scipline sit in opposition. Instead, they operate as mutually reinforcing levers shaping product, leadership structure and decision-making cadence. In this interview with Inside Retail, Saunders reflects on the early instincts that set Fayt’s course, the leadership recalibrations required as the business expanded and how she thinks about growth without losing grip on brand, culture or customer trust. Inside Retail (IR): Fayt has grown into a highly engaged, community-led brand in a crowded fashion market. Looking back, what were the early decisions or instincts that most directly shaped the business Fayt has become today? Brittney Saunders: One of the biggest ones was choosing to build Fayt as a community-first brand from day one, not just a clothing brand. I didn’t want people to feel like they were just buying a product. I wanted them to feel like they belonged here. So we treated customers like they were part of the brand, not separate from it. We listened obsessively, we talked back, we built things with them in mind and we made them feel seen. I shared my business journey organically in real time. Another massive early instinct was inclusivity being non-negotiable. Sizes 6 to 26 wasn’t a ‘later down the track’ goal. I wanted women to shop together and feel good together, not have it be this separating experience where one person misses out. That decision shaped our customer base, our culture, our brand voice, everything. I also made the decision early on to be very hands-on with our tone and customer experience. I cared deeply about how Fayt made people feel, not just what it looked like. Everything from how we communicate online to how someone feels in store. That’s why the brand is so emotionally connected to people, because we’ve always treated that part as important, not just a ‘nice extra.’ And then there was the obsession with feedback and speed. If customers didn’t like something, we didn’t get defensive, we got curious. We moved fast, improved quickly, fixed issues, made changes, and never acted like we were above learning. That mindset created the brand trust we have today. IR: As both founder and CEO, how has your leadership style evolved as the business scaled? What rituals, structures or non-negotiables help you stay close to the customer while running a growing operation? BS: My leadership style has changed a lot as we’ve scaled, mainly because it had to. Early on I was in every decision, every detail and if I’m being honest, I cared way too much about being everyone’s friend vs being an actual boss and leader. That worked when Fayt was small, but it doesn’t work when you’re running a big team with stores, warehouse, HQ, online, marketing, everything. If I stayed the same kind of leader, I’d actually be the bottleneck. So the biggest evolution has been moving from ‘I do everything’ to ‘I build people who can do everything.’ I’ve had to get way better at delegating, trusting, and not micromanaging. And also being really honest with myself about what I should be spending my time on as CEO versus what I’m just doing because it’s familiar or I’m good at it. I still care deeply about the details, but now my job is setting the standard and building the structure, not being the structure. In terms of rituals and non-negotiables, the biggest one is that I never want Fayt to become one of those brands that grows and suddenly forgets who it’s for. I stay close to the customer in a lot of ways, even 8 years in. One, I’m constantly in our community. Fayt Society, DMs, comments, customer feedback, even complaints. I don’t hide from it, I actually like being in it because it tells me what’s real. You can’t lead a customer-led brand from a spreadsheet. Two, I’m obsessive about fit and feedback. I care so much about how the clothes make women feel, not just how they look on a model. That’s been a core part of Fayt since day one and I still personally stay across the product in a big way. Not in a controlling way, more in a ‘this is the heartbeat of the brand’ way. Most people are shocked when they find out I am the buyer of all of our stock at Fayt. Three, I’ve put structures in place where the customer voice isn’t dependent on me. So it’s not like, ‘if Brittney sees it, it gets fixed.’ It’s built into our culture and expectations. Team members bring problems with solutions, we review feedback constantly, we look at patterns, we act quickly. That’s how you scale without losing what made you special. And then personally, I’ve got a few non-negotiables around protecting my energy because if I’m burnt out, I’m useless to everyone. I’m really big on clear priorities, a strong leadership team, and staying in my lane. My lane is vision, brand, creative direction, big decisions, and culture. If I’m spending my day on tiny tasks, I’m not doing my actual job. IR: Fayt’s approach to sizing, fit and inclusivity has been commercially meaningful, not just values-led. At what point did you determine this was a strategic advantage and not a risk, and how has it influenced product and inventory decisions? BS: To be honest, I never saw inclusivity as a risk. In fashion, including more women is just common sense. The idea that making clothes for more people is somehow ‘brave’ or ‘dangerous’ has always been weird to me. From the very beginning, I knew sizing and fit would be a competitive advantage because most brands were either ignoring a huge portion of women, or doing it as an afterthought. And women know when they’re being treated like an afterthought. So we made the decision early that sizes 6 to 26 wasn’t a collection add-on, it was the brand. I will say – it wasn’t something I did overnight. I slowly added size by size as my business grew. The strategic advantage became really obvious once we saw the customer response. The loyalty, the repeat purchases, the way customers talked about Fayt, and the fact that women could shop together in the same store, same drop, without anyone missing out. That emotional connection is powerful, and commercially it shows up in everything. In terms of product and inventory decisions, it impacts literally every step. We don’t just grade patterns and hope for the best, fit is a major focus. We test, refine, and make changes based on real feedback. I’ve lost count over how many items we’ve tweaked over the years based on our customers