Escape Boutique does exactly what the name suggests, whether you want to indulge in a new top, dress or jacket, January’s Boutique of the Month offers a sanctuary to escape from the everyday worries and stresses of life. Owned and run by Lisa and Carl Mitchell, Escape is an award winning women’s boutique situated just off the high street in Whitley Bay, bringing a wide selection of daywear, shoes and accessories. From Part Two, Soaked in Luxury and Desigual to Fever London and Fly London, you are sure to find something that tickles your fancy for any special occasion or well deserved treat. Plus, Escape also has plans to branch out into menswear this year so it won’t be long until all you fashion savvy men will be able to add a touch of Escape magic to your wardrobes as well.
We caught up with Lisa and Carl to find out the inspiration behind the boutique, its beautifully unique decor and what the future has in store.
How did Escape Boutique begin?
It was on a bit of a whim actually, we both worked in a bank, and I suppose we got a little bit disillusioned with what we were doing and were looking at what we could do next. Obviously as we live in Whitley Bay we noticed a gap in the market, there was a real need for a fashion store that hit a particular age group, the town was very much geared to the older customer at the time. We opened a shoe shop in 2004 and the following year the unit next door came up for let as well, which now houses our clothing.
What is the inspiration behind the name Escape?
We escaped from the bank.
Did you always have an interest in fashion and want to move into the industry?
We both had an interest in fashion, but no experience in it at all; it was an incredibly steep learning curve for both of us. Everything was completely alien, from sourcing the brands to dealing with agents down to quantities and sizing.
“It was an incredibly steep learning curve for both of us”
What do you love the most about working at Escape Boutique?
I love trying to keep ahead of the game, sourcing the trends and finding something completely different. Our customer’s know from season to season that they can come in and find pieces nobody else has. I think this is also one of the reasons why we have such a loyal and growing customer base. It is a very sociable atmosphere as well, we have a lot of returning customers, and it is nice to get to know them and their families.
What aura and theme did you want to present in your choice of design and interiors?
We designed it visually in order to draw people in, and make it warm and friendly. A couple of years ago we had a major refit, and a local artist worked on the frontage with personal designs, drawings and paintings. The decor now brings a very soft fairytale quality.
How would you describe the Escape woman?
We probably have two core customers; the first is the thirty plus woman who is a professional homeworker with children. This lady likes smart casual daywear that can be effortlessly dressed-up to take you through to evening. Our growing base comes from their mothers who have hit their fifties and sixties but don’t want to dress their age, they are very style conscious and have little bit more disposable income to play with.
How do you decide what brands and products to stock every season?
The shop is very much a portrayal of my personality, everything in Escape is something that has caught my eye and because we have such a good relationship with our customers we pretty much know that if I like it, they will like it too. We stick with the brands that work but we also try new things, but if they don’t work or get an immediate reaction we are quite ruthless with changing them.
Do you have a favourite trend of AW12 or SS13 that you have brought into Escape?
We have quite a lot of wet and leather look detail and embellished knitwear, which our customers can easily take through from day to evening.
Do you go to many fashion weeks and trade shows?
We are constantly looking through the fashion press to see what is new and upcoming and I do travel to a lot of trade shows, but we do get approached quite a lot now as well by lots of brands. The agents that carry different brands approach us if they have something new, and as our reputation grows, more people contact us out of the blue, which is nice.
Do you have a favourite brand in Escape and on miinto?
I really love the Danish brand Part Two. The product is fantastic, they are trend-led but they also design really easy to wear pieces, it is just really good quality daywear that lasts season after season. We are also going to be stocking Maison Scotch in February next year, and it is such a gorgeous range I can’t wait.
What is your proudest moment at Escape?
We were finalists in the North Tyneside Council’s Small Business of the Year Awards, which was a real achievement and we also won the Newcastle Evening Chronicle’s Customer Service Award that was voted for by the public. It means even more when you are voted for by your customers, it is recognition from the people that count because it means what you are doing is right. I am also really proud of the refurbishment, it was very personal and a lot of hard work but it has brought so many new people in and had an extremely positive impact on the business.
“It means even more when you are voted for by your customers, it is recognition from the people that count”
What made you decide to move into menswear in 2013?
There is a real gap in the market, the same reason why we setup the women’s shop. Plus, another local unit became available that is so close by to the present one it seemed foolish not to take it up. It is something we have been talking about for a number of years, but we have two small children and we had intended to open menswear when the youngest went to school, however this new unit was too good to pass by.
Where would you like to see Escape in ten years time?
I would like to think we could expand the high street store, bring it all together somehow and have an all in one; a nice little empire.
What do you think is unique about miinto?
I think miinto is unique because it helps boutiques like ours who want to grow and have a presence online, but are not quite big enough to do it on their own.
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