A couple of weeks ago I had the absolute joy of returning to my old senior school St John Houghton . to give a talk about my journey—from being a shy Year 7 girl with skinny legs and an unpronounceable name, to becoming the founder of Fazane Fox Production Agency. I spoke here last year, so when they invited me back, I took it as a good sign that I didn’t traumatise anyone too badly the first time!
It’s been 30 years since I first walked through those doors, and I only had 15 minutes on stage… so I gave the students the “highlights version” of the last three decades.
Who am I?? "Mum. Dog mum. DJ. Fashion addict. St John Houghton alumna… and the Founder of Fazane Fox Production Agency"
"So How did I do it? It all started here.....at St John Houghton"
"I started at St John in 1994 (that’s me at the back of the photo). On my first day, the Head Boy and Head Girl showed me around and I quietly decided: one day, I want to be Head Girl.
Coming from a tiny primary school of only 20 children, with a name no one could pronounce, incredibly skinny legs and being one of only a few students of colour — it didn’t look likely. But the dream was planted...."
"Step one was becoming a prefect. The day before my interview, Mr Lomas the head of Upper School at the time caught me sneaking out to the shop, so he began with:
“Why should I make you a prefect after yesterday?” I can’t remember what I said (something smart probably)— but it worked.
Then came the campaign. I was in my element: posters everywhere, a little “campaign team,” even balloons on my mum’s car saying “Vote Fazane.” Subtle? No. Effective? Yes.
There were six of us running. The day before the speeches, a popular boy told me, “I’m not voting for you, Fazane. Natalie has better legs.”
I thought: Right. Just Watch me.
I walked onto this stage to the Mission Impossible theme and gave everything I had. A few weeks later, I prayed through the entire act of worship… and I won. That moment taught me you don’t have to be the obvious choice — you need belief and determination.
Afterwards, the same boy whispered, “Don’t tell Natalie, but I voted for you.” Natalie is now one of my best friends — so is Elena the mother of my god daughters, shown alongside myself and Natalie in the top photo. We’ve been friends since 1994, which says everything about the friendships built here.
Even while chasing Head Girl, fashion was the goal. My Textiles teacher encouraged me constantly. The final photo is from our fashion show — crushed purple velvet halter top and matching flares — and yes, I threw glitter on the catwalk right here in this hall....."
"I started A-Levels at Bluecoat 6th Form in Nottingham, but it wasn’t “fashion enough,” so I switched to Fashion & Clothing at New College Nottingham. I launched my first label — clubwear — and won a few competitions that helped fund it"
"I studied Fashion Studies at Derby University. The pace didn’t reflect real industry life however, but it gave me room to experiment. My final collection was… eclectic (I wouldn’t wear it now), but it shaped my creative voice"
"I took myself to Australia, emailing designers off my own bat and securing two placements before I arrived. I worked any job to pay bills — including measuring Qantas pilots for their new uniforms — plus factories and restaurants. Then I worked for couture designer Gwendolynne Burkin in Melbourne, once spending two full weeks hand-beading a single dress. It taught me patience, craft and detail in a way no classroom could.
"I moved to Sydney for a second placement with Akira Isogawa, known for fabric innovation. Then I came home to finish my final year at Derby University"
"After uni, I joined High Fashion — a Chinese-owned vertical silk supplier controlling everything from the silkworm to finished garment.
I thought I’d be the next Alexander McQueen straight out of university… but reality said: get experience first.
My future boss saw my final collection and told me in the interview, “I hated it. How do you think you can design for Marks & Spencer?”
I held my nerve and convinced her (saying something smart again I'm sure) — she hired me, offering me an even better job as account manager. I learned the entire production process start-to-finish and managed multi-million-pound accounts like Hobbs, Jaeger and Whistles. Those years became my foundation.
"In 2011, I launched my own label: limited-edition, timeless styles — and many women still wear them today. I funded it through bonuses, family help (with plenty of tears), and selling seconds on eBay.
