LUCINDA: My family are all fine very luckily and we have been living at home, West London — me, my husband and one of our sons who goes back and forth to university.

‍ALIX: Tell me how you start a typical day. What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

LUCINDA: The first thing I do is wake up and turn the radio on to the news; my husband has brought me a cup of tea in bed for the last thirty years, lemon and ginger. I know, it’s treaty.

ALIX: You are a long time veteran of the fashion world. Were there times in the past that you considered starting your own collection (as we used to call it before ‘brand’ became such a big thing)?

LUCINDA: No, I had never considered starting my own business. I was often asked if I would, but the time was never right. I was too busy doing other things, which I loved.‍

ALIX: Why Colville now? What was the impetus? (And out of curiosity, where did the name come from?)

‍LUCINDA: I think I joined up with Molly and Colville because I had space in my life to do it, timing felt right and I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else.  We had worked together for years, so we know exactly how the other works, our strengths and weaknesses and also, very importantly, how to have a laugh. Molly and Kris [Kristen Forss, a third founder, now Colville collaborator] thought of the name. Colville is where we hang out, it’s where Hockney used to live. We love that part of London and I go there every Friday to the market...it felt right and it looked great when we designed it.

ALIX: What are you trying to do differently with Colville?

‍LUCINDA: I think we are running a very different company than what we have seen before. For a start, we champion everyone who we work with — everyone. We name names, give them a shout and spread the word. In that respect it feels more like a community, a collective, of like-minded people bought together. We have a great sense of people’s worth. This includes all the social projects that Colville does, from Turkey to Dhakar, Mexico and Suffolk! We sit down for lunch, usually delicious pasta, talk and then have coffee. Nothing is rushed, we take pleasure in everything we do.

ALIX: What is the spirit/soul/mission of Colville?

‍LUCINDA: The mission is to make beautiful clothes that tell a story and are made to last.

ALIX: What about it keeps you and your team most inspired and excited most?

LUCINDA: I think we all love to collaborate! Even if it's suggested [to work] with someone who feels very random, it gets us excited. We always have great brainstorming sessions, lots of ideas fly around and it’s our happy place. It’s also about the people we collaborate with. We love them and they mean something to us at Colville. We don’t take anyone for granted and what they bring to us, whether it’s skill or ideas or craft, it’s very exciting. We went on a trip to Asia and I think we had a blast! It seems very far away now, to have pop ups, meet customers and buyers, we loved every minute of it, and as for the food…heaven!

ALIX: Where do values like sustainability and community come in? And how do they impact the way that you approach Colville from a purely aesthetic point of view? 

‍LUCINDA: Sustainability and upcycling have always been and will always be a huge part of who we are, what defines us.  We are always finding new ways of doing things, always asking the questions and always challenging old ways of doing things to put better ones in place. We are small but growing, and have a lot to learn along the way — which is great I think, to keep evolving.

ALIX: What have been some of the biggest highs in this Colville journey?

LUCINDA: I think the highs always involve people. During lockdown, Molly and I did an impulsive Calling All Knitters project to help a women’s charity in Milan. The response was incredible, so touching how many people started knitting.  We approached Sotheby’s to help with the auction and they were on board straight away with all their help and expertise. It’s times like that you think, wow, people are just the best. Lately we have heard a lot about the negative impact of fashion on the world. 

LUCINDA: My family are all fine very luckily and we have been living at home, West London — me, my husband and one of our sons who goes back and forth to university.

‍ALIX: Tell me how you start a typical day. What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

LUCINDA: The first thing I do is wake up and turn the radio on to the news; my husband has brought me a cup of tea in bed for the last thirty years, lemon and ginger. I know, it’s treaty.

ALIX: You are a long time veteran of the fashion world. Were there times in the past that you considered starting your own collection (as we used to call it before ‘brand’ became such a big thing)?

LUCINDA: No, I had never considered starting my own business. I was often asked if I would, but the time was never right. I was too busy doing other things, which I loved.‍

ALIX: Why Colville now? What was the impetus? (And out of curiosity, where did the name come from?)

‍LUCINDA: I think I joined up with Molly and Colville because I had space in my life to do it, timing felt right and I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else.  We had worked together for years, so we know exactly how the other works, our strengths and weaknesses and also, very importantly, how to have a laugh. Molly and Kris [Kristen Forss, a third founder, now Colville collaborator] thought of the name. Colville is where we hang out, it’s where Hockney used to live. We love that part of London and I go there every Friday to the market...it felt right and it looked great when we designed it.

