Count your Lucky Stars
An insight into Lara Phillips, 20-year-old Geography student and founder of Lucky Stars, whose tracksuit designs are taking UOL wardrobes (and student loans) by storm.
I’d incentivized myself to attend my 10am class by taking the bus when I first came across Lara Phillips’ tracksuit designs. Two leopard print stars on each cheek of a pair of light grey oversized joggers— I was in love. So much so that my search history later that day consisted of any keyword vaguely related to ‘star’, ‘leopard print star’, ‘star on joggers’, ‘star on tracksuit’, and ‘Google, pls help me find these joggers!!!!’. But it wasn’t until extensive research (and iPhone’s scary listening capabilities) that TikTok’s FYP led me to finding Lara and her designs. You can imagine my reaction when I realised she too was a Leeds student—I’d recognise those graffitied brick walls from anywhere.
Photo credits: Lara Phillips, owner and creator of Lucky Stars
“It began around Easter of my second year. I hadn’t set out to make a brand, but I’d made myself a pair of these trackies and just had the idea and wondered if I could do it. People were giving me quite a lot of compliments about them and so I thought, maybe if I just put them on my Depop to see if anyone will buy them… and they did!”
Lara Phillips
From initial idea to tangible item, tell me a bit about the process of starting up.
“My inspiration came from a pair of Firecracker jeans from Freepeople that I bought, which I loved but they just weren’t my style and for day-to-day around uni I wear tracksuits way more often. I liked the concept of them [FreePeople Jeans] and so I wanted to build on that. I currently make them myself. I did textiles at school, so I knew the basics, but this business has been a lot of trial-and-error and a lot of research. It’s a heat press transfer, I do it from my kitchen, and my housemate helps with all the packaging; I really would not be able to do it without her. At the minute, I’m selling solely on Depop, though I’m really working on a website. At the time I was unsure if I could start up a website considering all my followers had stemmed from Depop, but with huge growth recently on my TikTok, there’s so much I’m hoping to do with it.”
Have there been any memorable moments, or challenges so far?
“I think anytime someone sends me a message, tags me, or reposts themselves wearing my designs, it’s so special. I sat next to a girl in the library who was wearing them, and it felt surreal. Although it’s a small-scale thing, it really lifts you up.
As for challenges, I don’t have a business background, and I’m much more on the creative side, so this is all a learning experience for me. As it grows—and it has grown so much over the year—my process is completely different now compared to how I did things at the start.
I’m always thinking about how I can change, even with the smallest things I would never consider. For example, I used to write out all my washing instructions, but as I grew, I knew I couldn’t handwrite 100 of these notes. So, then it was figuring out how to get them made, where, what designs, and all the tiny details that follow. It’s all on-the-job learning.
Photo credits: Lara Phillips, owner and creator of Lucky Stars
Self-confidence has been a challenge too. ‘Get over yourself!’ I must tell myself that 100 times a day. Even when I wanted to start getting in touch with manufacturers to really grow this, I had a major lack of self-confidence. I thought they’d be like, ‘Who are you?’. Even with TikTok, I’m very lucky to have a friend helping me with it, but I didn’t have the confidence to post myself, which is nuts because getting out there makes such a difference.
I’m very lucky, though. So many people around me have told me they love them, even when I started out and was selling something like 2 pairs a week.”
How do you manage your time, as student and business owner, whilst still having a social life?
‘Time-management. Where before I might have been sat down watching TV, now I’ll reply to messages simultaneously. Uni years are so precious, if it ever became too much, I would take a break. Say it all ended tomorrow and I never sold another pair again I would be pretty happy with what I achieved and that there will be people across the country wearing what I made and that they like it.’
Why Lucky Stars?
‘My granny always says, ‘you should count your lucky stars’, especially when I talk about uni and how well it has worked out. One day I was sat in her living room wearing my trackies and I thought, ‘Lucky Stars’… and haven’t changed it since.’
Any advice for someone also looking to take the leap and start a brand?
‘I would say believe in yourself, it’s so cringe but just try, you’ve got nothing to lose! You don’t have to go and get a loan and all this crazy stuff but just take it step by step, if you think you’ve got something just give it a crack – have a little faith. This time a year ago I never would’ve thought I’d be here now, I’d have probably laughed in your face!’
Photo credits: Lara Phillips, owner and creator of Lucky Stars
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