Meet Sam Tretton: Slow Fashion Designer and Founder of Jam Boutique

With psychedelic silks and bright colours, Jam Boutique takes vintage clothing and 'reimagines' each item into beautiful, vibrant pieces. We love the idea of upcycling fashion and making use of what materials we already have on this planet. Read on and scroll down to browse these truly uplifting designs!

    What is Jam Boutique in a nutshell?

I'm Sam Tretton founder of Jam Boutique - slow fashion designer, maker & vintage collector based in Margate.

Jam is all about repurposing true vintage fabrics into one-of-a-kind pieces - versatile, flattering and easy to wear, groovy garments.

Inspired by the vibrant aesthetic of the 1960s-70s Jam captures a colourful mix of optimism and self-expression.

I call it 're-imagined vintage'.

What does slow fashion mean to you?

Slow fashion has a positive impact on people and the planet.

It’s the direct opposite of Fast Fashion and everything it represents.

Collections are small, created with low or zero waste.

Design is much more considered in a slow fashion brand, there is a reason for every single garment in the collection.

Teams are small (some brands like me are very small - I’m a one woman team!), working conditions are safe, processes are ethical, pay is fair and people are respected in an inclusive environment.

When did you first fall in love with vintage fashion? And when did your love for vintage turn into Jam Boutique?

When I was studying at university in Leicester I found the most incredible vintage boutique “Dollymix Vintage”, I shopped there so much it became my part time job - this is where my true love to vintage started, my first love was the fifties, my style was very Brigitte Bardot! 

Three years ago I quit my corporate design job, I relocated back to the UK after eight amazing years in Amsterdam - I manifested my dream to explore my creative ideas and build a brand that has a positive impact on people and the planet.

Launched in Sept 2018 - Jam captures my true love for all things vintage, colourful & groovy, combined with my focus on responsible design / eco fashion.

How do you choose your fabrics? 

I’m drawn to vibrant colours and 60s 70s prints - I adore psychedelic silks and flower power cottons! There are so many amazing materials out there already, just waiting to be saved and reworked - why make new ? I love to discover a hidden gem, and figure out what I’m going to create next…

From an environmental perspective, how important is it that we reuse and work with either used or vintage materials to create something new? 

The fashion industry is creating too much “stuff” that we just don’t “need”. 

My mission is to re-imagine, re-design, re-create, re-use, re-love - with less consumption and a focus on reusing.

By creating products that are unique / made-to-order/ well made / made by hand especially for the customer - there is already more respect for the product, and it will be looked after and valued for much longer.

With one-off garments, the customer can see importance of made-by-hand, there is a personal touch that goes into the design, stitching, right down to the packing and sending of the parcel.

You can see the true love that goes into the making each garment, it will stay in wardrobes for longer, be cared for better, and even passed down to be re-loved all over again.

I love to breathe new life into something that was once disregarded, reworking it into something completely new  !

Where's the best place for people to find Jam Boutique?

Find me on Facebook & Instagram.

Shop online at https://depop.com/jamboutique

Shop the collection in Lost Property 2, Northdown Road, Margate !