The furore of that viral polka dot Zara dress which was seen on every high street lover worth their salt in 2019 was not only frustrating for those who discovered they now owned the same dress as their mum, their best friend and their boss, but it also served to deepen the chasm between trends and originality.  

You know the feeling: you’re thrilled as you clutch your ultimate summer dress or sandals or bag, before strolling out of the shop only to enter a sea of people wearing exactly the same item you’ve just purchased. 

So, how then is anybody supposed to be original and adhere to trends? London-based label The Yellow World, which was conceived during the first lockdown last year, is a very good place to start. Its founder, Evie Henderson, taps Instagram’s buzziest brands – think Lalo and Hunza G – to release limited edition runs of exclusive collaborations, which are stocked exclusively on The Yellow World. 

Indeed, Henderson was inspired to start TYW after increasingly noticing women wearing the same clothes as her. “I love to shop, however I fear buying what everyone else already has and what I really love is discovering brands that are just starting out or designers that make things by hand – where each piece is entirely unique to you,” Henderson tells Stylist. “And this is how The Yellow World was born.” 

Originality? Check. Trends? Check. From Julia Roberts-approved Hunza G and Fruity Booty Underwear which, in case you didn’t know, has just debuted the most amazing swimwear, to Camille Charriere’s homeware debut, The Yellow World has a special limited-edition something for everybody. We caught up with Henderson to learn a little bit more about it. 

Evie, hi! What inspired you to start The Yellow World?

I remember before the first lockdown I was grabbing a coffee and, in the line, I saw a woman who had the exact same shoes, bag and pretty identical jeans as me, which triggered me to thinking about the number of times I’ve feared arriving to a party in the exact same dress as someone else, which then led me to think – where do people shop for one-off pieces if they don’t have the time or eye for vintage shipping? I wanted to create a platform that highlighted both of these things that are important to me and create a space where you could find limited edition pieces by brands that you already love and know but also discover some new gems!  

Have you always wanted to work in fashion?

Not entirely. I’ve always been a fashion lover, but I went to drama school and had my heart set on being an actor. I am absolutely a magpie and am always drawn to colourful and shiny things, but it was when I was 17 and got a Saturday job working for Alex Eagle at her first shop on Walton Street that I remember thinking how much I would love to have a space of my own one day where I could curate a room filled with all of the things I loved.

How do you go about deciding which brands to collaborate with?

I honestly just go with my instinct. If I see a brand I love, I reach out straight away and see if the designer would be interested in working with me – I still get really surprised when anyone says yes! I am really drawn to colour and a similar colour sense is important to me – I want to create pieces that evoke happiness and joy so that’s what I look for. For example, Amanda Johanne Linde is a jewellery and objects designer based in Copenhagen. I discovered her on Instagram earlier this year and immediately felt inspired and happy scrolling through her feed – I was in awe of her colour sense and felt desperate to work with her so that’s when I reached out to her and happily, she said yes!  

How do you decide which pieces will be included in the collaborations?

If I wouldn’t wear it myself, I won’t be able to sell it. Once I receive the samples that the designer and I worked on together and if I’m drawn to wearing it every day and sad when it’s in the wash, I definitely know to go ahead with it.

What do you make of the current retail landscape? 

I personally think the world in general is way too reliant on outsourcing and I think the pandemic forced us in a way to work and discover the talent or produce closer to home, which in my opinion is a brilliant thing. As consumers, we’ve become way too reliant on shopping online and having it delivered on the same or next day that we lack appreciation for the items we’ve just bought. The things we love and hold sentiment to are actually the ones we stumble across or find on holiday or have commissioned or one-of-a-kind pieces.

Do you think limited editions runs are the future of fashion?

Yes, I do think so. I feel like seasonal shopping is slowly but surely coming to an end which, in my opinion, isn’t too bad.

What are the pressures of being a direct-to-consumer brand?

Without hesitation it’s the logistics. I’m a one-man band for the time being and doing everything from designing, customer care to packaging and it can be quite overwhelming.

What can we expect from TYW in the future?

There are lots of new and exciting collaborations currently in the making and I’m also working on a second drop with Paris-based brand Alfie and Italian knitwear brand TL180 that are both launching this month. 

Shop The Yellow World here.

Lead image: courtesy of The Yellow World.