In Conversation with: Alice Holland-Lu

Key Takeaways

• Technical innovation can solve real problems when driven by personal experience

• True inclusivity means designing for bodies that fluctuate, not just different sizes

• Intentional design can serve under-represented groups like menopausal and post-treatment women

• Community building creates better market intelligence than traditional research

• Small-batch London production enables quality control and ethical manufacturing

• Bootstrap funding forces creative solutions and authentic growth

In a fashion industry that still expects women to fit their clothes rather than the other way around, what happens when someone decides to flip the script entirely? I recently spoke with Alice Lu-Holland, founder of The Female Archetypes, whose journey from wholesale director to community-driven founder illustrates how personal pain points can become powerful business innovations.

Alice found herself one day standing in a changing room, crying because nothing fit her postpartum body. That moment of vulnerability became the catalyst for creating clothing that adapts to women's fluctuating bodies, and building the kind of community the fashion industry has largely ignored.

From Wholesale Success to Personal Crisis

Alice's fashion credentials are impressive. Sixteen years in the industry culminated in her role as wholesale director at a luxury clothing brand, where she managed several million pounds worth of business. She understood the industry inside and out, from production timelines to retail strategies, working with major stockists and managing complex international wholesale relationships.

But none of that expertise prepared her for the reality of postpartum body changes. The breaking point came after investing in a pair of designer jeans following her first baby, thinking she'd reached her stable size. When baby number two arrived and those jeans no longer fit, something shifted.

"I thought enough now! I'm going to do something about it."

It was about recognising a fundamental flaw in how the fashion industry approaches women's bodies, rather than just vanity or convenience. Alice realised that despite all her professional success, the industry she knew so well had failed to address one of the most basic realities of women's lives: our bodies change.

How Adaptive Sizing Actually Works

Rather than simply complain or switch brands, Alice applied her deep industry knowledge to create a solution. The Female Archetypes was born from this intersection of professional expertise and personal necessity - clothing designed to adapt to bodies rather than forcing bodies to adapt to rigid sizing.

Her "Core Four" collection shows smart technical innovation disguised as classic design. Each piece adjusts between sizes 8-18 through carefully engineered panels, hidden zips, and poppers that allow the garment to adapt depending on your needs each day.

Take the jeans, for example. Clever construction allows them to change from UK 10-14 or UK 14-18 through pleats that open up to adjust the size, all concealed by a waistband so it's not visible which size setting you're wearing. The overshirt uses a panel system on the side seams so you can select and insert one of three panels depending on the size you need that day. All closures use poppers rather than buttons, making them accessible for varying levels of finger dexterity - another layer to Alice's inclusive approach.

"Why, as women, are we forcing ourselves into numbered boxes, essentially, when clothes are inanimate objects? They should adapt to us. It's ridiculous!"

This technical approach extends beyond simple comfort by creating garments that look fantastic whilst providing real flexibility. The blazer and trench coat follow the same principles, ensuring the entire capsule wardrobe works together cohesively.

Addressing Real Body Changes

What makes The Female Archetypes particularly compelling is how it addresses the full spectrum of size changes that the fashion industry consistently ignores. Alice's pieces serve women experiencing perimenopause, post-surgery recovery, medication-related weight changes, and those undergoing cancer treatment who need clothing that adapts to their changing bodies and physical limitations.

The thoughtful design details reveal Alice's intentional approach to inclusivity. The poppers instead of buttons are specifically designed for women whose dexterity may be affected by treatments or conditions. The adjustable sizing serves women whose bodies fluctuate due to hormones, medication, or recovery, rather than forcing them to buy entirely new wardrobes during already challenging times.

We are always going to need clothes that actually fit us," she explains, highlighting how the brand supports women through every stage of life.

Alice recognises that these women have been largely overlooked by an industry that designs for a certain body type and perfect health. Her work addresses a gap that affects millions of women who deserve clothing that works with their reality, not against it.

Having spent years in the fashion industry, I've observed how conversations about sizing typically focus on size 0 or 'plus size' whilst ignoring the reality that most women's bodies fluctuate regularly. After spending 18 months over COVID mainly wearing elasticated waistbands (the dream!) and approaching my forties where I care much less about trends and other people's opinions, my own perspective has shifted more towards how clothing makes me feel physically, not just aesthetically.

The Business Model: Small-Batch, High-Quality, Community-Driven

Alice's business model reflects her values-driven approach and her wholesale background. She's chosen to produce in London using small-batch manufacturing, which allows for quality control but significantly impacts pricing. The decision to work with deadstock fabrics and maintain ethical production practices means each piece commands premium pricing, but also ensures exceptional quality and sustainability in an industry built on constant overconsumption.

"I believe that true sustainability is buying considered pieces and then keeping them for a really long time."

This approach creates interesting challenges. Alice hasn't taken external funding, instead bootstrapping the business. The challenges this has brought, both for the business and personally, have forced creative solutions and learning new skills. She's learnt to do her own styling, photography, and event planning rather than outsourcing everything as she initially did.

