Georgia India Crossley is the founder of Gee Gee Collection, a contemporary British womenswear brand that is based on the principles of creating one of a kind luxury outerwear garments, entirely crafted by hand. With equal parts luxury and quality, this brand boasts a pretty epic backstory.

A serious Girlboss, Georgia is one to watch. Having only launched her brand in 2019, she is already making waves. We spent some time with her to find out more…

Tell us the journey that led you to launching your brand, Gee Gee Collection…

Owning my own fashion label is something I never dreamt of doing until about two years ago. I originally thought I’d study fine art but eventually decided to do a degree in fashion and textiles. Following on from this I interned at Alexander McQueen in womenswear design. It was after my internship that I realised I could express my passion for art and textiles through fashion by creating pieces that told a story and had their own unique identity. Like an artist, I could create pieces that expressed my personality and made the wearer feel a certain way.

A lot of hard work and dedication has gone into my label and it’s great to see things finally falling into place.

When did you discover your love for fashion?

I had never thought of working in fashion until I was at university studying textiles design. In the final year you specialize in an aspect of textiles, which is when I got into fashion and after graduating I was very lucky to find work in some great companies where I learned a lot of the business side of fashion, such as how to create and design collections.

Which item has been your best seller?

Currently the Dali jacket is our best seller – it is inspired by the rich colours and lavish ornamentation of the 1920’s Art Deco era and is adorned with ostrich feathers.

How often do you launch new collections and what’s the process behind this?

I release two collections per year in winter and summer, but am not constrained by the seasonal schedule. This allows me to add clothes to my collections throughout the year and helps prevent waste. I think strategies like that are a nice way to move forward.

Your pieces are entirely crafted by hand, why was this important to you and how will you continue this level of craftsmanship as you scale?

As I am a bit of an environmentalist, when I began researching manufacturers for my brand, I wanted the process to be sustainable, better for the planet and in line with my personal values and ethos. For this reason, my collections are small and carefully considered and I have avoided mass production by sourcing fabrics that are handmade in France and tailoring from local manufacturers in the UK.

As I work on a non seasonal approach to fashion, I can manage the level of craftsmanship as I am adding in new designs throughout the year rather than having to have a certain amount of pieces to produce four times per year for each season.

For any aspiring fashion designers, what’s the biggest lesson you have learnt since launching the brand?

The lowest points are definitely during the initial stages, trying to get noticed and make sales; which isn’t easy when you don’t have a big budget! I also struggled a lot in the beginning when making my first samples, as they didn’t often turn out how I expected them to. It took a lot of trial and errors to get into the position I am in today. It took me almost a year to produce and be happy with my 1st collection.

What advice would you offer anyone that is thinking about starting their own business?

If starting your own business is something you want to do and you have a good idea, I would say go for it! Do your research, take your time in planning, work hard at your vision and eventually all the pieces will fall into place.

Where do you hope to see the brand in 5 years time?

I would love to have a larger collection and potentially expand into knitwear, I have so many new ideas that I want to create!

I also want to expand further into the sustainable aspect of fashion using fabrics such as bamboo and recycled Ocean Plastic. At the moment I have 1 piece made from organic Hemp fabric which is fully biodegradable and I would love to explore this avenue more.

When lacking motivation, what’s your go-to quote?

“Be Fearless when others are fearful” – It’s a quote by Warren Buffet which I think is especially relevant when starting or running a business during the current pandemic. Even though now may not be the perfect time to launch a business or an idea during this period, you can still establish a brand following/ loyalty that others couldn’t as they were too fearful to launch!

Where can people find out more?

By visiting our showroom in Soho – London, on our website www.geegeecollection.com or on our Instagram @thegeegeecollection.

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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