Claire Gordon, founder of Goudhurst’s The Make Shed, on continuity, retaining textile skills and borrowing from nature
Images by Codie Hobbs
In a world of fast fashion, fleeting trends and wardrobes that can feel all too disposable, The Make Shed (@themakeshed) in Goudhurst is taking a quieter approach. Here, clothing is designed and made in small batches, with an emphasis on natural materials, skilled craftsmanship and pieces intended to stay in a wardrobe for years rather than months.
The philosophy is straightforward: buy less, but buy better.
“We care about how we create our clothing, using natural products such as wools and linens that have provenance,” says founder Claire Gordon. “Creating designs that are timeless, garments that let you add to your existing wardrobe.”
For Claire, that philosophy is rooted in a lifetime of making. She has been making clothes since she was 10 years old, and her route into fashion has been anything but conventional.
Her background has always been intensely hands-on. She worked in factories as a piece worker, layering fabrics, pattern-cutting and learning the practical business of constructing a garment. After spending some time living in Italy, she eventually went to university as a mature student, studying fine art textiles at Goldsmiths in London.
Along the way, she also worked in several retail roles, including at Nicole Farhi, experiences that gave her a strong understanding not only of clothes and fabrics but of how people actually wear them.
“I’ve always been drawn to making things that are slightly different,” says Claire. “I like challenging the obvious - putting things together that perhaps shouldn’t naturally go together, playing with proportions, fabrics, colours and details, and being a little bit subversive.”
Her degree encouraged that instinct, pushing experimentation rather than forcing a conventional design process, running more in alignment with art than traditional clothing design.
“It gives us a much closer relationship with what we’re making”
“I’ll have fabrics, colours and ideas scattered around me and I’ll start putting things together until something feels right,” she says. “I’m not someone who necessarily sits down with a perfectly worked-out plan from the beginning. Quite often the best ideas come from experimenting or even from getting something wrong.”
That willingness to embrace the unexpected is an important part of The Make Shed’s character.
“I love those happy accidents - when I’ve stitched something slightly differently to how I intended and suddenly think ‘Actually, that works’.”
COLOUR WAYS
A lot of inspiration comes from being outdoors: colours, textures and landscapes, as well as the slightly unexpected combinations found in nature. This feeds into both the aesthetic of the clothes and the muted palette that has become characteristic of the brand.
“... local flora and fauna all find their way into the things we create,” says Claire.
“We tend towards muted, easy-on-the-eye tones and softer, natural colours. They are colours that people can wear year after year rather than feeling tied to a particular season.”
That idea of continuity is central. Rather than encouraging customers to replace their clothes with every new season, the next collection is designed to work alongside what has gone before.
“We create clothes for people who like to look slightly different and appreciate good-quality fabrics and knowing where their clothes have been made,” Claire explains. “Our pieces are really wearable but always with a little twist - something that makes them feel individual without being too far removed from everyday life.”
As well as creating clothing and fragrances, the west Kent brand also hosts workshops for adults and children, extending its interest in making beyond the clothes themselves. But the heart of the business remains in fabric.
Favouring natural fibres wherever possible, working with British wool when it can be sourced, alongside alpaca, linen and cotton - synthetics hold little appeal.
“We are not particularly interested in using man-made fabrics. For us, the feel, quality and provenance of the fabric are really important,” says Claire.
That emphasis on provenance feeds directly into the company’s decision to manufacture in small quantities, creating exclusivity but also staying connected to the making process.
“It gives us a much closer relationship with what we’re making,” says Claire.
That relationship extends beyond the studio. As the business has grown, Claire has brought in a small number of local out-workers, including seamstresses and knitters. The designs remain in-house, while experienced local makers help turn them into finished garments.
“We design everything ourselves and then work closely with these local makers to bring the pieces to life,” says Claire. “It’s really important to us to have those relationships and to know the people who are making our clothes.”
The approach is particularly evident in The Make Shed’s handmade collections, where garments are, you guessed it, made by hand from initial cut to final finish. The emphasis is on time and experience rather than speed.
It is a philosophy that shapes the company’s own idea of sustainability, rather than taking a stand against modern practices.
“I wouldn’t really say we’re trying to challenge the fashion industry,” she says. “We’re not trying to make a protest or make a big statement. For us, it’s much more about being honest and humble about where things come from.
“We genuinely care about the provenance of our products, the fabrics we use and the people who make them,” Claire says. “We care about making good clothes properly.”
The intended customer, she adds, is someone who also shares those values of environmental responsibility, fair wages, local employment and the origins of the products they buy.
The Make Shed generally produces two collections annually, for spring and autumn, but each is designed to sit comfortably alongside previous pieces.
The current Birdy collection illustrates the approach. Among its pieces, the Chick top has emerged as a particular favourite. Its appeal lies not in an elaborate statement but in a small design detail: fluted sleeves that transform a simple top into something distinctive.
“We love making trousers, and they have always sold particularly well for us,” says Claire. “But I would say our little Chick top has been the best-seller this season.”
From its Goudhurst base, it sells through its own online presence, selected markets and events and a small network of independent shops, including stockists in Sevenoaks and Ticehurst. There are ambitions to expand that network, but the underlying principle remains unchanged.
In an industry often defined by speed and volume, The Make Shed is pursuing something more measured: clothes made with attention, by people whose work can be traced, from materials chosen for their quality and provenance.
For Claire, that is ultimately the point: well-made clothing, thoughtfully produced, with enough individuality to make it worth keeping.
INFO: www.themakeshed.co.uk
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