The pair were chatting about opportunities and spotted a gap in the market for women in the 40-to-60 age bracket.
“There were plenty of bricks-and-mortar boutiques and a few selling from home too, but we wanted to offer a different experience. A curated collection of clothes at an affordable price. Clothes that would work for women who may be going through the menopause, whose requirements are not the same as teenagers.”
Value was also a consideration. “People don’t want to spend £200 on a shirt that we can source for £40 and it will look just as good,” says Lewis.
“And we wanted to make sure the range would work together as a collection. So you could buy pieces that co-ordinated with others and you would not be left with a top or a trousers that didn’t go with anything else in your wardrobe,” adds Hearn.
They also recognised that not everyone loves clothes shopping. “We wanted to provide a safe environment for those who don’t enjoy going to shops — where some people may feel vulnerable or judged,” says Lewis. She feels her experience of having lost several stones in weight puts her in a good place to offer specialist advice to those who may have done the same and have no idea what may now suit them. “I know how that feels — going into a shop can be a bit daunting. I also know how important knowing your body shape is.”
Feeling slightly at a loss over my dress size after several weeks of lockdown comfort eating, I ask if they can help. They tell me I’m not alone. “People will say: ‘I was a 10 before lockdown but I’m a 12 now.’ That should not affect the fit on many of the dresses we’re stocking at the moment, but where on your body you put your weight on may make a difference,” says Lewis. They ask a lot of questions to make sure they get customers’ sizes right. “Even on a Zoom consultation, we can generally judge any change.”
Pre-lockdown, the pair travelled regularly to Paris to select their range of clothes. “We tried everything on ourselves, so we knew how it would fit,” says Lewis. “Once we found a style that worked, we would buy it in a variety of fabrics, so you would not find everyone wearing the same outfit as you.”
When coronavirus hit in March, they thought that was it for their fledgling business, especially as it relied on visits to Hearn’s home. “We closed temporarily, thinking we’d reopen when it became possible. We didn’t expect people to care too much about clothes. But then there was a shift and people started to be interested again.”
So, at the end of April, they announced on their Facebook page a sale of the stock they had. “We held it on Zoom and it went really well,” says Hearn. “We’d done a few Facetime consultations, so we knew it could work, and because we’re a lean business we could be very agile and move quickly to fit the current climate.”
They started buying new stock — not quite so easy when they couldn’t physically get to Paris. “We’ve had to do it via Whatsapp, videos and photos,” says Hearn, “but we’ve been lucky and chosen right.”
They have also launched video one-to-one appointments and had, in the week I spoke to them, done a Zoom call with a newly pregnant customer to provide her with a wardrobe of dresses to take her into the summer. “She could sit on the sofa with her husband and look through our stock.”
Stock permitting, they are now doing weekly Facebook Live appearances, to show what has come in. “Within an hour of most of those, the majority of the new stock has sold out,” says Hearn. They have also just started showing the collection to groups of no more than six in Hearn's garden.
How are they ensuring customer safety? “We follow government guidelines. All stock waits for 72 hours before we unpack it. We then steam everything before sending it out. If a customer wants to return anything, they drop it back to my door or post it. I label the bag on receipt, leave it for 72 hours, then check it, steam it and Karen processes a refund. We can resell the item after that.”
Social media means their reach is unlimited. Customers in North West London can pick up and drop off their clothes at Hearn’s door, and Lewis is delivering some items. They also post to customers in locations from San Francisco and Israel to Manchester and Chiswick.
The future looks promising — and we can face it looking snappy.
Contact Daliah Hearn of The Wardrobe Edit on 07367 401000; Facebook: twe.thewardrobeedit/ Instagram: twe.thewardrobeedit/