ALIX: What are you trying to do differently with Colville?

‍LUCINDA: I think we are running a very different company than what we have seen before. For a start, we champion everyone who we work with — everyone. We name names, give them a shout and spread the word. In that respect it feels more like a community, a collective, of like-minded people bought together. We have a great sense of people’s worth. This includes all the social projects that Colville does, from Turkey to Dhakar, Mexico and Suffolk! We sit down for lunch, usually delicious pasta, talk and then have coffee. Nothing is rushed, we take pleasure in everything we do.

ALIX: What is the spirit/soul/mission of Colville?

‍LUCINDA: The mission is to make beautiful clothes that tell a story and are made to last.

ALIX: What about it keeps you and your team most inspired and excited most?

LUCINDA: I think we all love to collaborate! Even if it's suggested [to work] with someone who feels very random, it gets us excited. We always have great brainstorming sessions, lots of ideas fly around and it’s our happy place. It’s also about the people we collaborate with. We love them and they mean something to us at Colville. We don’t take anyone for granted and what they bring to us, whether it’s skill or ideas or craft, it’s very exciting. We went on a trip to Asia and I think we had a blast! It seems very far away now, to have pop ups, meet customers and buyers, we loved every minute of it, and as for the food…heaven!

ALIX: Where do values like sustainability and community come in? And how do they impact the way that you approach Colville from a purely aesthetic point of view? 

‍LUCINDA: Sustainability and upcycling have always been and will always be a huge part of who we are, what defines us.  We are always finding new ways of doing things, always asking the questions and always challenging old ways of doing things to put better ones in place. We are small but growing, and have a lot to learn along the way — which is great I think, to keep evolving.

ALIX: What have been some of the biggest highs in this Colville journey?

LUCINDA: I think the highs always involve people. During lockdown, Molly and I did an impulsive Calling All Knitters project to help a women’s charity in Milan. The response was incredible, so touching how many people started knitting.  We approached Sotheby’s to help with the auction and they were on board straight away with all their help and expertise. It’s times like that you think, wow, people are just the best. Lately we have heard a lot about the negative impact of fashion on the world. 

LUCINDA: My family are all fine very luckily and we have been living at home, West London — me, my husband and one of our sons who goes back and forth to university.

‍ALIX: Tell me how you start a typical day. What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

LUCINDA: The first thing I do is wake up and turn the radio on to the news; my husband has brought me a cup of tea in bed for the last thirty years, lemon and ginger. I know, it’s treaty.

ALIX: You are a long time veteran of the fashion world. Were there times in the past that you considered starting your own collection (as we used to call it before ‘brand’ became such a big thing)?

LUCINDA: No, I had never considered starting my own business. I was often asked if I would, but the time was never right. I was too busy doing other things, which I loved.‍

ALIX: Why Colville now? What was the impetus? (And out of curiosity, where did the name come from?)

‍LUCINDA: I think I joined up with Molly and Colville because I had space in my life to do it, timing felt right and I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else.  We had worked together for years, so we know exactly how the other works, our strengths and weaknesses and also, very importantly, how to have a laugh. Molly and Kris [Kristen Forss, a third founder, now Colville collaborator] thought of the name. Colville is where we hang out, it’s where Hockney used to live. We love that part of London and I go there every Friday to the market...it felt right and it looked great when we designed it.

ALIX: What are you trying to do differently with Colville?

‍LUCINDA: I think we are running a very different company than what we have seen before. For a start, we champion everyone who we work with — everyone. We name names, give them a shout and spread the word. In that respect it feels more like a community, a collective, of like-minded people bought together. We have a great sense of people’s worth. This includes all the social projects that Colville does, from Turkey to Dhakar, Mexico and Suffolk! We sit down for lunch, usually delicious pasta, talk and then have coffee. Nothing is rushed, we take pleasure in everything we do.

ALIX: What is the spirit/soul/mission of Colville?

‍LUCINDA: The mission is to make beautiful clothes that tell a story and are made to last.

ALIX: What about it keeps you and your team most inspired and excited most?

LUCINDA: I think we all love to collaborate! Even if it's suggested [to work] with someone who feels very random, it gets us excited. We always have great brainstorming sessions, lots of ideas fly around and it’s our happy place. It’s also about the people we collaborate with. We love them and they mean something to us at Colville. We don’t take anyone for granted and what they bring to us, whether it’s skill or ideas or craft, it’s very exciting. We went on a trip to Asia and I think we had a blast! It seems very far away now, to have pop ups, meet customers and buyers, we loved every minute of it, and as for the food…heaven!