Her shoot costs dropped from £20,000 to £800 after she started handling more elements herself:

"I basically watched everyone and learned. And was like, okay, I can't afford a stylist now... I just need to have more faith in myself!"

The transition taught her a valuable lesson about resourcefulness and trusting her own capabilities - skills that now give her more creative control and agility in her business.

From Product Innovation to Community Strategy

Alice's move from product development to community building is smart business strategy, not just marketing. Her coffee mornings and planned panel discussions bring strategic market research that informs product development, whilst also building genuine relationships with her customer base.

She's planning panel discussions featuring women at different life stages:

"I want to host panel talks with women at different stages of life, so younger women get a glimpse into what to expect and provide a platform for older women who often feel more invisible as they age."

These conversations provide insights that traditional market research misses. When women share their experiences navigating body changes during different life phases - whether that's menopause, post-treatment recovery, or motherhood - Alice gains intelligence that directly influences her design decisions. It's community-driven product development that puts these women’s voices at the centre.

The community aspect extends beyond customers who can afford the premium pieces. Understanding that not everyone can invest in London-made garments that start at several hundred pounds, Alice is exploring tiered engagement models that might include events, smaller accessories, or community memberships alongside the premium clothing line.

Intergenerational Connection

Perhaps most intriguingly, Alice's community vision extends beyond her immediate customer base to address something many of us don't have - meaningful intergenerational relationships. Having formed friendships with women in their 70s during her boarding school years, she understands the value of relationships that span age groups.

"I think that things don't always need to be about family. And also, quite frankly, do we really spend that much time with our family?"

Her vision encompasses creating spaces where diverse women can connect:

"The new mum who hasn't found her tribe yet, someone in their early 20s who is far from family, an older lady who perhaps doesn't have family and might be lonely. A place where all those different women can come together."

This approach reflects understanding that authentic in-person community represents both good business and genuine social value in our increasingly digital world.

Learning to Start Imperfectly

Alice's approach to events aligns with her broader business philosophy and her passion for sustainable growth. Despite her corporate background where everything required proper venues and significant budgets, she's learnt to start small and iterate.

Her recent coffee morning demonstrates this shift. She deliberately kept things low-key and informal, offering free entry, minimal setup, no pressure for perfection.

"Just have a coffee with some ladies! Add it on Eventbrite and just reach out to your network."

This approach reflects her understanding that authentic connection matters more than elaborate production. It's strategic simplicity rather than corner-cutting.

The learning curve has been steep, transitioning from managing teams to handling multiple business functions herself. But the experience has forced innovation and her down-to-earth outlook, curiosity and openness have developed genuine connection with her community.

Sales Strategy and Growth

Alice's sales approach reflects her bootstrap reality and community-first philosophy. Despite initially focusing her attention on Instagram content creation as many businesses do, she realised that in-person connections and organic social content drive her business much more effectively.

"Getting out, not being on my phone, talking to women and finding out about their challenges - then that goes into my design season, and actually then people post about events you're at."

The Female Archetypes recently launched with For The Creators, a pregnancy and postpartum rental-turned-retail platform, responsible fashion champions Tomorrow’s Tribe and sustainable and ethical shopping destination Another Now. Rather than expensive pop-ups, she's focusing on authentic connections through events and word-of-mouth referrals.

My Take

Alice's work with The Female Archetypes addresses something the fashion industry has consistently overlooked - the emotional and practical reality that women's bodies change throughout their lives. Instead of us feeling inadequate when we don't fit predetermined standards, our clothes should adapt to fit us.

The technical innovation that Alice has created is genuinely impressive. Creating garments that span 4-6 sizes whilst also looking chic and stylish takes serious skill! Alice’s sophisticated pattern-making and construction knowledge and her wholesale background clearly informed this approach, understanding both the technical possibilities and market gaps.

I love how she's building community around shared experiences rather than shared aesthetic alone, which is rare. The result feels more like a movement than a brand - one that says women deserve clothing that works for their real lives, not expectations of society and an industry often unforgiving to the women who buy their clothes.

Her bootstrap approach, whilst at times financially stressful, has created authenticity that would be difficult to replicate with venture funding. The challenges she has faced have forced innovation and genuine connection with her community, resulting in a business model that feels sustainable and aligned with her values. That all important purpose!

You can follow Alice's journey on Instagram @thefemalearchetypes and discover more about The Female Archetypes and her upcoming community events by joining her mailing list at www.thefemalearchetypes.com. Further stockists include for the Creators, Tomorrow's Tribe and Another Now.

About the author: Drawing from her experience leading global Personal Shopping teams at NET-A-PORTER and MATCHES and ILM L7 Executive Coaching training, Pippa Mellor 1:1 fashion career coaching and personal shopping consulting services for premium and luxury fashion brands.