We love to hear and share our HSDY partygoer’s stories & they are certainly a talented lot. Lucy Hawkins runs House of Happy Threads making funky clothes for kids - and she now sells disco ball leggings for adults too. Not surprisingly, her creations are really popular for festivals and parties.
What's your HSDY story?
I came across Haven’t Stopped Dancing on Instagram and thought ‘this is for me!’ I’ve always been massively into music, and disco is my favourite genre. I have a disco ball in every room in the house. It drives my family crackers!
I got together a bunch of friends and came to HSDY at Beckenham Place Mansion and we absolutely loved it. We really liked the happy vibe and the way people go all out with their dressing up. It was sparkle central!
When you are not dancing at HSDY what else do you do?
For 20 years I worked in marketing for a publishing company but left in 2013. My husband and I had our hearts set on having a baby and began our journey of IVF. After our second attempt, we were incredibly lucky that it worked and when I was 42 I gave birth to our gorgeous girl, Tilly. I’m an absolute James Bond nut so she was named after a character in Goldfinger.
When Tilly was born, I was keen to find clothes for her that were cool, funky and a little off the wall! There was nothing locally, so I decided I would try and make things myself. I signed up for sewing lessons and very quickly I became passionate about sewing.
I started out by making Christmas stockings for friends and family and then adults and children’s aprons. I soon realised people were looking for something a little bit different and special to buy, rather than just the fast fashion and products we see everywhere on the high street, and I began selling my creations at Greenwich Market.
When the pandemic hit, I set up a website so people could buy online, and I also began making bright and colourful masks, with 20% going to MIND. My mother-in-law had mental health issues from a very young age, and I saw the effect this had on her and her family. Supporting a mental health charity also felt very pertinent as the pandemic escalated. I made disco ball and vinyl patterned ones which were really popular and were worn by Richie Anderson from The One Show and DJ Judge Jules.
After the pandemic, I decided to focus on making children’s romper suits and leggings etc in bright bold fabrics that I get designed, and I now also make leggings for adults as well. My love of music inspires a lot of my work. My disco ball print is my most popular design and I’ve even created a special Christmas disco ball one!
I absolutely love making clothes and it always gives me such a buzz when customers share photos on Instagram of themselves or their kids wearing things from House of Happy Threads at festivals and events.
I used to sew at the kitchen table and there was always stuff everywhere, but now we’ve built a studio at the bottom of our garden in West Wickham. It’s my happy place. And yes, there is a disco ball in there.
When I’m not busy working I like to go to Corza on the High Street for a coffee and they do a lovely brekkie too. At weekends I enjoy heading up to Crystal Palace with Tilly as we like mooching around all the independent shops and pop-ups.
I also love attending festivals with our friends and their kids. It’s an opportunity to dress up, smother ourselves in glitter and dance the night away. At Camp Bestival our outfits caught the attention of a film crew from This Morning and we ended up on TV!
Favourite HSDY venue?
My favourite has to be Beckenham Place Mansion. It’s local to me so it’s perfect. I often come to the park with my friends and their kids, and in the summer, we like to take a picnic. I’ve yet to try swimming in the lake. One day!
Favourite HSDY track?
Ooh that’s a tough one! Probably You Make Me Feel (Might Real) by Sylvester. I’m reading his biography at the moment and it’s fascinating.
Other faves are H.A.P.P.Y Radio by Edwin Starr and Native New Yorker by Odyssey
PS. If you want to get your hands on some disco leggings, head over to House of Happy Threads. Sign up to the newsletter to get 10% off your first purchase.