Sustainable and diverse fashion at the heart of House of Flint

House of Flint was launched by Jessica Townsend in 2019, and since then, her brand has been noticed all over the world and even at one of the most exclusive catwalks in the world.

Jessica originally studied Costume in London at university and initially, was working in the bridal industry but it was moving back up to Lincolnshire – and planning her own wedding – when she realised she was all “weddinged” out and that this industry wasn’t for her.

"It was not only the fact that you spend so much money on a dress that you only wear once, which isn’t great from a sustainability point of view, but also from a business sense you don’t get any returning customers,” she explained.

"It just didn’t fit in with my sustainability ethos or business ethos either,” she said, “I discovered ‘slow’ fashion, which is not trend-led but is much more long-lasting – these are clothing that was a perfect fit for me.

"Every part of my decision making of what I create fits in with that and what I’m inspired by.”

Jessica studied part time for her Masters in Fashion three months after her wedding in 2016, and launched House of Flint in 2019, all while also caring for her son Dylan, now 2!

"I did a lot of evening and weekend work to fit everything in!” she said.

House of Flint’s first official design is The Fold linen dress, which was inspired by the folds on a sheep’s horn that she could see out of the studio window.

An updated version of this dress, The New Fold Dress, was one of Jessica’s designs worn at London Fashion Week on the Diversity stage, with her custom-made designs on models including a lady who uses a wheelchair, another with dwarfism, and another with one arm by a model who uses a wheelchair, and had a discreet hole in the folds of the fabric to allow an oxygen tube to be fitted beneath.

Everything in House of Flint’s range is made to last and can be worn all year round, and even if the wearer’s body shape changes, her clothes adjust to the body’s growing or changing shape so that clothing will last longer.

For example, Jessica models the Speckle dress in these images here, which has a drawstring waist, bust, and neckline so it can be adjusted to fit the body – and ladies will be delighted to know that all items have pockets.

House of Flint stocks clothing in sizes from XS to 5XL, but what makes the brand special is that Jessica can tailor-make designs to fit individuals if the design doesn’t fit perfectly.

"If you struggle to fit into one of our usual sizes, for example if you have a long body shape or have specific needs that the standard sizes don’t quite fir, then we can make adjustments on sleeve length, leg length, or whatever you need,” Jessica said.

"I always try to adapt to everyone and we can discuss how to make things work for every body.”

Family is also at the heart of everything Jessica does, as her family all live nearby to the studio Jessica runs from the family home and she has drawn on their expertise in their various fields of business during her journey – and the name House of Flint comes from the house her father has been building next door for the past 20 years out of chalk and flint.

"My family is still very much a part of it all here and my mum is one of my best customers!” Jessica said.

At the moment, Jessica is currently working on a shirt and scarf and scrunchie for her mum.

Sustainability is also at the heart of House of Flint, as Jessica explained: “We don’t throw anything away either, all scrap fabrics can be repurposed to create another design to make it unique and then there’s no waste at all.

"I always think about the fabrics I use and if they are kind to the environment, how I ship items, what packaging is used, and if someone needs adjustments making I can do them so they don’t need to throw their clothes away.”

House of Flint also offers a pre-loved service, where people can send back unwanted items to then be sold again at sale price.

House of Flint’s reputation has now gone global with a staggering 20 percent of orders coming from overseas including the USA, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

To view the full range of items you can buy from House of Flint, visit the website at https://www.houseofflint.co.uk/