Quick fire questions with Ayten Roberts, founder of lingerie brand Ayten Gasson

We settle in with a round of quick fire questions with lingerie brand founder Ayten Roberts to get a sense of what it means to own your business for over 17 years and adapt with constant change. Introducing, the wonderful world of quality lingerie products by Ayten Gasson.

What’s more, Ayten Gasson are offering C Word readers 20% off their website from now until 30th June with code: CWORD20.

Tell me more about why you started your lingerie label, Ayten Gasson.

I founded my label in 2005 following a degree in Fashion from Central Saint Martins. I was lucky enough to grow up in a neighbourhood filled with designers and makers. I grew up in Archway, North London, surrounded by clothing factories, while my mum worked as a sample machinist at home.

By the age of 8, I was helping 'turn the loops' - which meant making rouleau straps for my pocket money. I would sit in my mum's workroom - which she still has set up today - surrounded by fabrics and used the offcuts to make outfits for my dolls.

I graduated university in 2002 and thought it would be easy to find a job in the UK, but a lot of the fashion trade had moved aboard, so I decided to create my own. Seventeen years later - and having sold in a wide range of independent boutiques and department stores around the world and running my own boutique in Brighton for 6 years - my small team and I now handcraft all our collections in our Brighton studio and sell exclusively on our website www.AytenGasson.com.

How do you feel about fast fashion? How does Ayten Gasson ensure products are designed with long-lasting quality in mind?

Unfortunately, there is a demand for fast fashion. The rise in the cost of living means people do not have the funds to spend on quality, traditionally made pieces. But, I hope people can see the value in supporting small independent businesses and buying smaller quantities. No one needs a top they may only wear a handful of times or a cheaply made piece which will only last a few washes.

My aim has always been to handcraft each garment using heritage fabrics such as silk and cotton laces, and construct them using French seams and roll hems to guarantee they will last. There is a reason you are able to find silk slips from the 1940s in antique or charity shops. They were made to last, and I hope to carry on that tradition.

You’ve been stocked in the likes of Fenwick’s and Topshop, what was that process like and how did it feel at the time and lastly, what prompted you to go in another direction afterwards?

I was really honoured to have stocked in a range of beautiful boutiques and department stores, but I did find the process incredibly stressful.

As the business grew, I was no longer doing the job I loved, which was making my designs by hand. Designing and sewing bring me such joy, but as the business grew I found I was spending less time sewing, and more time behind a computer.

It is difficult to get the balance right, you want to grow your business but as a maker, you also want to enjoy your craft! As more wholesale orders came in I had to decide how much of my production was made in a local factory and what my role would be if I was no longer the maker. I decided to keep my production in-house but employ a small team who work alongside me.

What’s your favourite item of lingerie and why?

Our silk bed jackets!

I designed this shape in 2008, and always have at least one silk bed jacket in my collection. It was inspired by a vintage 1950s lightweight jacket, which is meant to be worn in the bedroom, but I have one in nearly every colour and often wear them out! I also love our vintage-inspired silk high waisted knickers as they are so flattering.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

When I first started my business I was told to always have confidence in the pieces I sold. If I loved and valued them, that would show in my final products. I think this is why I continue to keep all our production in my studio, where I can guarantee each piece is made with the same love and care as the first.

For people reading who want to evolve their own business, what advice would you give them?

Be willing to adapt.

When I first started my business, I planned to sell exclusively to boutiques and department stores. During the 2008 recession, I found I could no longer depend on others to sell my designs, so I moved all focus onto my own website and by 2010 I was selling exclusively on there.

By 2016, I felt the business had stagnated and it needed an overhaul. This is when I opened my first boutique. With constant disruptions caused by the covid-19 pandemic and the negative effects this has had on the high street, I decided to move the business back online. The business has adapted, evolved, grown and downsized during these last 17 years. Changing with the times has meant I've continued to do the job I love. If you are willing to adapt you can deal with any situation that may come up.

What other women do you draw inspiration from and do you ever feel like that inspiration is shown in the lines you produce?

As I mentioned earlier, I come from a long line of designers and makers who continue to inspire me. My mother has always sewn but recently, at the age of 72, she started taking pattern cutting lessons. I am so proud of her for her creativity and her thirst for knowledge. The need to develop the skills she already has purely for her own enjoyment is such an inspiration to me.

What do the next 17 years have in store?

I can't imagine a time when I no longer have the business. I hope I am still sewing in 17 years, but if I am unable to (I will be 60!), I am sure I will still be involved in the design process in some way.

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Founder of The C Word Magazine, Emily is currently living in London. She is passionate about art, travel, culture, cinema, fashion, sports, feminism and a whole lot more. She is currently working on her own podcast with a friend and also dabbles in graphic design, when not doing her day job as an Associate Director of Media Planning. Find her on Instagram @emlrking or chatting on Confession Sessions, The C Word Mag’s own podcast.