From sketching to stitching: how and why illustrator Simon McAleese founded his own clothing brand

When you spend your days drawing other people's clothing designs, you notice things. Every seam, every pocket placement, every missed opportunity for something more interesting. For Simon McAleese, a menswear illustrator based in Sunderland, that scrutiny eventually became impossible to ignore.

"Illustrating clothing, you need to focus on every little detail to do it justice," Simon explains. "In the process, I'd notice little details on some pieces that were different to the norm. These are the details that draw me to clothes I purchase, but they're also the details that made me want to make my own clothes; creative, considered touches that make them stand out."

Ultimately, it was this realisation that led Simon to launch Saccade Clothing, a one-person brand born of his frustration with "vanilla choices" in the designs he was hired to illustrate.

The brand name itself reflects his philosophy: a saccade is a rapid eye movement that shifts focus from one point of interest to another, perfectly capturing his approach to creating garments with details that reward closer inspection.

It's an origin story that will resonate with many creatives who've found themselves critiquing work they're commissioned to execute. That moment when observation turns into action, when "I could do this better" becomes "I'm going to do this better."

The sketch-first approach

Simon's illustration background fundamentally shapes how he designs actual garments. "I very much do sketch out every detail first," he reveals. "Many, many times. Then I'll fall in love with an idea, only to wake up the next day and think it's the worst idea ever."

He's built up a strong network of people who provide feedback at different stages: friends for wearability opinions, a contact with experience at major global brands for technical insight, and a pattern maker for practical feasibility. "I also use them for modelling—shout out to Chris Hartley," he adds. This methodical, iterative approach stands in contrast to how some designers work, but for Simon, it's essential. When you've trained yourself to see every detail while illustrating, you can't simply switch that off when designing your own pieces.

The juggling act

What makes Simon's story particularly striking is the sheer ambition of what he's attempting. He's not just running a clothing brand and maintaining an illustration practice; he's doing both alongside a full-time day job and raising two young children.

"We had our second child last summer, and Saccade has been on hold mostly since then, whilst I've been able to chip away at the illustrations in my limited spare time," he admits. "I am slowly picking up things again with the brand, though, which excites me immensely."

Thankfully, rather than competing for attention, his two creative pursuits complement each other. "The illustrations keep me up to date with what's happening in the industry in terms of styles. And running the brand gives me a better understanding of what clients want from my illustration work," he explains.

Manufacturing partners

Perhaps the most instructive part of Simon's journey has been navigating the complex world of clothing manufacturing. It's one thing to sketch a perfect garment; it's quite another to find someone who can make it to your standards. "This was a long and arduous process, but the results have been worth it," he reflects.

Initial contacts through industry friends either weren't interested in working with a small start-up or required minimum order quantities far beyond his budget. Then came the deluge of approaches from factories, mainly in Asia, offering free samples. "But what they sent me was nowhere near the standard I'd want," he says. "Loose stitching, or poor interpretation of the tech pack, leading to ill-fitting clothing."

His breakthrough came through an unexpected Instagram connection. A manufacturer had seen a post featuring a jacket by a brand he admired. "They told me they actually manufactured the jacket and asked if they could send me some samples."

After verifying their credentials, Simon discovered they worked with several brands whose clothing he owned and loved. "What they sent was brilliant and gave me reassurances that they would be a good fit for me, as they were already working with brands in my wheelhouse."

He also found success closer to home with a Leicester-based company. The quality of their in-house hoodie impressed even his mother, who'd worked in quality assurance at a clothing factory. "She washed it while I was visiting a few Christmases ago and remarked on how well made it was and the quality of the cotton," Simon recalls. The resulting 'Overlap' hoodies he produced with them are "built like tanks," and he's particularly proud of achieving that quality at his target price point.

What's next?

Despite the demands on his time, Simon has ambitious plans. In the short term, he's working on improved versions of previous items, including his sold-out C.O. Pants and a popover shirt that's been in development for years with a London-based pattern maker. He's also in discussions with friendly brands about collaboration pieces.

And then there's the one design that started it all. "I have this 3-in-1 jacket, which was what made me want to start the brand," he explains. "I've had a few versions of this created, but none of them quite worked in sampling, so it's been back to the drawing board. I know there is a way of making this one happen, and I will get there soon."

It's a fitting metaphor for his entire venture: the willingness to keep iterating, to trust in the process, to believe that the right solution exists even when the first attempts don't work. For anyone contemplating their own leap from service provider to product creator, Simon's story offers both inspiration and a healthy dose of realism about the work involved.

The key, it seems, is that same quality that first drew him to certain garments as an illustrator: attention to detail. Whether you're drawing clothes or making them, it's those small, considered touches that make all the difference.