March 29, 2021Cool Stuff
10 questions with…Michelle Buttery
Name: Michelle Buttery
Job title: Owner and creative director of Fox & Taylor. Lingerie, swim, active and nightwear design consultant.
What date did you start your brand?
I started creating my brand in 2017, just after my 40th Birthday. I had moved back to Vietnam from Hong Kong with the dream and determination to start my own loungewear label, and to work as a design consultant for brands and factories. The ultimate goal was to move to Spain and to create a business model that could move with me. I moved to Valencia last year.
Why did you start it?
It had always been something I wanted to do, it was the how that was the difficult part. My aim was to start off working with only natural fibers, I had a great silk supplier with high standards and low minimums. In Saigon I was connected to a very experienced and talented tailor, and this is how I started working on the key shapes in my collection. The aim was to move to recycled/recyclable eco fabrics once I was able to order larger quantities. My vision was to create an eco lux loungewear brand that looked sleek, chic, comfortable and feminine.
Did you always know you wanted to work for yourself?
This was always the ultimate goal, though I feel extremely grateful to have worked for such incredible brands in London and some of the best major cities around the world. It gave me the opportunity to learn my skill set and to create a rich portfolio. I love the balance of creating my own brand, working on collaborations and designing for other brands in the industry. I am a lingerie designer by trade, my consultancy work allows me to stay close to this ever evolving sector.
Is there something that you know now that you wish you'd known when you first started your business? Or what one piece of advice do you have for anyone starting a business?
There are so many things you learn along the way and most definitely I would have done many things differently from the start. Everything is clear in hindsight and everyone's journey will face its own challenges. Though the advice I was given is "just start", that is what I did.
What 3 words sum up your brand?
Eco lux
Effortless chic
Elegant
What 3 words sum up you as a person.
Hard working
Determined
Creative, with a love/passion for travel, experiencing new cultures, food and meeting new people.
If you had to choose three items from your wardrobe to wear for the rest of your days, what would they be?
My favourite jeans, my favourite black t-shirt and my much loved airmax
If you came to my bar ‘The Staying Inn” what drink would you order and what one song would you request on my jukebox?
This is tough as I like the look of all of the cocktails at the Staying Inn. I think I'd start off with a frozen margarita and request Sly & the family stone - If you want me to stay for the jukebox. I'd order a side of their best dry roasted peanuts and enjoy chatting away to the barmaid.