realise that "anyone can do this". She said: "Anyone who has a phone and an idea can make something of themselves.
"I am proud that I have done it myself and taken the initiative."