By 2012, I realised I couldn’t work full-time and run a brand, so I gave up my job, my house and my car; moved back in with my parents at 29; and took a bar job while building the business properly. That’s when my entrepreneurial journey truly began.."
"My second collection won Midlands Independent Designer of the Year. I didn’t expect to win, but that fearless St John mindset carried me through. Success also brought lessons — I lost some friendships — not everyone claps when you succeed, and that’s okay."
"I won another competition with ASOS Marketplace and Fashion Angel, who mentor start-up brands. They believed mine had strong potential — but I needed marketing and sales support. Using my production experience and contacts from High Fashion and my own brand, I created The Production Lab to generate revenue while scaling the label.
We offered end-to-end support — from design to finished product — using factories and suppliers all over the world."
"In 2014, I was Runner-Up Entrepreneur of the Year for both arms of the business. We moved from a tiny attic studio in my uncle’s garage to a larger space in Kimberley and started hiring. After my son was born in 2015, I focused on the more profitable production side and quietly (and sadly) closed my brand."
"I was a Fashion & Beauty finalist in 2020 and 2021. Then lockdown hit. At first, I thought I’d lose everything. But because most of our clients were online — and online sales rose dramatically — we tripled our turnover. I used that time to tighten processes and strengthen how we worked."
"I also chased an old dream — becoming a DJ. YouTube tutorials weren’t cutting it, so I joined a DJ academy in Nottingham. Fast forward, I now have a residency in Derby. DJing is my creative escape from the pressure of running a fashion business."
"In 2022, we were making good money — but I was deeply unhappy. Bigger clients meant bigger pressure. A major client worth a LOT of money became difficult, bullied us and withheld payments. I had my first panic attack, then severe anxiety — physically shaking all day. I moved back in with my parents and the paramedics came multiple times. I couldn’t see a way out, but my son and my team kept me going.
I flew to Bali to recover, but was diagnosed with a stomach ulcer and flown home. By then we’d lost a huge amount in sales and the business was on the brink. My team sat me down, made a rescue plan and even took pay cuts. I will never forget that.
I still felt I couldn’t carry on, so in Feb 2023 I brought someone in to help me sell the business. Then Paul Goldman, now my advisor, saw something in me — even when I couldn’t. Slowly, my fire came back."
"Despite everything, in 2023 I became a Creative Entrepreneur of the Year finalist — even though, on paper, we were bankrupt. I’d put that goal on my vision board — and I got there. Mindset works when belief turns into action."
"2024 brought the relaunch. The last few years were horrendous, but my team and advisor reminded me that people buy into me.
We put my name back on the business and shifted from “fashion for fashion’s sake” to products with purpose — solutions that make people’s lives better"
So wehat do we do......."Simply: we take our clients from sketchbook to hanger — end-to-end product development and production."
"We’ve worked with over 120 brands : menswear, womenswear, kids, baby, lingerie, pet products and more. If it can be stitched, we’ll try it. We love a challenge — the harder, the better.
We’re proud to have developed new brands and helped patent ideas: the world’s first T-shirt for kids with sensory issues (completely soft, no labels, a built-in poppit to reduce anxiety), fabric-based medical devices for sleep apnoea, and the world’s first biodegradable fabric lilo for the pool."
"This year, four business friends and I started a new concept childrenswear brand separate from FFPA......and the rest is TOP SECRET till we launch!
I’ll keep running the agency alongside it, but my hope is to grow this into another full-time business. For the first time in a long time, I’ve been able to creatively direct again instead of living in cash-flow sheets and chasing payments — and I’ve realised how much I’ve missed that.
I hope sharing the warts-and-all version of my journey inspires you — and warns you about the pitfalls of running a business. It takes a very confident, secure person to do this — and I am not always that person — but even I got through it.
A special shout-out to anyone who feels like they don’t fit in: not the most popular, not the “best-looking,” not the loudest.
You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it. Many of the most successful people from my year weren’t the most popular — or the prettiest. Mindset, courage and persistence win.
Shelley / Childrenswear Brand
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