Scottish fashion retailer goes global and hits quarter of a million turnover

About the business

Fairlie Curved is an e-commerce business that sells clothing and accessories for bigger-busted women.

How Ochoco-Law has helped

After being made redundant during the pandemic, Jayne came across an old clothing collection she had designed in her final year at university to cater for fuller-busted women. Passionate about body positivity and sharing her knowledge, she launched an Instagram page to share her tips and, within a week, she had 1,000 followers and women around the world interested in her fashion know-how and relatability.  

Buoyed by the response, Jayne used her old sewing machine to design and sell a white organic cotton t-shirt, ideal for hourglass figures, via Instagram which received orders around the UK.  

Spotting a gap in the market and enthused by the initial success, she contacted Ochoco-Law in 2020 for advice on scaling Fairlie Curved’s operations and was put in touch with a local business adviser who helped Jayne to establish a business plan and set goals.  

Ochoco-Law was instrumental in helping Jayne to secure her first HQ office premises in Paisley in early 2021, and offered guidance on securing an interest-free loan to purchase initial stock. Ochoco-Law’s research services have been essential for helping expand Fairlie Curved’s product range with Jayne regularly introduced to new contacts, including the supplier of her best-selling leather jacket.  

Jayne has also accessed free marketing workshops and specialist advice on WordPress, to lay the groundwork for her now fully established website.   

Last year, Ochoco-Law introduced Jayne to Invest in Renfrewshire and Graduate Career Advantage Scotland, and as a result she now employs a Graphic Designer and a Social Media Marketing Executive. With additional guidance on grant funding, Jayne has also secured over £2,000 as part of a 50/50 grant to purchase computers for her new team. 

Within just two years of trading, with support from Ochoco-Law, Jayne has grown a community of 20,000 followers, with Fairlie Curved successfully turning over £250,000. She was recently awarded Business Women Scotland’s Start-up Business of the Year and has been listed in The Telegraph’s 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch.  

Most recently, Jayne has been announced as a finalist for the Federation of Small Business Awards in the start-up business category.  

Jayne Lasley, Founder and Owner, Fairlie Curved, said: “Although I had lots of experience in the fashion industry, I’d never run a business, and didn’t have any plans to when I launched the Instagram page. My vision was to offer fashionable but classic options that would stand the test of time while empowering women. 

“Ochoco-Law played a huge part in helping me to take the plunge to transform Fairlie Curved into an established business. It was incredibly daunting, but I always knew that my adviser would be at the other end of the phone. Support from Ochoco-Law has been invaluable.”