After completing her diploma in Fashion in 2012, Hannah Lavery knew without a doubt that she wanted to start a business in the same field.
With very little money, no roadmap of where she was going, and a broken heart from a recent break-up, she made her dream a reality and started her design house which she named after herself, Hannah Lavery.
Today, her thriving business makes and sells gorgeous female garments which is inspired by the diversity of women’s shapes and lives. It also offers a complete wardrobe selection in neutral tones with clear lines and kind-to-your-skin materials.
The start was rocky but Hannah stood up to the challenge
Following this rocky start, which entailed sewing garments herself because at times there was not enough time to produce them, Hannah has since opened two physical stores in Cape Town and one in Johannesburg as well as an online store.
The first Hannah Lavery store opened its doors in 2014 at the Watershed in Cape Town. This move gave her freedom to explore new products, expand her range, decide on how she wanted her brand to be perceived in the market and also develop strong relationships with her customers.
“Since I took that big step, our team has grown significantly, we now have three retail stores and various stockists around SA and abroad,” says Hannah.
Even COVID-19 did not stop Hannah and her team from growing
It’s a known fact that COVID-19’s wrath was felt by an array of businesses across the world. Hannah’s design house was also not spared. The pandemic forced Hannah Lavery to close all its doors. “Having to close up all our shops and send our entire team home was extremely challenging. But this new reality forced us to investigate why we were doing things the way we were. Harsh as it was, the pandemic inspired us to change and rethink our way of doing business,” Hannah explains.
Some of our biggest experiences of growth have come precisely from these challenges. “Even opening our first store was a massive challenge and extremely difficult for us to keep afloat for the first year, but through that we honed our product, we learnt who our customers were and I figured out how to have staff, train them and keep them motivated,” says Hannah.
Hannah Lavery’s formula for success
Part of Hannah’s recipe to success is that one shouldn’t be too hard on themselves. “I think the most important thing is to not take yourself too seriously so that when you hit a challenge, you can honestly look at yourself and your company and investigate why you are facing this challenge. Very often there is something that you can change that is in your control to help you overcome that challenge,” explains Hannah.
She also believes in showing up at all times. “Most of the job is done by just showing up - just starting something, doing it, saying yes to every opportunity that can help build your cash reserves and getting on with things even if they aren’t perfect. Just do it and see. You won’t know until you try,” concludes Hannah.
To shop Hannah Lavery’s amazing garments, simply click here to download VodaPay and visit her shop. You could also win a R1500 Hannah Lavery voucher on World Fashion Day, 21 August 2022! Simply follow VodaPay and Hannah Lavery on Instagram or Facebook and follow the instructions to stand a chance to win.
