Gua Sha Rituals, Downton Abbey and Dresses, Lots Of Pretty Dresses: 24 Hours With Hannah Coffin Of Needle & Thread

The British-based founder and CEO of Needle & Thread talks Bazaar Arabia through a fashion-filled day

5:00 A.M I have always been an early riser. When I wake up I spend around 30 minutes reading the business news, scrolling through social media or listening to podcasts. I like to feel informed and inspired before I start my day.

5:30 A.M I head upstairs to my home office and check my schedule. I use this time to reply to emails – our head office in India is five hours ahead of us so there’s always plenty to do.

6:30 A.M I get ready before my son, Teddy wakes up. My favourite shower product is Hayo’u Revive mineral shower wash. For skincare I use Obagi products, I then spend a few minutes doing facial gua sha with jade stones for lymphatic drainage. For daytime make-up I like a natural, dewy look and my go-to brand is Bobbi Brown. My favourite product is Pot Rouge in the colour Pretty Powerful. I choose my outfits for practicality. If I’m on my feet all day I opt for jeans, a Needle & Thread jumper and a comfy shoe. I’m loving my new Nike ’77 vintage high tops at the moment. If I have a business meeting I’ll usually wear one of my Max Mara blazers with a silk blouse. For accessories I love Soru Jewellery. Also, my friend Anabela Chan is the most amazing sustainable jeweller. I have a few pairs of earrings that I wear on repeat and her ring collection is divine. I also wear a lot of Sydney Evan stacked bracelets. My husband Mark bought me a pink quartz bracelet for Valentine’s Day and one in my birth stone for my birthday, so I wear them all the time.

7:00 A.M I wake Teddy and get him ready for the day. He likes to help make his porridge or eggs which is very sweet.

7:45 A.M My husband takes our son to nursery and I go back to my desk and start my calls. It’s a tight schedule but it works. My husband joined the business in 2019 – he’s a huge support professionally and it means we get to spend more time together.

8:45 A.M I leave the house to drive to the office on the days that I go in. I live in North London just 10-minutes away so I often work from home when I can. I host a lot of events, attend photoshoots and board meetings, so my days are really varied. I’m a very calm and focused business leader. I’m naturally a driven person and want the best results. I expect a lot from my team but in turn offer a tremendous amount of support, if it’s required. I’m pragmatic when things go wrong and I value the people around me. I’ve learnt when to relax so we can have some fun – it can’t all be hard work! I consider my job to be a real privilege. I’m doing what I dreamt of doing as a child. I get to work with fun and creative people, I’m learning and growing as a businesswoman and ultimately, I get to make people feel beautiful every day. We’ve had many iconic women wear Needle & Thread including the Duchess of Cambridge, Julia Roberts and Sarah Jessica Parker. Naturally there are also very challenging days too. The constant need to be reactive can be draining. The responsibility is enormous.

11:00 A.M If I’m working from home I’ll make something quick like eggs and avocado. If I’m at the office I tend to choose sushi.

2:00 P.M I’m back at my desk and often working on new collections with the team. Our S/S22 Kids collection is inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel The Secret Garden. The pieces pay homage to beautiful English flowers and the magic of the garden. The collection sits side-by-side with our womenswear ready-to-wear collection, with matching mummy-and-me pieces. A personal favourite is The Secret Garden prom dress in petal pink. It’s heavily decorated in pastel embroidery with beautiful floral artwork.

5:30 P.M Is the time I try to finish work. As I work with my husband we also need to monitor how much work creeps into the evening. I aim to go to a yoga class several times during the week, too. I alternate between vinyasa yoga and yin yoga. I find yin yoga is very good for my overall state of mind.

6:00 P.M I love being at home for when Teddy returns from nursery – it can be quite a hectic time in our house as we make his dinner, bath and prepare for bedtime.

7:30 P.M Our son is asleep and Mark and I will cook something quick and healthy for ourselves. As much as I love date nights or going out for dinner with my girlfriends, I’m a real homebody at heart.

8:30 P.M My evening routine begins with a bath. I use the Hayo’u Revive mineral bath salts. My friend, Founder Katie Brindle, created the formula herself using rose quartz, Himalayan pink salt and lotus flower. I then apply body oil and wear cotton or linen sleepwear. I’ll usually burn some sage or palo santo and do some gentle stretching.

9:30 P.M Before bed I either read or watch television. I’m obsessed with period dramas so I always opt for an era-based movie such as Little Women, or a series like Bridgerton or Downton Abbey. The escapism and creativity of this genre is so inspiring. I recently finished reading Fearne Cotton’s latest book, Bigger than Us which is a fascinating exploration into spiritualism. And my very dear friend, Rosie Walsh, just released her new book, The Love of my Life, so I’m currently reading that. I always love reading her books, she’s an incredible author.

10:00 P.M I go to bed. I keep a journal to document what I feel truly grateful for, what went well in my day, or what I could learn from next time. I write to stay focused on my dreams with an emphasis on the happiness of my family.

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From the S/S22 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Junior

Imagery courtesy of Needle & Thread
Photography: Victoria Adamson