How I Built AllSaints From Scratch | Stuart Trevor (Founder Story)

Stuart Trevor is the founder of AllSaints and one of the most influential figures in British fashion. In this episode of What It Takes with Olly Fawcett, Stuart shares the extraordinary story behind building AllSaints into a global fashion brand, his early career designing for Reiss, and why he walked away from the company at its peak.

From growing up on a council estate in Dundee to dressing some of the biggest rock bands in the world, Stuart reveals the creative mindset that drove his success and how ADHD, risk-taking and instinct helped shape his career.

We also explore the realities of the fashion industry, the rise of fast fashion, and why Stuart is now building a new sustainable brand that produces no new clothes, using only upcycled garments.

This is a fascinating conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and what it really takes to build a global brand.

00:00 Stuart Trevor Interview – Building AllSaints, Reiss & Sustainable Fashion

01:28 Growing Up in Dundee & First Fashion Experiments

05:28 David Bowie, Punk Culture & Early Style Inspiration

09:38 ADHD, School Struggles & Creative Thinking

13:54 Discovering Fashion College by Accident18:24 Learning Tailoring & Entering the Fashion Industry

21:48 Winning the Paul Smith Competition & Early Recognition

26:01 Getting His Break at Reiss

31:01 Designing Menswear at Reiss at Age 18

35:54 Why Stuart Trevor Left Reiss

39:47 Founding AllSaints & The Brand Name Story

45:10 The First AllSaints Collection in Paris

49:55 Building the AllSaints Retail Concept

53:55 Why AllSaints Became a Cult Fashion Brand

58:21 Dressing Rock Stars & Peak AllSaints Years

1:02:22 Why Stuart Trevor Left AllSaints in 2007

1:07:37 Building Bolongaro Trevor

1:12:56 How Fashion Changed in the 2010s

1:17:37 Fast Fashion, Waste & Industry Problems

1:23:04 Creating a Brand That Produces No New Clothes

1:27:54 Upcycling & The Future of Sustainable Fashion

1:31:53 Advice for Young Fashion Founders

1:34:37 What’s Next for Stuart Trevor