Newsletter No.5
In keeping with our community-themed print issue, we’ve asked Navygrey founder Rachel Carvell-Spedding what community means to her and find out why it is such an important part of building a brand from scratch. We also pick our favourite pieces from the collection and hear from some well-dressed women about their favourites.
Rachel launched Navygrey in 2019 with the vision of building a brand around the feeling of wearing your favourite jumper. In a world where it has become easy to take shortcuts, Rachel took a different approach, dedicating herself to traditional craftsmanship in designing each piece. The result is a clever blend of classic and contemporary knitwear, crafted to last a lifetime. Here, we talk to Rachel about the role community has played in helping her achieve what she set out to do.
What does community mean to you, and how has it influenced your brand?
Community has been, and always will be, hugely important to me and Navygrey across every aspect of the business. From our customers to our makers and the community of creatives that help to bring our work to life, our own close-knit team, and the other female entrepreneurs that started brands at a similar time to ours.
No business, especially a start-up, is an island, and this is what community means to us. It’s an eco-system that forms the foundations of what we do and how we do it. And, like all eco-systems, if we were to lose any part of it, our ability to achieve what we do would be diminished.
Each of the sub-groups that make up the broader Navygrey community brings their own unique but key influence to bear on our brand. Our customers’ purchases and feedback influence what we bring to market; our designers are central in bringing what the customers want to life; we use only those suppliers, mills, and knitters that buy into our ethos and values, and they, in turn, will often go beyond what was thought previously possible to turn that ethos into a reality; my Navygrey team works tirelessly to help me grow the business in the right, sustainable way, whilst always staying true to why we set it up in the first place; and we draw inspiration from fellow female founders doing wonderful things and helping each other (with advice, contacts, and, often, just a few words of encouragement) keep going.
Navygrey supports British mills and knitters, could you tells us about the communities you work with?
80% of what we create is made in Britain, and from the fleeces to the finished pieces, it’s an incredible team of people that come together to make it all happen. We work with four key British mills that spin different types of wool, and then we have four different knitwear manufacturers across the British Isles that each specialise in knitting different products for us. It’s a small community in the UK, and everyone we work with has a different specialism, and what is wonderful is that as we grow, our British suppliers can grow too, which supports apprenticeships, creates jobs and value within Britain, and as a British brand, that matters to us.
From the Shetland Isles to the Orkneys, to Hawick, the Highlands—Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Gloucestershire, and London (and more in between!)—we work with so many different people dedicated to different aspects of our supply chain—from the famers to the wool graders, to the spinners, dyers, and knitters. We’re regularly on the road, meeting with them, talking to them—because working with them and deepening our connection with them enables us to grow and develop and to create the best possible product we can. In Britain, our suppliers want to hear how our customers find the product, and we want to share their processes with our customers. It’s about connecting the dots—and for too long, aspects of how things are made have been kept hidden. But every aspect of our British supply chain has a story—there are real people behind everything we create—and we want to share that. Because when we understand more about the people involved—the community behind a product—we can appreciate the true value of things.
True communities are built on proper, transparent, and meaningful communication. We never want to preach but instead seek to clearly explain what we do and why we do it, so that we can bring our community on the journey with us.
Many entrepreneurs dream of creating a strong community around their brand. What strategies did you use to connect with your customers, and how are you continuing to expand that community today?
For a brand to really connect, to resonate with customers, and to build loyalty and curiosity in a fast-paced world, there has to be a very good reason... and for us, that started with our story. I started Navygrey because of a jumper—a 25-year-old one that I loved and that was owned by my mother.
And that jumper—its history and the feeling it gave me—is what brought so many people to us—because so many customers had a jumper from a family member that they too had loved. And that connection—a shared story and shared feeling—marked the start of us building that customer community.
From one jumper to now a community of thousands. That jumper remains at the heart of everything we do, but as much as customers want to hear about our jumpers, they also want to hear about our influences, how we style our pieces, where we wear them, where we take them on holiday, etc. and it’s this that led us to creating our weekly Clippings newsletter.
‘Clippings’ is our curated weekly round-up of things big and small that have caught our eye or inspired us that week. Sent every Thursday afternoon, around the time that the kettle is usually on (4 p.m.), it’s a chance for us to connect with our customers at the same time every week and share not only what we stand for but for introducing the Navygrey community to other brands and communities out there that they otherwise might not have heard of.
And as we grow, we’re now increasingly doing more face-to-face pop-ups and events—because nothing beats in person. The chance to connect—with us as people and our product. And because so much of our brand comes from a feeling—that sensation you get when you pull on your favourite jumper—to bring that feeling to life—it matters so very much to us and gives us a vital dimension to our community.
Could you tells us your favourite community hangouts?
There’s a Story Coffee by our office—a screen-free café that’s just perfect for screen-free team catch-ups. Increasingly, however, as a team and for our customers, it’s our pop-up spaces. In November we’re on the Ledbury Road for a couple of weeks; after that we’re in Marylebone for three months—along one of our favourite streets, Marylebone Lane, and it’s there that we plan to do a lot of hanging out...
Personally, on Sundays, my favourite community hangout is the Windmill Café (officially called the Windmill Tearooms) on Wimbledon Common. It’s not far from where I live, and whether you’ve been running, on a family walk, or having a catch-up with friends, this fuss-free old-school café brings everyone together. A community looking to switch off. To stop and slow down. To get some well-needed fresh air. And if we’re honest, also treat themselves to an excellent fried egg sandwich or a homemade flapjack.
Well Curated
Here are our favourites from the collection, along with pieces chosen by stylists and tastemakers who know how to throw on a great knit. What we love most is that each woman chose something different, showing that Navygrey has a go-to sweater for everyone.
‘This red v-neck jumper is an instant mood booster, perfect for adding some cheer to the darker days ahead. The relaxed fit and deep v-neck give it an effortless vibe—anything oversized is an instant winner for me. Team with a white T-shirt and jeans for a no-fuss approach to winter.’ Jessica Skye, Tastemaker & Content Creator
‘My dream jumper; it has a loose fit and a bit of weight to it. I could wear this with a pair of jeans on repeat and forget about everything else in my wardrobe. A cream wool knit is timeless, and there’s a softness to it that lifts my complexion, even in the depths of winter.’ Camilla Hewitt, Well Curated
The AUTHENTIC FUNNEL in Espresso
‘I love an interesting neckline on a loose fit knit. The coffee shade not only adds polish to any jean, tailoring or silk but also wears well with neutrals.' Robyn Kotze, Stylist & Creative Consultant
I love the relaxed fit, the length, which sits just in the right spot, and the colour is the perfect tone to pair with denim.’ Des Lewis, Stylist & Art Director
‘I’ve had this knit for two years, and it has stood the test of time beautifully. I reach for it constantly, whether that’s as an extra layer over my shoulder or the main event! I’m always asked where it’s from too.’ Lindsey Holland, Tastemaker & Content Creator
‘For me, it’s all about the Winter Weekend in Moss. It’s the ideal piece to layer over a chocolate or beige shift dress for a tonal look that effortlessly transitions from day to night with a cosy, luxurious feel.’ Kate Davis-MacLeod, Well Curated
We hope you have enjoyed our newsletter. Cam & Kate x