An inside look into how one of our incredible students is putting her stamp on the business world through sustainable fashion.

Lene Piper is a Year 12 student at Hamilton Girls’ High School. Her business ‘Lene Makes Clothes’, sells homemade crochet clothing and accessories including tank tops, jerseys, bikinis, bags and bucket hats. Inspired by slow and sustainable fashion, Lene opened her business in 2021 selling her pieces through her Instagram page to fellow students and friends.

From a young age, Lene has enjoyed crocheting as a hobby. Making crochet clothing nearly her whole life, Lene realised the potential of a business in 2020. In Year 10, Lene found a strong interest in fashion after taking Textiles as a subject choice. She learnt new ways she could use her talent, along with the new skills she had picked up such as knitting and sewing, to make pieces of clothing and accessories her fellow students would like. With sustainable fashion trending, she was inspired and opened her business later in 2021, creating an Instagram page and giving out vouchers to her store as birthday gifts for her friends.

Owning a small business, Lene Piper uses many business skills to ensure her business is successful and profitable. She uses marketing skills to promote her company through her Instagram page. She also has to use other skills such as making financial decisions, budgeting and understanding her target market to design and price her pieces. These skills can be learnt through business subjects including: Enterprise, Economics, Accounting and Business Studies.

As crocheting, knitting and sewing are passions of Lene’s, Lene found that she had a lot of homemade clothing just laying around. She thought other people might be interested in purchasing them, so she set up an Instagram page where she regularly posts her latest projects and displays her skills. Prior to opening a business, Lene was already making clothing as an out of school activity, by turning it into a business she is able to turn her hobby into some extra money.

Since opening her business, Lene has really enjoyed the confidence and self-expression that it provides her. “Making my own clothes has become a way to express myself. I love the confidence it gives me when I’ve finished a garment and finally try it on.” Lene also enjoys the freedom it gives her, as she is able to design the garments she makes, providing her with a creative outlet to express herself and her designs.

Lene is currently selling her garments through her Instagram page: @lene_makes_clothes. If you are interested in purchasing, have any questions or custom enquiries you can contact Lene through Instagram direct messages.

Written by Tegan Andrews (Year 12).