The pressure on Burton’s first collection lifted as it made its way down the catwalk to great acclaim. And when it came for its showpiece, Kasia was still sewing on the last few butterflies just seconds before the model walked out.

“I was incredibly inspired by the experience I had at McQueen but I also realised that I didn’t want to create the kind of fashion that would end up on display in The Met, like the Butterfly dress,” Kasia says.

“I wanted the clothes I designed to give the wearer the same feeling of cut, flattery and style as couture fashion, but to serve a purpose and support their lifestyle in the outdoors."

“And at ACAI, that’s exactly what we do. We create clothes that are designed to make you look and feel great, and above all else, give you the mental and physical confidence to get outdoors.”

Following her stint in London, Kasia headed back to Scotland and got a job with the cycling brand Endura where she began designing men’s mountain biking garments. She quickly saw a gap in the fashion market which her own brand would eventually fill.

"There was a real ‘pink and shrink’ mentality towards women’s outdoorwear at the time," she remembers. "So many brands were just looking for a quick and easy fix. Companies would take male clothing and tweak it slightly to make it more feminine i.e. smaller and pink or purple. There was no real consideration of female form, individuality or expression.”

Passionate about the great outdoors, one day she was making the most of having the Scottish Highlands on her doorstep when she noticed she was getting sideways looks from some fellow hikers.

“I was wearing funky leggings and an oversized t-shirt. I was comfy, felt stylish and was enjoying myself. But because I wasn’t wearing clothing designed for the activity I got these judgmental looks from other walkers. I felt ridiculed by men.”

Her confidence was knocked but she knew there was truth in the fact that her clothing wasn’t functional for the environment she was in. It wasn’t durable, waterproof, breathable or quick-drying - all of the features required to be fit for purpose in the outdoors.

Kasia now had the vision for her business. To make women’s outdoorwear that was the perfect blend of style, performance and fit. With her couture background, fashion degree under her belt, as well as experience designing technical gear, she felt she had the right skills to embark on the challenge.

Not long after this light bulb moment, Kasia’s now husband and business partner Joe was offered a role in South Korea as an offshore engineer. The couple jumped at the opportunity for an adventure and that was where the foundations of ACAI were laid.

“I bought a sewing machine from a local and scribbled endlessly on my sketchpad. I explored the incredible markets in both Korea and Japan, searching for fabrics and inspiration. I researched and went through countless samples until eventually I created the entire first collection and our signature piece, the Skinny Outdoor Trousers - just me and my sewing machine, in a little studio in South Korea.”

With a range of samples in hand ACAI was launched at a trade show, and just two weeks later picked up by an agent who got it listed in House of Fraser. However the excitement was quickly replaced with strict supplier guidelines and low margins, causing financial strain.

“It was an incredibly difficult time,” remembers Kasia. “We had to move out of our rented home as we could no longer afford it. We sold our furniture and car, with Joe picking up a run-down lime green car we affectionately called the ‘Snot Rocket’ so he could get to work.”

Kasia decided that if ACAI was to progress, she’d need to learn how to promote it. So with the help of her brother taught herself how to market the brand via social media.

She moved to be with her parents in Poland whilst Joe took up residence on his sister’s couch in the UK, picking up a temporary job during the day, and working on ACAI in the evenings; fulfilling orders and dropping them off at the post office.