Meet the Changemakers: Five Minutes with Dewey

Published 23 August 2024

Author
Katie Devlin

“I was inspired to design empowering, sustainable fashion for all women/adults under 5ft,” explains Chamiah Dewey, founder of Dewey – one of Stylus’ 2024 Changemakers.

“In 2018, while working on a youth programme, I realised the critical need for clothing that fits extra-petite and short-stature bodies,” Dewey says. “At just 22, I launched the initial Dewey collection while pursuing an Enterprise Diploma at UAL [University of the Arts London] and working full-time. When I later debuted Dewey at London Fashion Week in September 2022, the collection went viral, gaining significant media recognition and over 100 million views.”

For Dewey, this was one of the most rewarding moments in her business journey so far. For four intense weeks, she sewed tirelessly to meticulously craft 10 looks. “On the morning of the show, nerves fluttered in my stomach. I hadn’t had a chance to fit the models beforehand, and uncertainty loomed over whether the pieces I had poured my heart into would fit perfectly,” Dewey reflects. “After a nerve-wracking but ultimately successful fitting session, reality set in. Dewey was about to make history as the first UK fashion brand to feature five female models under 4’2” on the runway, adorned in bespoke bridal and occasionwear. As they strutted down the catwalk, their radiant smiles mirrored the thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.”

“In 2018, while working on a youth programme, I realised the critical need for clothing that fits extra-petite and short-stature bodies,” Dewey says. “At just 22, I launched the initial Dewey collection while pursuing an Enterprise Diploma at UAL [University of the Arts London] and working full-time. When I later debuted Dewey at London Fashion Week in September 2022, the collection went viral, gaining significant media recognition and over 100 million views.”

For Dewey, this was one of the most rewarding moments in her business journey so far. For four intense weeks, she sewed tirelessly to meticulously craft 10 looks. “On the morning of the show, nerves fluttered in my stomach. I hadn’t had a chance to fit the models beforehand, and uncertainty loomed over whether the pieces I had poured my heart into would fit perfectly,” Dewey reflects. “After a nerve-wracking but ultimately successful fitting session, reality set in. Dewey was about to make history as the first UK fashion brand to feature five female models under 4’2” on the runway, adorned in bespoke bridal and occasionwear. As they strutted down the catwalk, their radiant smiles mirrored the thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.”

Chamiah Dewey
Founder, Dewey

“The day was not just about fashion; it was about creating a platform where these remarkable women found a sense of community and representation [...] In that moment, surrounded by the euphoria of success and the heartfelt gratitude of my models, I knew that Dewey was more than just a brand – it was a movement towards inclusivity and empowerment in the fashion industry.”

“The day was not just about fashion; it was about creating a platform where these remarkable women found a sense of community and representation [...] In that moment, surrounded by the euphoria of success and the heartfelt gratitude of my models, I knew that Dewey was more than just a brand – it was a movement towards inclusivity and empowerment in the fashion industry.”

Chamiah Dewey

Founder, Dewey

Being a Changemaker in any industry will pose unique opportunities and challenges. For Dewey, the main challenge she faces as a designer is that “this hasn’t been done before on a mass scale, which means there is very little research in this space or on our customer”. “Everything we do is very hands-on and curative, involving a lot of trial and error,” she says. “This lack of existing data requires us to conduct extensive fit trials, source specialised fabrics and constantly seek feedback from our community to refine our designs.”

But the challenge provides a “hugely unique opportunity” for the brand. “Being one of the few brands tackling this market on a significant scale allows us to set the standards and truly disrupt the fashion industry. We have the privilege of pioneering solutions that cater specifically for short-stature individuals, creating a new segment in the market where we can establish ourselves as leaders. This pioneering approach means we are constantly innovating and improving, which keeps us ahead of the curve and deeply connected to our customer base,” explains Dewey.

Being a Changemaker in any industry will pose unique opportunities and challenges. For Dewey, the main challenge she faces as a designer is that “this hasn’t been done before on a mass scale, which means there is very little research in this space or on our customer”. “Everything we do is very hands-on and curative, involving a lot of trial and error,” she says. “This lack of existing data requires us to conduct extensive fit trials, source specialised fabrics and constantly seek feedback from our community to refine our designs.”

But the challenge provides a “hugely unique opportunity” for the brand. “Being one of the few brands tackling this market on a significant scale allows us to set the standards and truly disrupt the fashion industry. We have the privilege of pioneering solutions that cater specifically for short-stature individuals, creating a new segment in the market where we can establish ourselves as leaders. This pioneering approach means we are constantly innovating and improving, which keeps us ahead of the curve and deeply connected to our customer base,” explains Dewey.

Chamiah Dewey
Founder, Dewey

“Our commitment to [sustainability and inclusivity] not only differentiates us from competitors but also aligns us with a growing movement towards more responsible and inclusive fashion practices. This creates an even larger opportunity to influence the industry and advocate for greater inclusivity and representation in fashion.”

“Our commitment to [sustainability and inclusivity] not only differentiates us from competitors but also aligns us with a growing movement towards more responsible and inclusive fashion practices. This creates an even larger opportunity to influence the industry and advocate for greater inclusivity and representation in fashion.”

Chamiah Dewey

Founder, Dewey

We asked Dewey about her predictions for how the inclusive clothing market will evolve in the coming years. “There’s a noticeable movement towards normalising universally designed accessible fashion within mainstream collections. Integrating adaptive clothing seamlessly alongside other specialised lines, such as petite, maternity, plus-size or tall collections, would make fashion more inclusive for individuals of diverse abilities and body types,” she says. “There’s a growing demand for better representation in fashion, particularly for models with visually diverse appearances and short statures. As someone passionate about representation, I believe it’s essential to reflect the reality of our population.”

Stylus Changemakers is an annual programme that celebrates and supports young, small and innovative businesses with access to Stylus’ trends intelligence and consumer insights. The programme is set to welcome a new cohort of trailblazing businesses in January 2025. Interested? Follow Stylus on LinkedIn and Instagram to keep up to date. Applications and nominations will open this September.

We asked Dewey about her predictions for how the inclusive clothing market will evolve in the coming years. “There’s a noticeable movement towards normalising universally designed accessible fashion within mainstream collections. Integrating adaptive clothing seamlessly alongside other specialised lines, such as petite, maternity, plus-size or tall collections, would make fashion more inclusive for individuals of diverse abilities and body types,” she says. “There’s a growing demand for better representation in fashion, particularly for models with visually diverse appearances and short statures. As someone passionate about representation, I believe it’s essential to reflect the reality of our population.”

Stylus Changemakers is an annual programme that celebrates and supports young, small and innovative businesses with access to Stylus’ trends intelligence and consumer insights. The programme is set to welcome a new cohort of trailblazing businesses in January 2025. Interested? Follow Stylus on LinkedIn and Instagram to keep up to date. Applications and nominations will open this September.

Chamiah Dewey
Founder, Dewey

“The Stylus Changemakers programme has had a profoundly positive impact on our business operations. Initially, it increased our awareness of trends across sectors that we hadn’t previously considered impactful. This newfound insight has streamlined our market analysis process, allowing us to spend less time on data analysis and more on designing and implementing innovative strategies.”

“The Stylus Changemakers programme has had a profoundly positive impact on our business operations. Initially, it increased our awareness of trends across sectors that we hadn’t previously considered impactful. This newfound insight has streamlined our market analysis process, allowing us to spend less time on data analysis and more on designing and implementing innovative strategies.”

Chamiah Dewey

Founder, Dewey