Journal

The party season has officially arrived and what better way to celebrate than with an exclusive event at our Westbourne store? For one night only we were lucky enough to welcome the much loved scarf designer Emma Shipley and the fabulous Duffy New York team into our store for an evening full of inspirational chats, Christmas shopping and an abundance of champagne! Customers were able to get their first glimpse of all our stunning new Pre Spring 18 collections from Duffy, Chinti & Parker, Boutique Moschino, Emma Shipley and Not Shy whilst indulging in some mouth watering canapés courtesy of The Jetty Mudeford restaurant. With guests having travelled from both near and far to join us, the shop was soon bustling with glamorous customers and their lucky husbands. The evening began with a brief collection overview from Emma Shipley, who kindly talked us through the inspirations for her latest collection as well as her intricate production processes. After launching only 5 years ago in 2012 with a background in graphic design and fine drawing, Emma Shipley has become a firm Stanwells favourite thanks to her intricate, original and subversive pieces. Taking inspiration from fantastical myths and legends, Emma hand draws each design in pencil using elements of nature to capture the magic of her surroundings in each and every design she creates. These absolutely stunning designs are then translated onto the most luxurious silk and wool fabrics to create one of a kind pieces that are sure to be treasured for years to come. This instantly recognisable hand-drawn style is of course still present in Emma Shipley's SS18 collection, whilst an array of different creatures and colours have been used to infuse a new lease of life into this bold summery selection. Glorious giraffes, powerful peacock feathers and diagrammatic silverbacks give a modern twist to Emma's signature mythical inspirations, with a rainbow of colours suitable for every occasion available. Our lucky customers were fortunate enough to be able to pre-order these luxurious scarves and managed to get their hands on Emma's latest SS18 designs before anyone else could snap them up! After a quick champagne break, we were then treated to another Pre SS18 preview by the lovely ladies from the Duffy New York team. A long-running favourite with all of our customers, Duffy's super soft cashmere is a staple in any Stanwells shopper's wardrobe thanks to the flattering cuts, stunning colours and quirky details which are guaranteed season after season. After a quick chat about the new collection, customers were invited to try and buy the Pre SS18 selection which flew out the doors on the evening. The Duffy Pre SS18 collection is bursting with cool pastel colours and shoulder baring cuts which ooze Spring style and brightened up the store on a cold winter's evening. Our customers loved the Off the Shoulder Sweater in Sky Heather as well as the Two Tone Boat Neck Sweater and the Off the Shoulder Sweater in Champagne/Heather Grey, which you can see on our gorgeous models Millie and Mitch pictured above. For the ultimate luxurious combination, a few lucky customers purchased a fabulous combination of Duffy and Emma Shipley to start off their Spring wardrobe in style. After a flurry of spending and a lot of chatting, the evening drew to a close and our lovely customers were treated to one last surprise, a luxurious gift bag supplied by Neptune Bournemouth containing a fabulous tealight holder and their latest collection book as well as a few goodies from Rik Rak by Kit Kemp to top it all off. After an incredibly busy evening, the Stanwells team finally got to sample a few of the delicious canapés lovingly made by The Jetty, before tidying up and heading home for a well deserved glass of fizz.

