BLAKE WOMAN - PIP DURELL
Thrilled to introduce our next Blake Woman, Founder of effortlessly cool shirt brand With Nothing Underneath - Pip Durell.
Pip has created a beautiful brand known for its ethos and sustainability practices but that doesn’t mean it falters on style. Doing one thing and doing that really well has meant WNU has gone from small start up to recognised International brand in a matter of years.
Hope you enjoy!
Tell us about your first job(s) and steps towards launching WNU?
It really came about when I was working at Vogue when I needed to be polished and put together and a shirt was always a great ‘uniform’. The idea came about then but it wasn’t until 2 years later when I finally thought let’s see if we could make something cool, elegant, ethical and affordable – a piece that really could be for everyone.
Why a shirt brand?
Shirts are so wonderfully democratic – and of course versatile, you can quite literally wear one from bed to the boardroom to the beach!
What were the biggest challenges?
Oh god, everything! I am no numbers whizz so that certainly has caused some headaches…
WNU uses sustainable fabrics and prides itself on being locally made - why is this so important and which other brands do you think do this very well?
Any brand, I believe, has a social responsibility to not only educate themselves but educate their customer on where their products come from, what their impact is and what they are made from.
It’s very hard when you are starting up and budgets are tight to make the call to decrease margins to use organic materials and source sustainable additions such as buttons. But it’s always possible – and WNU wouldn’t be what it is without our ethics, its key to the brand ethos.
Some of my favourite brands are Patagonia, Sir Plus and Sheep Inc.
Have customers/ people’s attitudes changed in 2020 do you think and are they here to stay?
Absolutely, its so encouraging to see how much our amazing WNU community cares – it brings me huge joy.
Your wish for the future..
Errrr a Covid vaccine? Lol.
Your top 5 brands to shop local this Xmas and support?
@goringcalligraphy for the best notecards – I love a hand written thank you
@daisy_page_art for special presents
@votarylondon for the night oil I cannot live without
@the.sette for all the interiors pieces I am after…
And of course Blake jumpers!!
Your latest purchase and why you love it?
I have actually just treated myself to some earrings from Jessie Thomas – I rarely shop and I truly do try to buy things that will last a lifetime.
Your favourite piece from the BL collection?
Its honestly hard to pick! The vests look amazing with a WNU shirt – and the Staithe is just the softest heaven….
Photos by Alicia Waite, Words by Alice Byrom