10 Years of The Hippie Shake

10 Years of The Hippie Shake: A Decade of Colour, Music and Memories

A note from Naomi reflecting on a decade of creativity, community and storytelling.

The Beginning

I still remember the very beginnings of The Hippie Shake. At the time I was working as a creative content manager for a vintage brand, surrounded by incredible pieces every day. I was endlessly inspired by the textures, the prints, the way clothes could tell stories. I’ve always been a maximalist at heart, and I started imagining collections I wished existed, pieces I wanted to find or design myself.

With my background in styling and Ben’s entrepreneurial drive, it felt natural to turn those daydreams into something real. At first it was just the two of us, travelling far and wide to source vintage, shooting in our living room, and juggling it alongside our full-time jobs. I remember saying to Ben right at the start that The Hippie Shake would be the perfect name for a brand. It just felt right and everything since has grown from that first instinct.

Meeting Erin on our travels in America felt like fate. From that moment her creative handwriting has been woven into the brand and her prints and embroidery have shaped so many of our most iconic pieces.

“What started in our living room has turned into a decade of colour, music and memories.”

Our First Sale

The very first piece we sold was a golden tapestry Penny Lane coat. Looking back, I wish I’d kept it, but in some ways it feels perfect that our journey began with something we’re now best known for. I’ve always taken pride in how the brand looks and feels visually, and that hasn’t changed a bit. We still celebrate every sale like it was our first because it means so much to us personally, and because our Dreamers are the reason this business is still alive today.

 “We still celebrate every sale like it was our first.”

Milestones That Shaped Us

So much has happened over the past decade. Some of the moments that stand out most to me are:

• Launching our very first collection Here Comes the Sun, filled with vintage-inspired florals, denim and big sleeves, shot on a freezing spring day with an orange camper van.
  

• Our first trip to India, where we began working with our very first supplier and found inspiration that will always stay with us.
  

• Ending that trip in America, where we met Erin in Woodstock. A chance meeting that turned into a creative partnership that’s still going strong.
  

• Moving into our Bermondsey office, our dream creative haven. We decorated it during lockdown, filled it with memories, and it became a second home for years.
  

• Hosting pop-ups and events where we finally got to meet so many of you in person. Dancing to live music surrounded by oil projections and colour, it always felt like stepping back in time.
  

• Growing our team to seven amazing people who brought so much joy and energy to the brand.
  

• Giving back through our charity donations, over £33,000 donated to Trees For Cities and Cool Earth.
  

• Making the hard decision to take a break for our mental health. It was painful but necessary, and one of the best decisions we’ve made for the future of the brand and for ourselves.

• Relaunching with a new sense of identity, alignment and joy. This chapter feels different, more grown up, and truer to who we are today.

“Every chapter, every collection and every person we’ve worked with has shaped who we are today.”

What Defines Us

If I had to choose the pieces that best capture The Hippie Shake, it would be our coats and boots. Erin’s embroidery brings them to life in a way that feels like the essence of the brand. Full Penny Lane main-character energy!

The Journey

The most rewarding part of running The Hippie Shake has always been seeing people wear our clothes and make memories in them. Whether it’s someone stopping me at a festival, or a stranger telling me in a restaurant how much the brand means to them, those moments make all the hard work worthwhile.

The hardest part has been how consuming it can be. In the early days we lived and breathed the brand, often packing orders into the early hours. And letting go of our team and office during the break was one of the most painful decisions of our lives. But if I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be this: work isn’t everything. As much as we love this brand, life is bigger. Family, health and happiness will always come first.

“Work isn’t everything. As much as we love this brand, life is bigger.”

Our Inspiration

Music is the heartbeat of The Hippie Shake. It’s the reason the brand exists, our love of the icons, the albums, and the spirit of the 60s and 70s. Travel has played a huge role too: India, with its colour, history and craftsmanship, and America, with its vintage markets and Americana denim.

Inspiration still comes from everywhere. A painting, a colour palette, a song. I like to think our clothes offer a little bit of escapism, a way to dream, even just for a moment.

“Music is the heartbeat of The Hippie Shake.”

The Dreamers

Our community means everything. From the girl who stopped me in a toilet queue at Shambala Festival, to the customer who told me our clothes helped her express what she couldn’t put into words, those stories stay with me. You are supportive, expressive and cultured, and you are the heartbeat of this brand.

“Our community, our Dreamers, have kept this dream alive.”

Looking Ahead

Reaching 10 years feels like such a moment. It’s reflective, but it’s also full of excitement for what’s next, both for the brand and for us personally as we start a family.

This year we’ll release two more capsules full of magic and darkness, and next year we’ll launch our first ever collaboration collection with a very special woman. Longer term, we dream of The Hippie Shake becoming more of a lifestyle brand, always keeping the magic and personality alive.

“We feel more aligned, more inspired and more grateful than ever.”

Thank You

From a living room filled with vintage finds to a decade of colour, music and memories. Thank you, Dreamers, for being with us every step of the way. You’ve made the past ten years possible, and you’re the reason we can’t wait to see what the next ten will bring.

“Here’s to ten years of The Hippie Shake and all the magic still to come.”