Sam Todd (right) wearing one of her designs at Harry Styles’ concert on the Gold Coast.Credit: Sam Todd
“We were not making enough money to sustain anymore, and then I just got on TikTok during the pandemic, like everyone else.”
Todd began uploading videos to the app and they started to get thousands of views.
“It really helped expose us to this whole new audience that without it, I would have had to pack up shop for sure,” she said.
“I actually have always wholeheartedly believed that getting on TikTok saved my brand.”
The first video that really made an impact was a behind-the-scenes look of how Todd made a blue lightning printed set.
“A few hours after I posted it, I got an order for the same blue lightning set, and I was like ‘this actually has a real-world impact in my life’. Then someone else ordered the same set,” she said.
Music fans wear their Volt outfits to a Harry Styles concert.Credit: Sam Todd
“Once I saw that start happening, I began making more videos like that.”
Harry Styles’ tour this year was a catalyst for more viral videos as Todd produced a collection for fans to wear to the concert.
When Todd herself went along to watch Styles at the Gold Coast, she was amazed to see countless girls wearing her designs.
“Nothing could really top that. The concert was so concentrated, and there were so many of them everywhere,” she said.
“It’s very surreal to see clothes that I made in our spare bedroom now in front of me in real life, being worn by real people.”
Todd has just released her Taylor Swift collection to coincide with the Australian leg of the star’s Eras Tour in 2024, taking inspiration from her previous tours and various album themes.
The designer hopes the collection will help fund some manufacturing support.
“I’m sewing 12 hours a day every day of the week sometimes,” Todd said.
“We’re still going to keep it local and onshore, but it’s not sustainable to continue to make every single piece of clothing myself – the workload is crazy.”
After the Taylor Swift collection, The Volt will transition into more elevated everyday clothes.
“We can’t just bank on these massive tours to come around. That’s not sustainable long term,” she said.
“I really want the brand to be something that I can do forever.”