At just 21, forward-thinking entrepreneur Jevean Barryclough has already achieved more than most, thanks to her incredible drive and determination to make a difference in the world of slow fashion.
The Leicester student has been running her sustainable clothing brand since 2020—an environmentally friendly enterprise recognised by the well-known businessman and star of Dragon’s Den, Peter Jones.
Jevean was crowned ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ by the Peter Jones Foundation after impressing with her passionate pitch and inspiring vision for making clothes that are not only stylish but also environmentally friendly.
Her company, ‘Da Goat Clothing,’ came to life during the Covid-19 lockdown when she turned her creative hand to repurposing old clothes—pulling them apart and turning them into exciting new products.
The brand’s mission is to counter the impact of ‘fast fashion’—a method focused on producing masses of clothing quickly and cheaply to satisfy trend-conscious fashionistas.
“These clothes aren’t built to last. They are designed to be discarded as soon as they’ve had their day, and the next trend comes along,” explained Jevean.
“In Gen Z, everyone is into fast fashion, and I want to offer an alternative to this and deliver one of the first luxury, urban, sustainable brands in the mainstream market.
“I definitely aim to be an advocate for the younger generation and let them know that even if it’s sustainable, you can still look good with slow fashion. It’s just a different way of making the clothes and a different way of production.”
Jevean champions her brand for being exclusive. Each piece is unique to the individual, and she rarely makes the same thing again.
“If I do, it’s a variation of what I’ve already made—never copy and paste. Although they’re not cheap, my customers see my work as an investment piece—something they can wear time and again safe in the knowledge that no one will have the exact same thing,” she told Pukaar.
Ninety percent of the fabrics Jevean buys for her pieces are up-cycled from old garments, with each one selling for
between £200 and £500.
She customises the clothes for each client and works with them to produce something which is totally unique.
“Of course, I want it to be affordable, but you have to factor in the time and effort it takes to make each piece,” she said. “It can take me anywhere between 2 and 3 days to finish something to the high standard I’m happy with.”
As a result of being crowned Peter Jones’ ‘Entrepreneur of the Year,’ Jevean was given £5,000 to invest in her brand. It has also given the fashionista a fresh injection of confidence.
“Having other people see and understand my vision and tell me that it’s viable makes me feel really confident about the future,” she said.
“Hopefully, the profile gained from the Peter Jones Foundation awards will help me leverage investment that will bring the new collection to life, showcase it to a much wider audience and enabling me to build the business to even recruit and train new people.
“I want Da Goat Clothing to be in the same conversations as Gucci and Balenciaga and to be sold in stores like Selfridges— that’s the dream!”
