Fabric

Determination and Perseverance.

I’ve never been more determined than I was, to make it out of 2016 with my confidence and my determination intact, and I’ve never wanted to persevere as much as I do in 2017. 2016 was a challenging year but I didn’t allow it to take me down. I went back at it hard and focused on the end goal, which is always to deliver 100%. I made an interesting observation about ones state of mind in tough times. It seems to be so much easier to succumb than to fight back. Well I fought back, I never gave up (there were times when my faith was tested), but if I know nothing else, I know that I must succeed, there is to much at stake for me to crumble.

During the last 6 months of 2016, I had an awakening, I started to see things completely differently, and I started to really feel 2017. I’m not the biggest planner, I tend to wake up and see how I feel, which usually dictates the plan (interesting way to operate as an entrepeneur I hear you say). But it’s how I’ve always done things, and I’m lucky to have a team that flow with the uneven and unpredictable tide. The only plan that I ‘planned’, was to become more aware, more in the moment, and more determined to see only beauty in 2017.

So it’s back to work on the 9th Jan and part of the perseverance plan is to take me and my business to a new level. I have nurtured a great team around me, who are able to take care of themselves, so for me it’s off to have some fun. I’m going inside my creative brain and I am hoping to deliver the most wonderful and innovative designs that can be applied to any surface. I’ve seen a mock up of one design on a variety of surfaces, from bags, to cushion covers, to T-shirts to canvases, and the cliché ‘the sky’s the limit’ has never been more appropriate.

No limit is to dream. Anything is possible.

The photos that I took of these mushrooms, made me really think about perseverance. They were growing out of a pile of debris, and yet their determination to show off their beauty and determination, was never going to be impacted by their surroundings. In 2017, I’ll be looking to nature as my constant inspiration, and these photos prove how much inspiration there is all around us, if we just take some time to look.

❤ Hayley

January 8, 2017 0

Reflecting and Projecting

2016 was a year of learning for me. In my 52nd year I went back to school for the first time in 35 years. I chose to do an online digital marketing course with Getsmarter…yes me…the once VERY technologically challenged girl!
I ran my business and I studied for 10 very intense weeks, and I passed…proudly.

A certificate that makes me really proud.

I learnt how to REALLY delegate. Yes me the one time control freak. And how did it feel I hear you asking, it felt sooooooo liberating. If you’re not good at it, try it, it is life changing. Hire right, my business coach Brent Spilkin from Growing Pains said, never a truer word spoken. Delegating allows you to dream big, and deliver even bigger.

I learnt how to take a random chance and I signed up for an online iPhone photography course, that has completely transformed my life. It has unleashed a creativity in me that I never knew was there. It has taught me patience, it’s taught me to be so much more observant, it’s connected me with some of the most amazing humans all over the world. It’s awoken my creativity on an explosive level.

One of my favourite photos on my new iPhone photography journey.

I learnt how to expand my business without stretching myself thin. I took Hayley Joy online and have enabled women all over the world to have access to true Plus size fashion, designed by a genuine Plus size designer. To date we have not had one garment returned for a refund, and have only had two size changes. That is an enormous achievement in the online sales world.

fullsizerender

So how do I top 2016 in 2017?

I go back to school to do an online graphic design course, to realise a 30 year dream, to design and print my own exclusive ranges of fashion fabrics. They say that the only way we are going to make it in business, going forward, is to stand out. I have every intention of taking my new found love and knowledge of photography, and creating collections of fabrics that have never been seen before. I am going to listen to the future predictors, and I’m sooooooo going to stand out. I want to be that girl that at 52 took on the world and did it her way.

70d3062f-2b2d-4eeb-9c99-318938ae8349 — Future fabric inspiration from my magnificent Jacaranda tree in my garden.

❤ Hayley

January 4, 2017 4

A jacket in a packet.

My Plus size fashion journey is about to take on a whole new direction.

snapseed — A Pink jacket in a Lime green packet.

