Meet the Founder of TONIC

Designing for Dignity: The Story Behind TONIC's Patient-First Design

When Sophie Kinross launched TONIC, she wasn't setting out to create another fashion brand. She was trying to solve a problem she'd experienced herself, and one she'd seen countless others face.

With a background building high street and designer brands, including River Island and LK Bennett, Sophie had spent years marketing clothing that helped people feel confident. But it wasn't until she became a surgical patient that she realised just how little thought had been given to what people wear during recovery.

"I had shoulder surgery during a heatwave and was handed a suffocating plastic sling," Sophie explains. "Then a close friend told me she'd gone home after her mastectomy carrying her breast drains in two Sainsbury's bags. That image never left me."

Sophie was then diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and remembers sitting through chemotherapy sessions in clothes that simply weren't designed for receiving treatment or for recovery -but the filling that gap wasn’t a money-making opportunity "TONIC wasn't born from ambition," she says. "It was born from frustration, lived experience, and a belief that people recovering from surgery or illness deserve better."

Designing for dignity

For Sophie, the biggest gap in the recovery wear market wasn't just functionality, it was dignity.

"Patients are often told to wear loose clothing but beyond that, there isn't much thought given to what recovery actually feels like."

Traditional patient wear is typically designed around efficiency and cost rather than the what it feels like for the person wearing it. She believed there was an opportunity to rethink recovery clothing entirely, combining clinical functionality with thoughtful design and premium materials.

"When you're not feeling yourself, the last thing you need is something scratchy, uncomfortable or undignified touching your skin. Quality fabrics communicate something essential: you matter. This isn't just about comfort, though that's crucial. It's about maintaining your sense of self when everything else feels out of control. Style and dignity aren't luxuries in recovery, they’re essential.”

Talking the Talk

Every TONIC product starts with a conversation. The team works closely with patients, nurses, surgeons and physiotherapists through in-depth research sessions. Products are then developed through TONIC's collaborative design process with trials and community feedback shaping every detail before launch.

"If something works, we make more. If it doesn't, we go back and improve it."

Rather than releasing endless collections, TONIC focuses on carefully considered product-drops that solve genuine problems.

Making a difference

One product Sophie is particularly proud of is TONIC's reimagined hospital gown.

"The traditional hospital gown has become a symbol of everything that's wrong with patient wear. It's backless, one-size-fits-all and strips people of their dignity."

TONIC's version includes discreet access, soft fabrics and thoughtful fastenings, giving patients more cover and confidence, whilst still meeting healthcare needs.

Surprisingly, though, Sophie says their grip socks are the quiet heroes. Made from 100% cotton and clinically validated, they've received outstanding feedback from both patients and healthcare professionals, while also encouraging hospitals to rethink their reliance on single-use plastic packaging.

"Sometimes it's the smallest changes that create the biggest ripple effects."

Building something bigger 

The response from both patients and clinicians has reinforced TONIC’s reasons for being here. One patient told them their drain robe was the first time during her cancer treatment that she felt like herself again.

TONIC recognises that patients are people and the conveyor belt of treatment can feel dehumanising and limiting at a time when you are already feeling vulnerable.

A recent hospital pilot delivered an exceptional Net Promoter Score from healthcare professionals, demonstrating that better-designed patient wear benefits both patients and clinical teams and research consistently shows that how a patient feels about themselves affects outcomes.

TONIC will continue to grow with a new range for hip surgery, adaptive clothing for people living with dementia and specialist swimwear for people with stomas. All this is alongside product innovation, the company continues to strengthen partnerships across the NHS and healthcare sector, helping shape the future of patient-centred recovery.

"We're not just selling products," Sophie says. "We're creating a new under-appreciated clothing category. Recovery deserves the same level of thoughtful design as every other part of our lives and we're only just getting started."

We proudly position TONIC amongst our brands at Never Grey.