JOLENE'S IRREGULAR YEAR IN REVIEW

Jolene here. Wow, what a year this has been. It started with me wanting to give up after what felt like 3 years of relentless work and never ending bumps in the road - I really didn't think I had it in me to run this business... and now it is ending with me feeling full of hope, excitement + confidence. The reason?... Various people I've worked with who have encouraged huge personal shifts that translate into shifts for the business, AND of course all you fabulous lot for being here and choosing to support an independent business trying its best to do things in a responsible way. THANK YOU 

February 

We travelled to our first trade fair, which happened to be in NYC. Had a brilliant holiday ( met Joan as Policewoman and The Idiosyncratic Fashionistas) but signed not a single wholesale order...  

Came home in despair, met Sam via friends of friends: an extremely inspiring London based artist / creative mentor / tattoo artist who needed a Glasgow location to work from for a few days and so used our flat, and who set off a chain of events that has transformed this year {also got a tattoo}

March

Via Sam, via his partner Arizona (who I still work with for quarterly business coaching), learned about the Feminine Code Business School. Read more about how this all transformed me, and therefore our business here. 

April

We launched our zero waste collaboration with an NGO in India after working with ethical consultant Sara Collins to find a good match. Read more here

We also did a local zero waste collaboration with Glasgow based DCM garments which sold out in 30 minutes! 

May 

With things flowing, it meant I could look for our first member of staff. The stars aligned perfectly, and the amazing and endlessly talented Hayley McSporran started working with us. Read more here

I travelled to Bristol to meet some "pyjama friends" IRL for the first time. JOY. Our pyjamas have made us friends wherever we go, and we are super grateful   

This BBC Article went bananas. A great example of karmic payback after trauma I suffered while working there in my previous career...

The first custom suit we made for Joe Lycett featuring his own art work aired on his Channel 4 late night show. You can buy Joe's coffee table art book here. 

June 

We hosted our first 'Irregular Gathering' in our flat raised £2k for MAP that included a band playing live in our living room! Thanks to our customers, friends + random strangers who came and participated. Building community through our business, and using it for good things is pure joy... 

And just when everything was going so well, I went into menopausal hormonal meltdown. I shared this on our instagram and was inundated with messages of support + solidarity from so many people going through the same thing. I really believe it is important to share in the lows as well as the highs. 

July

We were approached by buyers for a very exciting overseas 2025 project... 

August 

We hosted our 2nd Irregular Gathering in the shape of the book launch of London based Supermundane, raising just under £500 for Mermaids. You can buy Rob's book here 

We were an official partner of the 20th Edinburgh Art Festival, providing uniforms for the staff. 

September 

We turned FOUR 

Jolene + Mil went to Top Drawer, had loads of great chats with people, and so our wholesale journey began. (check our stockists here). Most excitingly we met the lovely Tyrone Jospeh, a freelance retail consultant, who is answering my call for spreadsheets (and much more!) and holding our hands as we embark on the next stage of our irregular journey. 

October 

We moved into a bigger studio - the pyjama cave in our flat is no more! 

Our very talented durational artist friend Gillian started with us as a studio assistant (sadly due to current state of arts funding she needs a side hustle, but lucky for us as she is brings the meticulous detailed orientated approach to packing orders that Jolene definitely does not posses!) You could buy one of her fabulous modernist prints here.. 

We began work on two very exciting collaborations for 2025... 

November 

We launched our first super hit product: our reversible quilted throws sold out in 48 hours [more coming early 2025]

We did our first proper editorial shoot 

Our charity partner this year is The Simon Community, who will receive 10% of our online sales from November + December.  

Dec 

Net sales increase 541% compared with previous 12 months. This has been a huge lesson in the role mindset has to play in outcome for me as I learn to trust and flow rather than stress + push 💚

15th Dec - over and out - closing early for a nourishing break. Thank you all for being here, supporting our irregular dreams