I don’t believe in coincidences, but I most definitely believe in destiny. Signing up to do a random photography course five months ago has set me on a life changing path with destiny, that is going to explode on so many levels in 2017. I love how quickly my eye has become trained, to see a photographic opportunity in every single thing I see. Whilst packing a pink mesh Miracle jacket, into a lime green carrier bag, for a client, I knew I needed to take a photograph. She looked at me a little strangely…

My inspiration, my design, my amazing results.

I then explained that I’m on a design journey, that is going to culminate in me designing my own exclusives fabric prints for my Hayley Joy collections. I’ve embarked on an amazing journey and am in awe of what is achievable.

The capabilities of an iPhone and the endless supply of apps has been mind blowing for me from a design perspective. However, if I’m going to achieve the ultimate in fabric design, I’m going to need to know a bit more….sooooooo…it’s back to school in the new year. Time to go and learn all about graphic design, so that we can step and repeat our prints perfectly.

When I look at these designs that I’ve created from a simple jacket in a packet, I get all tingly, because I know that 6 months from now, I’ll look at them, and know that going back to ‘school’ was a very good idea. But for now, if this was all I was able to accomplish, I’d be happy, because I absolutely love the resulting prints gained from my ‘jacket in a packet’ photograph.

💗 Hayley

December 18, 2016 0

Floating – a series of future fabric prints, designed by Hayley Joy, for Hayley Joy.

I’m combining my passion for fashion, with my passion for print. Welcome to the beginning of my print journey. I hope you enjoy the evolution of my next venture of developing exclusive fabric prints, for my in store, and online Hayley Joy collections.

Original Hibiscus fkower — Hibiscus flower, my inspiration for the print series called Floating.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a dream to design my own fashion fabric prints. For the last five years I’ve been privileged to have a wonderful partner in China, who allowed me the freedom to design my own fabric collections. The only drawback was that I had to use existing prints, that I could tweak colours and layouts of, in order to allow me to order smaller quantities, rather than the usual 1000 metres per colour, per print.

Masked Hibiscus flower — Edited Hibiscus flower providing the inspiration for the ‘Floating’ series of fabric prints.

2017 is the year that’s going to allow me the opportunity to design and print my own exclusive designs, in any quantity I desire.

I’m taking my love for flowers, and my new found passion for editing photos with a variety of mind blowing apps, and I’m creating a series of prints, that will become future fabrics, exclusively for my Hayley Joy Collections.

This first series is called FLOATING. The original photo is a Hibiscus flower taken in my garden with my iPhone.

❤️ Hayley

December 11, 2016 3

The endless possibilities of the Miracle Shape top.

I’m so proud of this incredibly rewarding shape. It allows me to accomodate all shapes and sizes, with the confidence that I need, to be able to convince my clients that I really do understand their needs.

So what exactly are the needs of a Plus size women? They’re actually pretty simple if you understand the requirements of a Plus size shape. Being Plus size myself, qualifies me to REALLY understand the needs.

When I started out designing this shape, the first thing that I created was a basic shape that had shape. In my experience on the floor in the store, I came to understand that we don’t put weight on in our shoulders, and we have a waist, yes we really do!

Miracle Shape top in Multi coloured animal print.

I’ve taken this basic shape and interpreted many different styles onto it, and I love the response that they all get. This past Saturday in the store, really affirmed for me, how perfect this shape is for my market. I’ve built shape into the waist, and given the tummy, hips and behind the correct amount of swing, in order to flatter all shapes.

My reward for the commitment to attempting to accomodate all shapes and sizes is the gratitude received from all of you who wear this wonderful style.

Miracle Shape top Zig Zag multi floral angle top.

We have a variety of different styles of the Miracle Shape top in store, and online at www.hayleyjoy.com. I’m sharing some of my favourites with you.

❤️ Hayley

November 28, 2016 2

Manufacturing privilege.

I am so privileged to have my own factory. Manufacturing my own collections, allows me so many freedoms to do things that I would never be able to do, if I was bound to outsourced production.

I am able to respond to the needs in my retail store, as and when they occur. When I bought this range of prints, it was this red print that really stood out, and I knew it would sell out fast, I just didn’t expect it to sell out in a day!

