4 minute read
WARDROBE
Q&A Dress to IMPRESS
Nikki Antony, founder of Wardrobe in Great Dunmow, on her ethos, surviving Covid and getting ready for Christmas
Interview MARK KEBBLE
Q What inspired you to open Wardrobe?
A I became increasingly frustrated as I entered my 40s that I couldn't find clothes that were cut for real women, not girls in their 20s. I wanted clothes that were well made, a little unique and nice to wear. Without entering into the real designer market there wasn't much around at that time.
Q Why in Great Dunmow?
A I lived just outside Dunmow. I had three teenagers when I first opened the shop so it had to be a practical distance from home and it had a lovely village vibe, but is easy to access from lots of larger areas.
Q Have you evolved in any way over the years?
A We have evolved massively over the years as we have seen what customers are looking for. The ethos was to always o er well made good quality pieces with a unique twist that you could adapt from day to evening. I'm at great believer in making Wardrobe work for you. I don't believe in having items sitting in the wardrobe for 'best' you, you should be able to add accessories and di erent shoes to wear most pieces all the time. We add in new brands to freshen things up and bring in di erent styles. We are always looking to improve what we o er.
Q Have there been tough times, such as during the various lockdowns?
A Yes, Covid was very tough and there were definitely times in those very early days when I wondered if we would ever reopen again. We kept our presence alive during all the lockdowns with our social media and I used to do weekly live sessions online, showing customers di erent brands we had in store, and we delivered items to customers. We had just received all our spring deliveries before lockdown, so we had to do something to sell some of it. It was obviously tough as no-one was going out and no-one knew when they would be going out again or
NIKKI ANTONY INSIDE WARDROBE
going to events again. When we reopened the support from our customers was amazing.
Q Today, what’s your ethos?
A To o er a high level of personal service. To find the best products suitable to our customers which we think o er best value for money and will o er wearable sustainable clothing.
Q How do you decide on the brands you stock at Wardrobe?
A We go to lots of trade shows and showrooms each season to find the brands we feel suit us best. It's been lovely this summer as we have been able to go back to Europe and do the shows there as well. We look for brands which aren't in every shopping centre and High Street to bring something di erent to our customers.
Q Are there any particularly exciting launches for AW22?
A We were excited to launch two new brands for AW22, More & More and Sita Mura. It's
LIZABELLA JOSEPH RIBKOFF
the first season in the UK for More & More so we are excited to see the response it gets, it's beautiful fabrics in little dresses and jackets and some great knitwear. Sita Mura has done a few seasons in the UK to date and is made up of vintage looking dresses in the most fabulous silk prints and some quirky knitwear which teams in with the dresses and skirts.
Q With the festive season upon us, do you have any fashion tips to get the right look?
A From a personal viewpoint I always try to stick within my own style. Evening and party wear is something we don't wear all the time, so if you buy something really out of your comfort zone you are sometimes so worried if it's really you. Classic shapes always look the best. Elegant, simple and stylish will always attract the most comments and they will be pieces that you go back to again and again.
Q How do you see the future of Wardrobe panning out?
A I'm excited for the future, our customer base is growing. Lots of customers find us through word of mouth recommendation, which is fantastic. We have returned to pre-Covid trading levels, which is just amazing after the previous two years. We are now o ering personal shopping appointments in the evening for customers to look at special occasion wear, which has been well received.
20 HIGH STREET, GREAT DUNMOW, ESSEX CM6 1AH
Caprice Foil Geox HB Shoes Inco Joseph Ribko Lizabella Marble
Marc Aurel More & More Powder Ra aello Rossi Salsa Sita Murt Uchuu
WARDROBE_HP_ABS_ESSEX_NOV2022_v2.indd 1 21/10/2022 18:01
