Makers at the Mill
Designer-maker Holly Carr created the slow-fashion label 'pocket' upon her return home in 2019 after spending seven years living in New Zealand. Whilst across the pond, she attained a Bachelor of Design in Fashion from Ara Institute of Canterbury, whilst working in the Textile Industry.
When returning to her hometown of Huddersfield, Holly felt a necessity to utilise her skillset to try out a different, slower approach to making & using clothing. And thus, pocket was born.
Passionate about re-kindling the relationship between maker and wearer, Holly strives to keep alive the art of making clothes and champion the skill involved in the process.
In her down-time, she also enjoys patchwork, embroidery, knitting and crochet.
Have a natter with the maker
whilst browsing the stall...
How did you get into sewing?
I’ve been a maker of things for as long as I can remember. I started sewing as a teenager, customising all my second-hand clothing to make it more unique. The first garment I ever made was a strapless dress made from two vintage silk scarves sewn together with a shirred top.
After several years working in the textile industry, I decided to go to fashion school so I could bring all the ideas I had in my head to life.
What came next?
I studied design, pattern-making and construction whilst living in New Zealand. During this time, I felt very conflicted about the industry I would be entering into.
The reality of garment production isn't always as glamourous as it can seem. It can be incredibly wasteful, polluting and exploitative.
I watched an incredibly eye-opening documentary – ‘The True Cost’ - half way through my studies. It brought me to a real fork in the road on my journey – I could either turn away from fashion altogether…or I could keep going and try to improve the path I was treading as I went along. I choose the latter, and hope to contribute something of value in the slow-fashion realm.
What does ‘slow-fashion’ mean to you?
To me, good slow-fashion should encourage long-lasting connections with items which really speak to the wearer, and change with you over time. Clothing with stories, that become increasingly enriched with each wear.
It means taking the time to make carefully considered choices and place value on quality over quantity. I think it's also really important to know the origin of our clothes, and acknowledge the person behind the purchase.
Describe your aesthetic in five words:
Earthy, minimal, utilitarian, detailed, tactile.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Fabric is always my starting point. I let the colours and textures do the talking. I’m a storyteller and therefore constantly on the lookout for the next narrative. In the past, this has come from various sources: Wes Anderson films, song lyrics, nature.
You know, the usual culprits.
What do you love to do when you’re not creating?
I'm an active relaxer. I love cooking (especially Japanese & Italian food), trying (and failing) to be green-fingered, attempting overly-complex jigsaw puzzles, knitting things I never finish and making tally charts of thinly-veiled euphemisms on a certain baking show.