Attire Accessories - Nov/Dec 2018 (Issue 73)

38 industry. I knew the administrative procedures and didn’t need to get bogged down in those. I could just get on with doing everything better and more efficiently. With full responsibility for everything, I had to completely trust myself to make the right decisions, from office systems, website and stock to how to market Miss Milly and how to run the business. To say that it took over my life for the first three years is not an understatement! But it was also incredibly rewarding and a real labour of love. What is it that sets you apart from your competitors? “It’s very different” is a phrase we hear numerous times at every trade show, along with “it’s so nice to see colour” and “your prices are very reasonable.” This is all the proof I need that Miss Milly’s fundamental attributes of being colourful and affordable are working; they are the foundation of our brand, along with quality, service and approachability. With a background in retail, I know that margins and quick turnaround of products are the lifeblood of a store. To this end, we allow customers to buy all our products in singles, and there are no packs where you have to take the unpopular colourways in order to have the bestselling ones. How has the product offering changed since you started, and how would you describe your current collection? A couple of years after launching, and in response to customer demand, we introduced a scarf collection. While the scarves are not the focus of the business, they have added to sales rather than replaced them and brought in new customers who aren’t interested in jewellery. They also help us create a much more appealing trade stand, and several customers have used the idea of displaying scarves with jewellery, creating bigger transactions. In terms of the jewellery, our key focus, the pieces have really changed. We are keen to always completely refresh for the next season with a mix of new colours in bestselling lines and brand-new designs. There are some pieces, though, that never seem to die out – and I’m thinking of one necklace in particular, the Starburst, which I and many of our customers are fed up of seeing. It doesn’t fit with the overall collection anymore, but the general public loves it, so it’s back in stock again! But new is key, and at trade shows, we are often asked to point out new products. The current Autumn/Winter collection has gone down a storm, with several customers telling us it is the best yet. The Floria Collection is our flagship range, prioritising colour and design. The RRPs for necklaces are £10 to £24, making it ideal for most stores. And you will usually find matching earrings, if not bracelets and rings as well. How often do you launch new lines? Our major launches are for Spring/Summer in January and Autumn/ Winter in July. We have tried launching a capsule summer range, but it doesn’t work well enough to warrant the attention. By the time it gets to the second half of June, retailers are waiting for the Home & Gift Harrogate show or for the next season pieces to be launched online. What trade shows do you attend and why? In 2019, we will be at Spring Fair, Home & Gift and Autumn Fair. These shows are all key for us to launch new products and meet with existing and new customers. It’s also a great opportunity for us and the sales agents to get to grips with the new collection, take on board what is and isn’t selling to help with next season preparation and to see what else is happening in our industry. What are your current bestselling designs? Hands down, the Floria Collection is our star performer, and there are a few lines this season that have really shone. The Dangle Cube Necklace and the Layered Disc Necklace and Bracelet in particular have been bestsellers. And Blue scarves have been flying out since July, with the new Mustard and Dark Green colourways in our sparkle scarf also hits. When was the website launched, and how does it support the business? The website was launched on 1 st September, 2012, at the same time as the business. It is integral to the business, serves as our catalogue and most of our sales come through it. It is built on the Magento platform and integrates with our inventory and sales processes. As I expect everybody reading this knows, websites are incredibly time-consuming and occasionally temperamental. But it is a fantastic tool, and there is so much we would like to do with it given unlimited time and money. What have been the key milestones in the business? The two key ones are both linked to allowing me to step back a bit and adjust my work-life balance for the better. The first was after three years when I took on staff to help with sales administration, stock control and