about
Hey! I am Zoe Yarwood and I am the designer-maker behind the Somerset based slow fashion brand Collect Me.
After completing my Fashion Design degree, I gained experience with other small businesses. I first interned at a sustainable fashion brand in Dalston, London and then worked on producing bespoke garments from pattern cutting stage through to final construction at a small shop in the thriving independent scene of Catherine Hill in Frome, Somerset.
I was never interested in working for big brands and wanted to keep sustainability at the core of what I do. I founded Collect Me as a brand that focuses on creating in a slow way, with one of a kind pieces.
Collect Me is for those that want to slow down their consumption of clothing and approach style in a more sustainable way, without losing the joy of fashion. You can buy ready-to-wear pieces, knowing that they are unique and have a reduced environmental impact, or you can be a part of the design process and get a piece made to order in your measurements.
Every piece is handmade and designed by me in my home studio in Frome, a wonderful small town in rural Somerset. We're surrounded by fields but this small corner of the UK is a hub for small, creative and independent businesses, with a thriving retail scene on and around the picturesque Catherine Hill and a monthly Frome Independent Market that is full to the brim with creative traders and a buzzing atmosphere.
The key factors in my designs are versatility, comfort and creating flattering shapes - then I add in a touch of bright colour and print with fabric choices to crank up the uniqueness and fun! I want pieces that work together but also can be worn in a variety of ways, so the wearer can keep that excitement of wearing a new piece of clothing going for longer and throughout the seasons.
I'm influenced by Japanese pattern cutting techniques and like to add a unique detail to each design. My signature use of contrasting panels of fabrics is also a practical way of helping to use up smaller pieces of remnants.
I'm a big lover of jumpsuits so you will always find one in my collection and I am always drawn to assymetrical designs, which makes my life much more difficult in the fabric cutting stages!
I use vintage and remnant fabrics to make my clothing and accessories - remnants include end of roll pieces, unwanted or unused fabric, deadstock, fabric with print issues and seconds. This helps to use up fabrics that are already in circulation or otherwise would go unused.
Using remnant fabrics means that I rarely have enough of each to make more than one design out of it. Each piece is therefore totally unique in its fabric combination.
Find Collect Me in these awesome shops...
If you prefer to get your slow fashion in person, you can head to these great independent stores, all champions of sustainable clothing.
23 Catherine Hill, Frome, BA11 1BZ
45-47 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3QP
9 West Port, Edinburgh EH1 2JA
You can also chat to me in person at POOT Emporium every Thursday, or find me trading at The Frome Independent Market, the first Sunday of the month March - December.
Find Collect Me listed in these awesome sustainable and indie business directories and guides.
Check out my most recent photoshoot
Have a nosey through the summery gorgeousness of these stunning brand photos, shot and modelled by the talented Charlotte Turton.