ALIX: Where do values like sustainability and community come in? And how do they impact the way that you approach Colville from a purely aesthetic point of view? 

‍LUCINDA: Sustainability and upcycling have always been and will always be a huge part of who we are, what defines us.  We are always finding new ways of doing things, always asking the questions and always challenging old ways of doing things to put better ones in place. We are small but growing, and have a lot to learn along the way — which is great I think, to keep evolving.

ALIX: What have been some of the biggest highs in this Colville journey?

LUCINDA: I think the highs always involve people. During lockdown, Molly and I did an impulsive Calling All Knitters project to help a women’s charity in Milan. The response was incredible, so touching how many people started knitting.  We approached Sotheby’s to help with the auction and they were on board straight away with all their help and expertise. It’s times like that you think, wow, people are just the best. Lately we have heard a lot about the negative impact of fashion on the world. 

LUCINDA: My family are all fine very luckily and we have been living at home, West London — me, my husband and one of our sons who goes back and forth to university.

‍ALIX: Tell me how you start a typical day. What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

LUCINDA: The first thing I do is wake up and turn the radio on to the news; my husband has brought me a cup of tea in bed for the last thirty years, lemon and ginger. I know, it’s treaty.

ALIX: You are a long time veteran of the fashion world. Were there times in the past that you considered starting your own collection (as we used to call it before ‘brand’ became such a big thing)?

LUCINDA: No, I had never considered starting my own business. I was often asked if I would, but the time was never right. I was too busy doing other things, which I loved.‍

ALIX: Why Colville now? What was the impetus? (And out of curiosity, where did the name come from?)

‍LUCINDA: I think I joined up with Molly and Colville because I had space in my life to do it, timing felt right and I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else.  We had worked together for years, so we know exactly how the other works, our strengths and weaknesses and also, very importantly, how to have a laugh. Molly and Kris [Kristen Forss, a third founder, now Colville collaborator] thought of the name. Colville is where we hang out, it’s where Hockney used to live. We love that part of London and I go there every Friday to the market...it felt right and it looked great when we designed it.

ALIX: What are you trying to do differently with Colville?

‍LUCINDA: I think we are running a very different company than what we have seen before. For a start, we champion everyone who we work with — everyone. We name names, give them a shout and spread the word. In that respect it feels more like a community, a collective, of like-minded people bought together. We have a great sense of people’s worth. This includes all the social projects that Colville does, from Turkey to Dhakar, Mexico and Suffolk! We sit down for lunch, usually delicious pasta, talk and then have coffee. Nothing is rushed, we take pleasure in everything we do.

ALIX: What is the spirit/soul/mission of Colville?

‍LUCINDA: The mission is to make beautiful clothes that tell a story and are made to last.

ALIX: What about it keeps you and your team most inspired and excited most?

LUCINDA: I think we all love to collaborate! Even if it's suggested [to work] with someone who feels very random, it gets us excited. We always have great brainstorming sessions, lots of ideas fly around and it’s our happy place. It’s also about the people we collaborate with. We love them and they mean something to us at Colville. We don’t take anyone for granted and what they bring to us, whether it’s skill or ideas or craft, it’s very exciting. We went on a trip to Asia and I think we had a blast! It seems very far away now, to have pop ups, meet customers and buyers, we loved every minute of it, and as for the food…heaven!

ALIX: Where do values like sustainability and community come in? And how do they impact the way that you approach Colville from a purely aesthetic point of view? 

‍LUCINDA: Sustainability and upcycling have always been and will always be a huge part of who we are, what defines us.  We are always finding new ways of doing things, always asking the questions and always challenging old ways of doing things to put better ones in place. We are small but growing, and have a lot to learn along the way — which is great I think, to keep evolving.

ALIX: What have been some of the biggest highs in this Colville journey?

LUCINDA: I think the highs always involve people. During lockdown, Molly and I did an impulsive Calling All Knitters project to help a women’s charity in Milan. The response was incredible, so touching how many people started knitting.  We approached Sotheby’s to help with the auction and they were on board straight away with all their help and expertise. It’s times like that you think, wow, people are just the best. Lately we have heard a lot about the negative impact of fashion on the world.