HOW IT STARTED by Sadé Llerraf
Rejection. It stings. Whether it’s a “no” from a collaboration you were counting on, a customer choosing someone else, a unanswered email or life simply not going the way you hoped it can be difficult to accept.
But what I have learnt is things happen for a reason and with every setback there can be a comeback. Rejection isn’t the end. It’s often the universe or God, or whatever you believe in gently (or not-so-gently) guiding you toward something better. It’s not rejection. It’s redirection.
The Rejections That Nearly Made Me Quit and Quite Frankly Broke my Heart.
The first big rejection that truly shattered me wasn’t in business it was at university. I had poured my heart and soul into my final major fashion collection. It was more than just garments it was me. For three years, I had visualised my work walking down the catwalk at Graduate Fashion Week. I’d even planned the music the models would walk to. I could see it so clearly my name in the lights, the energy, the applause. It was my dream.
When I got placed into the “maybe” category, for the students who might be picked held on to hope like it was everything. I thought, Maybe I still have a chance. Maybe I’ll get the recognition I’ve worked for. But when the final decision came in, I didn’t make the cut, No showcase. No catwalk. No recognition.
I was devastated. I felt invisible. I questioned if all the sacrifice, the long nights, the emotional labour had been for nothing.
But what I didn’t know then in my moment of heartbreak was that something better was around the corner.
Not long after, I received an opportunity I never saw coming: a win with ASOS Marketplace. That moment was my redirection. The platform gave me my first real business breakthrough and helped me believe that maybe I was good enough even if Graduate Fashion Week didn’t think so.
And the most incredible part, I had the opportunity to showcase my brand at Clothes Show Live under the spotlight of ASOS Headlights. In an unexpected full-circle moment, my university tutor the one who once marked my final work with hesitation and made the final desision that my collection would not be apart of graduate fashion week was there. That very same collection gave me my ASOS win. My tutor came over to congratulate me on the win. I could see the surprise in her eyes, and maybe even a hint of newfound belief.
That simple act of kindness, her acknowledging my success, gave me the quiet validation I didn’t know I was still seeking. It reminded me that I can do this that I am doing this. And how powerful is that. Life has a way of placing us exactly where we need to be, sometimes with the very people who once doubted us, witnessing our growth.
The Rejections That Still Come
Fast forward to running my own brand. You’d think rejection would get easier. It doesn’t.
I’ve pitched my business countless times to platforms like Not On The High Street and Wolf & Badger and time after time, I’ve been rejected. Or worse, completely ignored. I’ve sent carefully written emails, curated my best work, shared my passion, my story only to be met with silence.
It’s disheartening. Some of those “no’s” really stung, especially because I know I have something special to offer. There were days I felt invisible all over again just like that moment at uni.
But here’s what I’ve learned: Rejection doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. Sometimes it just means your light is meant to shine somewhere else.
What Rejection Has Really Taught Me
1. Hope Can Hurt — But It Also Heals
That “maybe” at Graduate Fashion Week almost crushed me. But it also taught me how powerful hope is. Even when things don’t turn out how you imagine, the dream can evolve into something greater.
2. Being Ignored Doesn’t Define Your Value
Not hearing back from a platform doesn’t mean your brand isn’t worthy. Sometimes your work just doesn’t fit their story but it’s still perfect for yours.
3. Closed Doors Often Lead to Better Ones
If I had made it into Graduate Fashion Week, maybe I wouldn’t have pursued ASOS. If every platform accepted me, I might not have learned to carve out my own. Every no has nudged me closer to where I truly belong.
4. You’re Allowed to Grieve — But Don’t Unpack There
I’ve cried over rejections. I’ve doubted myself. But I never let those moments become my final chapter. I gave myself space to feel, then found the strength to rise again.
Remember Rejection Isn’t the End — It’s Just a Different Beginning
If you’re in the middle of a “no” right now maybe you’re staring at an unanswered email, a declined opportunity, or a dream that didn’t materialise please know this: your story isn’t over.
I’ve had my heart broken by rejection, but I’ve also had it mended by redirection.
Sometimes, the path you imagined just isn’t the one that’s meant for you but something greater is still coming. I didn’t get Graduate Fashion Week… but I got ASOS. I didn’t get accepted by every platform… but I’m building my own.
And maybe just maybe your rejection is really a reroute toward your biggest win yet.