feedback and I’m not ashamed of that whatsoever, I’m proud of being a reactive brand – even if it’s our customers coming to us saying “these pants don’t fit right” – I’ll fix them. We also buy with real intent across the full size curve, not just token units. Because there’s no point ‘offering’ inclusive sizes if you’re not actually backing it with stock levels and proper fit development. It’s definitely values-led because that’s just who we are, but it’s also smart business. When you genuinely serve more women and make them feel good, they come back. And they bring their friends too. IR: As every growth story includes moments of friction, what has been one of the most challenging setbacks or recalibrations you’ve had to make as a founder, and what did it change about how you now run the business? BS: One of the biggest recalibrations for me as a founder has definitely been learning how to lead through staff challenges, especially as the business got bigger. In the early days, Fayt felt like a tight little group of friends. I was in everything, working alongside everyone, and naturally the dynamic was more friendly and informal. But as you scale, that stops being sustainable. Not because you suddenly stop caring about people, but because you can’t run a high-performing business if your leadership style is based on being liked. I had to learn, sometimes the hard way, that I can’t be everyone’s friend. And that being a good boss isn’t always warm and fun. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable, direct, and very clear. You can be kind and still have standards. You can be supportive and still hold people accountable. But you can’t avoid the hard conversations just because you’re worried about how it makes you look or how it makes them feel in the moment. And honestly, what made this even more challenging for me personally is that I’m also a public figure. People see me online being funny, casual, sharing my life, talking like we’re all friends. So then when I have to sit someone down for a formal performance conversation, it can feel really intense. Because in their head, it’s like: ‘Wait, this is Brittney from Instagram,’ not ‘this is my CEO giving me feedback.’ That skewed perception can make normal constructive feedback feel far more personal than it actually is, and it can blur lines. I’ve had moments where I’ve realised that the version of me people think they know can complicate leadership in a way most founders don’t deal with. What it changed is how I now run the business. I’ve become way more intentional about structure, process, and professionalism internally. Clear expectations, proper feedback systems, documented conversations, role clarity. Not because I want things to feel cold, but because it’s actually fairer and healthier for everyone. And it also taught me something big: being a good leader isn’t about being the most loved person in the room. It’s about building a business that lasts, protecting the culture, and making decisions that are best for the team as a whole, even when it’s uncomfortable. IR: Many fashion founders struggle with the tension between speed and sustainability. How do you decide when to move quickly and when restraint is the smarter commercial choice? BS: For us, the speed vs sustainability tension is real, but we don’t solve it by jumping on trends. We solve it by planning properly. We don’t build Fayt around ‘what’s trending this week.’ We focus on creating timeless pieces that women can wear year round and pull out again and again, not just for one season or one viral moment. So restraint is kind of built into the business model. A big part of that is planning ahead. What we release now was planned six months ago (or even more). That gives us the space to make smart commercial decisions, develop fit properly, buy inventory with intention, and not panic-react to what other brands are doing. That said, we do move quickly when we know something is right for our customer. If we see clear demand, strong feedback, a fit or fabrication that’s working, or a repeat style that customers genuinely want back, we’ll move fast. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s proven. So for me, the deciding factor is always: is this aligned with our customer long-term, or is it just noise? If it’s noise, we don’t touch it. If it’s something we know will serve her and become a wardrobe staple, we go all in. IR: What does success look like for Fayt over the next few years, and how do you personally think about growth without losing control of brand, culture or customer trust? BS: Success for Fayt over the next few years looks like continuing to grow, but in a way that feels solid, not chaotic. Bigger isn’t the goal by itself. Better is. Of course I want revenue growth, store growth, stronger margins, all of that. But the real success marker for me is that Fayt becomes one of those rare brands that scales without losing what made people fall in love with it in the first place. That’s actually the hard part. For me, growth without losing control comes down to a few things. One, the brand has to stay crystal clear. We’re not for everyone, we’re not trying to be everything, and we’re not chasing trends to grow faster. Fayt will always be wardrobe staples, great fit, inclusive sizing done properly, and making women feel confident. If growth ever pulls us away from that, it’s not worth it. Two, culture has to be protected like it’s an asset, because it is. A toxic or sloppy culture is expensive. It leaks into customer experience, quality, and staff turnover. So I’m big on building strong leadership, setting standards early, and not being afraid to address issues quickly. Culture doesn’t ‘stay good’ by accident. Three, customer trust is everything. I never want Fayt to turn into a brand where customers feel like they’re being sold to. I want them to still feel seen, listened to, and part of it. That means we keep our quality high, we keep improving, we own our mistakes, and we keep talking to our community like humans. And personally, I think about growth like building a forever brand, not having a big year. I’d rather grow slightly slower and stay premium, consistent and loved, than scale so fast we lose our identity. So success is: bigger, yes, but more importantly, stronger. A Fayt that can last for decades.