we need some time apart…
It's with a very heavy heart that I have chosen to suspend our online store. I know this will be a disappointment to many of you but sadly mounting factors have resulted in this decision. While our shops are still open we would encourage you to come and visit us if you can. Will be sending out an email with more information soon, but we will be taking orders up until this Sunday 10th December.
We will still be here at HQ and should there be something you're desperate to get your hands on we shall do our best to make that happen.
It's certainly not the news we hoped to be ending the year with...but it is what it is.
I wholeheartedly understand that online stands for convenience, convenience isn't what I set out to offer. Buying clothes shouldn't be a convenience, well not our clothes anyway. It should be an experience.
I think a large part of me structuring the business the way I have is because secretly I love the transformative power of clothes, I love making them, wearing them and seeing other people be excited by them.... And I love all the people who make up our team to deliver this, from the girls at the studio, the girls on the shop floor, the HQ reps and even the boys who help us out from time to time (Simon, Danny, Nabil, that's you -but Not Kevin, DEFINITELY not Kevin )
We all work so hard but when Royal Mail consider the bin a "safe place" and you're stuck in a four day email chain with DHL saying please see proof of delivery and the customer says - those aren't my feet. (...they were). And then the retuns...
For the most part, we have really genuine customers but even still it's easier to look someone in the eye, rather than email them, to point out that unworn is more convincing without a lipgloss still in the pocket.
Solely based on our online business, I would assume that maybe there isn't a demand for what we offer but the fact that our retail sales (and a quick glance up and down the local high street) continue to run rings around our online means that people do value what we do IRL.
The irony is that the more we spend on people and product, the less we have to spend on marketing, branding, influencer gifting, PR. And whilst in theory, our offering is unique and delivering against all the zeitgeisty prompts (locally made, sustainable, ethical, providing employment, for skilled workers, negligible carbon footprint, mum-trepreneur, female founder, independently owned and operated, selling) I actually don't really care about all that, and I'm not saying we're any better or worse than anyone else. But I am saying it would appear that the numerous people and publications that do care, care for a fee.
Having started this as a passion project I've always been amazed by what I've managed to achieve. Maybe had I made it as far as university I would've achieved some more worthwhile assets for my parentheses (graduate of..., friends with..., funded by....) but I don't think my customers would care.
So if you'll excuse us for a while we shall leave you all to "add to cart" the kilos of product that that is currently 70% off from every other retailer flooding the gram and if you need us you know where we will be....