Sunday sit-down with… Karen of Luna Lark

What is Luna Lark all about?

Quality, honest, thoughtfully designed pyjamas and loungewear, made in the North East with a lot of pride, care and attention to detail.

Tell us a little about your background.

I studied textiles originally, so I love fabric, print and surface design, that was always my passion. But then I got into fashion buying in Manchester. I loved it, but the North East pulled me back!

I was really missing that creativity, so I decided to get more hands-on again and started teaching myself how to sew and draft patterns. I worked for Fenwick doing clothing alterations, which was a great way to learn the craft, and then I moved into wedding alterations. My goodness, I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for there!

I think all of those varied experiences have come together in Luna Lark. I really care about the fit and functionality of my pieces, as well as what they look like. And I love being involved in every single step of the process of creating them.

Lockdown seems a good time to have a business in loungewear! What has the pandemic been like for Luna Lark?   

Unfortunately, my main way of meeting customers was by having stalls at local shopping fairs, and that all stopped. So it’s been quite a scary time, actually. Thankfully, I have such loyal and lovely customers who kept coming back throughout lockdown.

A lot of them contact me and ask: ‘is there any chance you could make something like this for me?’ or ‘can you create this style in petite, or extra-long’. And I can. I’m always happy to create commissions. That’s the great thing about Luna Lark – I can sew, so I’m happy to create whatever is going to make my customers happy. I can’t stand waste either! I’m all about sustainability. Any scraps I can’t use to make something, I’ll take to be recycled and I work hard to ensure as much of my material as possible is eco-friendly, and that the packaging is either already recycled or recyclable.

When did your interest in clothes begin?

When I was a child – I’ve always loved clothes, fashion and all things creative. I remember doing textiles in school and just losing myself in it. I’d sew on the weekends and spend hours sifting through magazines like Vogue and Elle – I’ve probably still got all the tears that I used to take from them! So it’s always been a real passion.

What is it about clothes that you love so much?

I’m probably a little bit strange in that I love the technical side of constructing clothes. I’ve always been fascinated with the way you put clothes together and make them functional. And I really enjoy doing alterations. It’s hard work and there can be a lot of pressure on you, especially on the bridal side. But the satisfaction you get when you’ve created something that makes someone feel confident and happy is just lovely. And I’ve always been obsessed with fabrics and prints. So basically I love every aspect of clothing! I’m a nerd when it comes to clothes!

We hear you have an exciting new partnership in the pipeline – can you tell us more?

When we properly come out of lockdown, I’m going to start working with a lovely sewing factory in Bishop Auckland. All of the cutting and sewing was getting a bit too much for me to do alone, on top of all the other jobs that come with running your own business. The run-up to last Christmas was particularly hard going! It really burned me out.

It’s hard for me to let go, but it’s also so exciting and this factory is perfect because they’re still working from my patterns and designs. Plus, they’re literally just down the road, so I can pop in and see them any time. And every piece we create together is still going to be a luxurious, artisan product made in Britain, so I think the partnership is going to be brilliant.

What are your ambitions for the future of Luna Lark?

To just to keep doing what I love. To keep growing the business and our product range by creating more prints and designs. People think that sleepwear is just a pyjama jacket and trousers, but it’s not – there are loads of garments you can come up with. It kills me that I can’t create them all at once. I’ve got so many ideas whizzing around my head that I’ve got to always pull myself back! So I can’t wait to be able to bring in all that new stuff.

I also really want to focus more on the bridal side of things. Gifting for bridesmaids, getting ready robes, honeymoon nightwear, I’d love to develop that range further.

To find out more about Luna Lark and to shop the collection, visit their website, Facebook page or Instagram

And for commissions, just drop Karen an email: [email protected]