On February 1rst 2018, we celebrate the 5th birthday of Loula's boutique. So it seemed only right that this months blog would be to tell you the story of how we came to be and the struggles and successes i've had along the way! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Lindsey Rayner and I am the founder of Loula's Boutique. The majority of everything that you see on the website and on our social media pages has all been created by me. From designing, pattern cutting and sewing, to running the website, product photography and marketing, I am mostly a one man band, with the exception of some incredible photography, modelling and hair and makeup from some highly talented people I have been lucky enough to work with along the way. The journey so far has been extremely hard work but it is also my absolute passion and I wouldn't change it for the world!
My journey to Loula's boutique started about 10 years ago. I never really knew where my passion was and found myself floating about between things I found interesting. I was studying psychology at Huddersfield uni when I went along to a fashion open day with a friend who was planning on doing the course there. I remember having this epiphany moment where I was so so engrossed in the idea of working in fashion, that I knew from then on that this was my passion in life. I contacted a careers adviser to ask about changing my degree and starting a fashion degree, I was told that because I was so far into my first degree that I wouldn't be able to get funding to do fashion and that without a degree in fashion I would never work in the industry. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not the type of person who lets people tell me what I can and can't do! So I started out by buying charity shop clothes and altering them and wearing them out on nights out. I got a lot of good feedback from my creations! After that I got some work experience working with other designers and then went on to land a place in the training school of Burberrys where I quickly learnt so much and mastered the art of sewing. I took a night class in pattern cutting at Leeds college and self taught myself all the skills I needed to get going. I then established Loula's boutique about 4 and a half years ago. I was heavy influenced by designers such as Robert Carey Williams, Vivienne Westwood and all saints, I loved the out there designs and interesting cuts that were totally different to anything on the high street. I always wanted my label to sit somewhere between all saints and American apparel, intricate cuts and quirky designs but with an easy wearing day-night wear ability and lots of colour options for each design. Since then I've been lucky enough to show my collection at both Manchester and Liverpool fashion week along with some smaller fashion shows, one of which I organised to raise money for a children's cancer charity. I was part of a collective of designers who ran a pop up shop in Bradford broadway shopping centre in which I was the top selling designer throughout the 5 months of the shop being open. I've been published in several magazines and newspapers and have stocked in a total of 15 different boutiques across England and set up my own website.
I guess the moral of the story is, if you want something enough and you're prepared to work hard every single day towards it and never give up, even when it gets so hard but you just keep believing and just keep going, YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS!
