Designer Feature- Milly Henderson

Meet Milly, the found of OMO, a sustainable fashion brand creating high quality cotton clothing. Her designs will be featured in the upcoming Sustainable Style Charity Gala, a new event featuring an exhibition and auction of student-made fashion, accessories, and art.

Introduce yourself; name, age, year in uni, degree path, a few interests.

My name is Milly, I am 22 years old and am a final year Art History student. My interests are best summarised as travel, art, food, and fashion.

Tell me a little bit about your pieces; what they are, why you made them and how they reflect your personal style?

This t-shirt featured in OMO’s Young Designers Collection which offered a range of eight t-shirts with an eclectic selection of designs produced by various young creatives. With a background in graphics, I created this tiger design to celebrate the animal, whilst drawing attention to its threatened status as an endangered species. I launched this top in 2022, which was the Year of the Tiger, and the tiger symbol is often worn to bring good luck. Additionally, 100% of the net profits raised from this t-shirt were donated to Global’s Make Some Noise, supporting small charities across the UK. Knowing this t-shirt benefits people and the environment makes it one of my favourites to wear!

Why did you decide to submit your pieces to the Charity Gala?

Being one of my more recent designs, I wanted to share its bold design and environmental message, whilst promoting the work done at OMO to create affordable unisex clothing, making sustainable staples more accessible to other students. The Charity Gala is an amazing opportunity to come together and champion the efforts made to improve the fashion industry within our community whilst supporting the important work of Fashion Revolution.

What does sustainability mean to you and how is that reflected in your pieces?

I think we can all take a role in promoting a more sustainable lifestyle, accepting there is always more to learn, and ways to improve as individuals. This belief led me to create my sustainable clothing brand. OMO’s t-shirts are made from 100% ring-spun cotton, designed for longevity with the environment in mind. The cotton used in this garment is not grown from genetically modified seeds, nor with pesticides or fertilisers which pollute the environment. The cotton is alternated with food crops, giving farmers more diverse income while improving food security within the local community. OMO also plant a Mangrove Tree for every item purchased which is an efficient way to offset carbon!

OMO basic tees available in auction

What advice would you give to others on starting their own brand?

Go for it! If you are passionate about something and want to pursue it, you will only learn by trying.

Thank you to Milly for sharing her story and submitting her work to the Gala. Don't miss your chance to see her pieces in person on March 9th. Tickets drop February 9th!