Our Story

Once upon a time, when clothing was still hand-stitched with love and crafted to last a lifetime (or two!), there lived a gifted seamstress called Jacoba Francina Petronella Smit. 

 

I was lucky enough to call this extraordinary woman my grandmother. 

Ouma Jacoba was very well known in Cape Town in the heydays of the 1930’s. The who’s who of the city would flock to her shop to have ballgowns dreamed up, formal wear designed, and informal dresses made to measure. 

 

Back then, fashion was a tricky mix of conservatism and glamour, reflecting a girl-next-door freshness. But Ouma was especially creative and would delight the city’s wealthy ladies with everything from grand, sweeping skirts and blouses frothing with lace, to tailored trousers and captivating outfits for daytime events.

 

When she wasn’t stitching up a storm for the Cape Town elite, Ouma would be hard at work outfitting her 11 children and grandchildren. This included me, her namesake. We were her absolute favourite clients.

As a young girl, I would visit her almost every day and sit next to her sewing machine in admiration, learning all the tricks of the trade as she made magic with the fabric. 

 

She would give me all the little bits and pieces of leftover material she used for her clients and teach me how to make beautiful dresses for my dolls. With the bigger pieces, she made the prettiest dresses for me to wear. 

 

I always felt like the luckiest girl ever wearing my tailor-made dresses, designed, and made by my talented Ouma. Even after this marvellous lady retired, she still made my dresses. This included gorgeous ballet dresses and costumes, which I wore dancing on stage. She was so proud of me, and I loved her so deeply. 

 

From a young age, I knew that I wanted to follow in Ouma’s footsteps. As a young mother, I made clothes for my own children, but the busy life of a wife and full-time teacher soon took over. But time passed and then, finally, I became a grandma. 

 

Soon after the birth of my first grandchild, my own namesake, I started making the same dresses for her that my grandmother used to make for me, using the same style and patterns she lovingly chose all those years ago.

 

This was the small, slow start of Little by Little. 

 

Today Little by Little has grown to become a brand for all generations, with heirloom pieces and classic designs that set the scene for effortless living and joyful occasions. The designs are timeless but practical, using high-quality fabrics, easy to wear, and pretty in an uncomplicated way. 

 

We never mass produce our designs, instead preferring a slow fashion approach, where each item is part of a small batch. In short, Little by Little is inspired by and created for the little ones. 

 

My wish is that every child wearing my clothing will be inspired to grow up, follow their dreams, and change the world... little by little… 

 

All my love, Ouma Fransie