Raakhee Tailor is the founder of the luxury artisan scarf company, Wild Saint London. We caught up with Raakhee to find out more about responsible luxury, the brand, her background and how she’s shaking up the luxury accessories market by bringing responsible consciousness to the forefront without compromising on beautiful design and quality.
Can you tell us a bit about Wild Saint London?
Wild Saint London is a decadent yet responsible clothing brand selling artisan, personalised scarves for those wanting quality craftsmanship, combined with sumptuous, soft fabrics. Our scarves are designed to last beyond a season and elevate your every day. They can be worn for work or play while remaining decadent and are always a delight to wear. We are a responsible luxury brand to trust.
You mention you’re a responsible designer accessories range, what does that mean?
This means our brand is built on fairness and longevity, with high animal welfare, strong worker welfare and ecological integrity at the heart of what we do. We recognise that a fashion purchase will not be without impact, but fairness in fashion feels lost. We ensure our workers are paid fairly, have safe working conditions, the animals have a good life and that environmental shortcuts are not taken. We also make a contribution to our charity partners Project Seagrass for every item we sell to support their work in climate change and marine life.
Who inspires you in the industry?
There are so many inspirational individuals in this industry, and I find different things inspiring from different people. Christopher Raeburn for his approach to using surplus materials, Vivienne Westwood for always having been a champion of sustainability, individuality and rebellion, and the Veja founders Sebastien Kopp and Francois Ghislain Morillion for their responsible sneakers brand they have created, but also in being transparent with the work they still have left to do.
Or is it someone’s look that inspires?
Most looks can be accessorised and uplifted with a scarf, and I must confess I do often imagine which Wild Saint London scarf I would pair with someone’s outfit when I’m out and about.
Just last week I was on the tube on my way back from our festive pop-up event in Deutsche Bank, London and there was a guy on the Central Line who was wearing a gorgeous tailored blazer with a stain on his white shirt. He was with his colleagues and they were trying to decide what to do as he was about to go on camera for an interview. I jokingly said he could cover it up with a scarf as I happened to have a few. They purchased one from me so he could cover up his stain and look good live on camera.
Describe your typical Wild Saint London customer
The connecting thread between our customers is a lifestyle and mindset rather than a physical type of customer attribute of age, race or gender. Primarily they are decadent and like nice things, beautiful feeling fabrics that are made well. Many are decadent yet want to also feel good about what they are buying beyond the fabric and craftsmanship. They don’t want to indulge at the expense of a vulnerable other, whether that is a garment worker, animal welfare or the planet. They want beautiful things that make them feel amazing.
Ultimately, my first customer is me. I design what I want to wear and so you will often see me wearing my scarves not to promote them but because I genuinely love being wrapped up in them.
If anyone in the world could wear your scarves who would it be, and why?
I would love for Banksy to be wearing one of our scarves. I love his use of art to make whimsical, political, social or emotion-led statements. It’s a profound way of sharing perspective, and he is a great example of how something that looks as simple as some of his work does, can reach the innermost parts of our hearts and minds. I would have it personalised then I would also know who Banksy (he, she, they…) is/are, haha!
Who’s your favourite designer?
Richard Quinn is incredible. I love florals and his style of head-to-toe florals is iconic. I remember walking past his window in Selfridges on Oxford Street, London and I just stopped and gawped! In all the madness of London to have that standout reaction, I was in awe. Although I must confess, I don’t know about his sustainability/responsibility credentials.
You work with cashmere and alpaca wool, are there any other fibres which interest you?
Fibres that feel amazing and are not from the death of an animal are cornerstones of our fabric choices, thus ruling out silk or leather. There are other incredible fabrics like Cupro, which feels like silk, and is made from the seeds of cotton. I also enjoy following the fabric technological developments like orange fibre and we are always looking for new and different ways to explore responsibility in our offerings. There is so much innovation it gives me joy and hope for the future of fashion and the industry overall.
What changes would you like to see happen in the luxury fashion market?
I dream of the day when all fashion is responsible, and it should start with the luxury fashion market really. Luxury fashion started out like this but somehow lost its way and its business model now looks more like fast fashion. Luxury is about beautiful fabrics and craftsmanship that are built to last, made to elevate and combined with a little magic.
What is your favourite holiday destination?
I am a snow lover, so it has to be the Alps snowboarding! Perhaps there is a connection between being in the fresh snowy sunny cold mountains and selling scarves, that would be the dream!