I was lucky enough to be able to get more fabric, and the next morning, all other production was put on hold, and we cut another range of Miracle shape tops, and they were in store two days later. It still gives me goosebumps, 30 years later, that we can respond the way we do.

Production on the rail, always a welcome sight in Hayley Joy production.

I often feel like a live in a fashion dream world, because in the real world you wouldn’t be able to repeat on demand. I have geared my production, so that there is always room to change the plan. I like that we can, it may not always make good business sense, but it sure keeps things interesting.

Walking into Hayley Joy production, is like walking into a sweet factory for me. Seeing the stock hanging on the rails is a moment I always cherish. I have a wonderful team, a beautiful working space and a job that I love with everything I have. I make clothes and I make a difference, my perfect combination.

November 9, 2016 0

In my wildest dreams……

If you’d told me two years ago when I designed the Miracle Shape top, that I would have built up a following of clients, who would respond the way you all respond, whenever I make a new collection of these tops, I don’t think I would have believed it.

It is a dream come true, to know that every time I go fabric shopping, and I put this incredibly rewarding shape into production, you all respond exactly as I dreamt it, with such gratitude.

It is such a privilege to be doing what I’m doing…every.single.day.
❤️ Hayley

In store now in a variety of prints.
Sizes M – 7XL
Prices from R799 – R899

Hayley Joy
Shop 10
Dunkeld West Shopping Centre
281 Jan Smuts Ave
Dunkeld
JHB
(At the back of the centre)
011 325-2488

October 30, 2016 0

Today I’m a brave and proud Plus-size woman.

Brave, because posting a photo of myself on social media, is a huge step out of my comfort zone, and proud because this photo is the beginning of a whole new venture…Hayley Joy Miracle Active wear has been born.

My legs…stepping out of my comfort zone.

Exercising is not my thing, I don’t yearn to run, skip and jump, but I know that it’s important for me to move. After all the years of being bent over a cutting table making patterns, my muscles were shrunken and inactive. At a very bad stage in my life, when I was in so much pain I could barely move, I was introduced to Linda Green who owns My Pilates. After much convincing (MUCH), she convinced me to give Pilates a try, and 3 years later I diligently go and stretch my painful body.

Being overweight doesn’t help my cause, but it is what it is, and I cannot allow that to be an excuse to not do some form of exercise.

Hayley Joy Active wear honouring all Shapes and Sizes.

Now comes the big question…what to wear! I have had this conversation in-store and online for a while, and it has set me on a very determined path. I started researching, and to my horror I have discovered that if you want to make an effort to be healthy, you are in trouble from the word go, because there is very little (if any), respectfully designed exercise wear out there, for Plus size women. Our needs are VERY different, and you cannot take normal size exercise wear, and ‘Upsize’ it. We need more fabric at the top of the pants, because if you have a tummy and a generous behind, a hipster cut crutch is definitely not going to be appropriate. There is nothing worse than spending an hour pulling your pants up because they keep rolling down under your tummy, and the appropriate tops are non-existent.

My commitment to all things Plus size has inspired me to develop a range of active wear so that no size is excluded from exercise.
I am about to embark on a very exciting design journey, and I am starting off by sharing a photo of me in the very first pair of Plus size, genuine Lycra, leggings. I have done a full hours Pilates class in them, and oh my word, they are AMAZING!! No rolling down, no cutting into my waist, they are just perfect.

Watch this space, I’m on an ‘Active’ mission!!
❤️ Hayley

October 4, 2016 0

A commitment to all Shapes and Sizes.

Being able to dress any size, and any shape, in my Plus size collections, is the highlight of my design career. When I opened Hayley Joy, I was determined to create an environment, where every woman felt welcome and respected.

My brief to Hayley Joy production was that every style I designed and put into production, had to be able to be sized from a Small to a 7XL, so when we worked on the new Miracle Swing camisole, I held my thumbs that it would look amazing on all sizes.

This photo of Veronica who is one of my oldest and dearest customers, proves that we are absolutely on the right track. I’m loving every minute of pushing the design boundaries for Plus sizes…NOTHING.IS.IMPOSSIBLE, and Veronica is the perfect example of that philosophy.
❤️ Hayley

September 21, 2016 0

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