A Day in the Life of Rachel Carvell-Spedding, Founder of Sustainable Knitwear Brand Navygrey

Rachel Carvell-Spedding never set out to launch a fashion brand, but when her 20-year search for the perfect jumper—one just like her mum's old favourite—continued to come up short, she decided to simply make her own. And so, in 2019, Navygrey was born. The concept? Beautiful, long-lasting and timeless knitwear made from natural, traceable wool, that's designed to slot seamlessly into the modern woman's everyday wardrobe, and feel like home.

Unsurprisingly, the brand was an instant hit; its jumpers quickly becoming much-loved, endlessly worn go-tos for sustainability- and style-conscious industry insiders—and beyond. Since, Navygrey has expanded its offering to include all manner of knitted staples, from cardigans and jackets to accessories and tees, as well as jersey and linen fabrications—all with the same easy-to-wear ethos, and dedication to sustainable practices and exceptional craft.

Here, the brand's CEO and founder Rachel Carvell-Spedding shares a glimpse into the wonderful world of Navygrey and what she gets up to in her 9-5—from morning rituals and sources of inspiration to the most important lessons she's learned.

I can't start my morning without... A cup of English breakfast tea with a splash of skimmed milk. Amidst the chaos of two energetic kids who like waking early, it’s my moment of calm.

My go-to outfit for work? At heart, I’m a jeans-and-jumpers person. It’s always a Navygrey knit on top, with denim and either boots, loafers or pumps depending on the weather. It’s a uniform I don’t have to think about—a combination I feel completely myself in. It always feels right. Relaxed, easy, and just… right. That’s how I want to feel, every day.

My in-office essentials are... My laptop and phone. They have everything on them, and as we have a hybrid working set-up across our small team, chucking them in a tote or backpack and having them with me all the time is essential. I also need tea, water, a clean desk and headphones for zoning in. Then I’m all set.

My timetable after work now is very much driven by my children. After-school-club pick-up is around 5.30pm, and then I spend time with them until they go to bed around 8/9pm—so that really has become my post work ritual. I do love an evening shower however, and find that helps my brain to decompress. I’d love to get back into reading before bedtime, but as soon as I am in bed, I just fall straight to sleep.

Inspiration comes from everywhere... Our customers, old family photographs, the books stacked around the studio, even the vintage magazines I collect. But for us, it always begins with a feeling. Navygrey was born from my mum’s jumper and the way it made me feel: comfortable, at home, simply right. That feeling, paired with the quiet strength of a well-designed navy knit, underpins everything we make. Pieces people instinctively reach for, again and again.

Built on feeling, worn on repeat—that’s our mantra. We don’t think in “collections.” Instead, we focus on the pieces that feel missing—the things we want to wear, the items our team keeps talking about, the layers our customers tell us they reach for most.

The Navygrey woman is... Discerning, confident, and values things that last. She’s in her 30s through to her 80s, but age isn’t the defining factor—her mindset is. She cares about how clothes feel as much as how they look. She gravitates toward pieces with ease, warmth and emotional resonance; clothes that fit seamlessly into her life rather than ask for attention. She loves good design, natural fibres, provenance and pieces she’ll reach for without thinking—because life is busy and good clothes made well will not let her down.

The best part of my job is... Hearing the stories. Customers telling us how a jumper made them feel—at home, comforted, confident—or how it reminded them of someone they loved. That emotional response is why we exist, and it’s the part of the job that still surprises and moves me.

There have been so many highlights since founding the brand... Especially because we started small with no investment, so every milestone feels hard-won and deeply meaningful. One of the first real pinch-me moments was our very first article in The Telegraph, which caused us to sell out almost overnight. It was the first time I realised that people outside my immediate circle genuinely connected with what we were creating. And then there are the journeys that stay with you. Travelling to Shetland to meet the team who bring our sell-out Shetland pieces to life was incredibly grounding. To see the landscape, the craft, the people—it made everything we do feel even more rooted in something real.

Seeing someone wearing Navygrey in the wild gives me a jolt every time. I was in a café just a few days ago when someone walked in wearing one of our knits—that feeling will never get old. Because at the heart of it, the true pinch-me moments are when customers choose us, love what we make, and come back. That’s when it all feels worth it.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that cash is everything. Most businesses don’t fail because the idea is wrong or the product or brand story isn’t good—they fail because of timing and cash flow. You can be building something brilliant, but if the money doesn’t land in the account when you need it, the whole business becomes vulnerable. Understanding that—really understanding it—has been one of the most important lessons of growing Navygrey. Being across the numbers, the timing, the rhythms of cash in and out, is what keeps the business steady and allows the creativity to flourish.

Right now, we’re working on... Refining and expanding the pieces our customers love most. We’re continuing to build on our work with Shetland wool, developing new colours and silhouettes with our partners in Scotland, and ensuring that the heritage and provenance behind those pieces remains front and centre. We’re also evolving our summer offering. So many of our customers come back to us again and again, so becoming a true year-round brand is incredibly important. We’re working on warm-weather pieces with that same Navygrey feeling: natural fibres, beautiful simplicity, and designs that fit effortlessly into everyday life.

We have a few exciting things on the horizon... After the success of our pop-ups, we’re exploring the possibility of a permanent space; somewhere that allows people to experience the brand, the fibres and the craftsmanship in a more immersive way. We also have a really exciting collaboration coming in early spring next year, which I cant wait to show everyone.

Navygrey's pop-up shop is open at 29 Marylebone Lane until 31 January 2026. navygrey.co

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