Building the best cap in the world.

Designer drawing embroidery artwork for the Mongrel Logic™ Signature Cap.”

I know; that’s a bold claim; any day now I half-expect Elf to burst through the door and congratulate me. Just kidding. Mostly.
Still, it hasn’t deterred me from trying. Defining it. Creating it. Drawing the embroidery. Designing the fabric. Agonising over the tiniest details for days on end; a seam, for instance, or the jacquard I keep changing my mind about, or a two-day internal debate about GSM.

When an idea becomes a movement.

Turns out I’m full of bold claims. But this isn’t just about making a cap that lasts a lifetime; it’s about building a movement.
A business that’s profitable, scalable, and creates space for other talent to shine too.
I’ve spent months developing a product designed to outlast trend cycles; something that’s wearable art, not fast fashion.
If you like the idea of clothing that can be passed down, if you love luxury but walk dogs too much to Dolce that shit, and if streetwear lives in your bones, stick around.

The cap that changed everything.

I never imagined I’d end up here. The last time I tried to kick this off, the pandemic happened. Somewhere between exhaustion and obsession, this project became the thing that kept me going.
Beyond all the big-world chaos, this started from something simple: I had nothing to wear.
I don’t wear make-up daily. I walk dogs. I get covered in mud. I live in trackies, hoodies, and caps; but that doesn’t mean I want to look like I’ve raided a jumble sale. They just don’t make what I need or want. So, I’m making it.

So when it the bloody cap getting here?

Soon. I can’t say much yet, things are still moving, but if all goes to plan, before the year’s out.
It’s a luxury cap built to last a lifetime. The embroidery artwork alone took over 35 hours, the fabric design even longer. Every detail has been considered to make it look and feel like the best cap in the world; durable, timeless, and eco-friendly.

More updates are coming

One thing on my never-ending to-do list: a newsletter. I’ll have it live in the next week or so.
If this sounds like your thing, stick around. When you see the cap, you’ll want to be in the loop for future drops; because this is just the beginning.
If you want to be one of the first to own the first-ever Mongrel Logic™ cap, sign up when the newsletter lands and follow along on socials.

Chasing confidence down the rabbit hole.

AI artwork of a multicoloured rabbit inspired by Alice in Wonderland, symbolising creative confidence

Confidence is never a constant companion. It’s like a magical rabbit that appears occasionally and then vanishes, leaving behind the smell of rainbows. Confidence is hard and no one can do it for you.

Self-help or imaginary rabbits?

I was the type of person to read every self-help guru out there. In my fixation I have been down more rabbit holes than I care to admit. Positive affirmations are cute. But they will not change your monthly income. Doing something about it will though.

When I started The Pavement Special, I didn’t put my name up. I didn’t post photos. I had no confidence in what I was doing; because I had no idea where it was going.

I was extremely fed up of thinking about all these ideas that I couldn’t fund. I was sick of thinking that I can only start something when…when I have the money, when I have the right job.

I’m still waiting for those things, if I had continued to wait, there would be no Mongrel anything.

Confidence isn’t always flowing

I am not sitting here the other side of a bank balance that affords me this opportunity, dictating to you. Quite the contrary, I’m sitting here fighting for it. I work 7 days a week.

My husband always says, “You need to chill, you never chill”.

Despite having tons of ideas and projects upcoming and a to do list longer than Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall; I still sit here staring at a blank page for two hours and wonder what the hell I am doing.

If I am doing it right, if I said it right, should I have done that instead, turquoise or amethyst? Confidence isn’t always flowing, and I literally can’t afford for it not to.

That clock doesn’t slow down for anyone, not even a magic rabbit.

When you realise you put your laptop-stand upside down.

My husband might not be wrong.

Case in point; I spent the past few months using my laptop stand upside down. Don’t ask, but yup.  You know that feeling when you realise you are an idiot? 

Rainbow coloured rabbit droppings

While the magical rabbit Confidence is not a mainstay feature. It’s crucial to learn off that rabbit and be your own cheerleader. No one is going to tell you that you are magical, and if they do, well, lucky you. (Now I’m thinking of Aurora, the singer not the borealis, lol)

So, I guess I’m hunting rabbits.

Metaphorically speaking. That’s the only rabbit hole worth playing in. Confidence isn’t “I think my cap is the best in the world”; it’s working to design the best cap in the world. I might not do it, but maybe, that bloody rabbit pops up while I’m working on it.

Chase the work. The rabbit shows up when it wants.