The Female Archetypes

Aim: Our aim is to develop innovative adjustable clothing in the UK, keeping skills alive and offering flexible working for mothers.

Clothes that evolve with you – through every stage of life

I’m Alice – the founder of The Female Archetypes. I founded the brand from my personal experience of navigating the many changes to my body through having children. I felt like nothing in my wardrobe fit and found that my friends felt the same. We didn’t want to buy clothes in endless different sizes that would just end up in landfill. I also had friends with women’s health conditions and those going through menopause who needed garments that worked for their bodies, rather than trying to adjust their body to fit into what was available. And so, through the 3am feeds, The Female Archetypes adjustable clothing brand was born.

Why are we crowdfunding? 

In the 1970s there were 1.4 million jobs in clothing manufacturing in the UK. Today that figure stands at just 50,000. If we are to keep the skills alive, we need to bring production home to our own shores. We are proud to develop and produce The Female Archetypes’ clothes in London; employing mothers and keeping the highly skilled craft of pattern cutting and dressmaking alive.

Truly adjustable – to support you through every stage of life 

The brand is the first of its kind with each piece designed to adapt with the wearer, so no matter the type of changes a woman is experiencing, the clothes adjust to her body and her needs. The garments adjust size through panels, zips and poppers which are cleverly hidden. We strive to incorporate subtle functional features, such as hidden breathable panels, eyelets under the arms for temperature fluctuation and popper closures to aid with dexterity.

 Better for the planet – and our wallets

All the clothes from The Female Archetypes are designed to meet a woman where she's at today and accommodate any future size changes - so additional garments don't need to be (produced and) purchased. We strive to actually live climate-first values rather than just paying lip-service to 'sustainability'; by producing locally, sourcing high-quality fabric already in existence and avoiding producing excessive size runs; all which contributes to reducing the environmental impact.

Flexible working for mothers

In the UK, in the last year, 250,000 mothers have left the workforce due to lack of flexibility. We want to change this by employing more mothers. We need funding in order to pay fair wages to develop our innovation-led adjustable clothes. Developing these products will be beneficial for women of all ages.

Supporting women’s identity 

I started the brand when my second child was three months old; I felt a sense of urgency to serve women through the many changes to their bodies that life brings. I had experienced loss of identity myself; I battled postnatal depression after my first child and it had a huge impact on my self esteem. I had always enjoyed getting dressed and suddenly crying in changing rooms became the norm as my body felt foreign to me. Whether it be women’s health challenges, child-bearing or menopause, clothes should adapt to us rather than asking us to change to fit to what’s available. The Female Archetypes meets a woman where she’s at today – and future proofs her wardrobe for whatever tomorrow may bring.

So I urge you, if you can, support the cause by pledging - even £5 makes a difference.

Thank you from The Female Archetypes!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 31st July 2025 at 11:00pm