Capture the magic of the festive season with stunning, luxurious hand-picked gifts in the Stanwells Christmas Gift Guide. From warm woolly bobble hats to chic winter boots, our selection of gifts will allow you to celebrate in style this Christmas. Take your pick from the most chic & luxurious gift ideas curated by Stanwells especially for you this Christmas. With a stunning selection of gifts to suit every taste, you're sure to find something that she will love in either of our stores or online. Let's take a look at a few of our favourites including relaxing bath and body goodies and sumptuous silk lingerie... Chic Merino Wool Hats by BKLYN   It's starting to get chilly outside now and what better way to combat the cold than with a warm woolly hat by BKLYN? The best part about these hats is that you can mix and match any hat with any fur bobble to create endless combinations to match with any outfit. Why not combine a Merino Hat in Mid Grey with the Royal Blue Bobble for a subtly playful fusion, alternatively go tonal with a Merino Hat in Rose and a fur Bobble in Grey & Pink. Crafted from super soft merino wool, these BKLYN bobble hats are sure to keep you toasty, whilst the chic vivid bobbles add a touch of fun to every outfit. These delightful hats make the ideal gift for any age and are sure to put a smile on her face this Christmas. Soothing Bath & Body Goodies by Rik Rak Immerse yourself in a world of gorgeous fragrances with the Rik Rak by Kit Kemp collection. With stunning scents reminiscent of an English Garden in bloom, the signature Gardenia Greenleaf collection is bursting with fabulous gift combinations such as the nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner or the cleansing Hand Lotion and Hand Wash. The Lavender Eucalyptus Travel Set makes a great Christmas gift as an introduction to the Rik Rak brand or as a travel sized top up for Rik Rak lovers. Created as the signature in-room bath and fragrance collection for the world renowned Firmdale Hotels, the Rik Rak by Kit Kemp collection exudes playful luxury due to the trademark zig zag print packaging. Brighten up your loved ones Christmas with a fabulous Rik Rak gift set or a combination of the best-selling bath and body washes and lotions. Fantastical Scarves by Emma Shipley Add a touch of artistry to your wardrobe with these hand illustrated scarves by Emma Shipley. Crafted in the finest silk and wool these bold, whimsical scarves and shawls make the perfect Christmas gift for fashion-forward ladies. Spruce up your favourite jacket or cashmere sweater with the Amazon Fine Wool Shawl in Red, designed with both warmth and style in mind. Wrap around your shoulders on chilly evenings or wear with your winter coat for extra cosiness. Sumptuous Silk Lingerie by Gold Hawk This opulent silk and lace lingerie makes a lovely Christmas gift, particularly the Floral Lace Cami's which are perfect for wearing under low cut tops and dresses in this cold weather. Follow this season's hottest trend for pyjama style occasion wear and pair the black & white Charmeuse Robe with some cool Parker Smith skinny jeans for a chic evening look. Crafted from super soft silk and intricate lace these camisoles, robes and rompers ooze sophistication and luxury. Buy as a set or mix and match different colours to build up your Gold Hawk collection. Funky Footwear by Ash Shine like a star in these magical boots and trainers from Ash, styled in fabulous velvet, suede and the classic mesh knit. A true Stanwells favourite, the Ash Footwear collection is the epitome of cool. With a mixture of ankle boots, trainers and knee high boots there is something to suit everyone's style. For a touch of Christmas sparkle invest in the Elixir Nadine Blue Velvet Boots which look fabulous worn with a mini dress and tights or some classic AG Stilt Cigarette Leg jeans and a silky blouse. For a relaxed daytime look style the Lucky Star Trainers with some cool cropped jeans and a Bold Jumper 1234 cashmere sweater. Head over to our Christmas Gift Guide on the site for some more gifting inspiration or take a look at our previous blog post for some help planning your local Christmas itinerary.

The season for parties, good food, cosy crackling fires and gorgeous fashion has finally arrived, and we’re super excited to plan our itinerary of winter fun. Here at Stanwells we’re so lucky to have two boutique fashion stores in two very beautiful coastal locations; Stanwells Westbourne and Stanwells Lymington. Working in these gorgeous places every day has given the Stanwells team a great deal of local knowledge, so we know all the best places to visit at this exciting time of year. What’s more, we’re experts on dressing for the occasion, no matter what that occasion may be. So let us take you on a mini tour of the wonderful places surrounding our stores, our favourite haunts and our recommended outfits and give you some inspiration for your next day or evening out. Things to do in and around Westbourne Located just a stone’s throw from Bournemouth and the stunning southwest coastline, our Stanwells Westbourne store is surrounded by amazing things to do and see. Here are some of our recommendations: Dinner at Rick Stein in Sandbanks A post shared by Rick Stein & Jill Stein (@ricksteinrestaurants) on Oct 10, 2017 at 12:08pm PDT If you love stunning views and delicious seafood, then Rick Stein’s Sandbanks restaurant is the perfect place for a Christmas or New Year treat. Just 20 minutes down the A35 from the Stanwells Westbourne store, this is one of our favourite venues. Tuck into a varied menu of succulent, locally sourced fish dishes while lapping up those delightful sea views, or have a giggle with the girls with the restaurant’s unique range of cocktails, courtesy of award-winning bartender, Mr Lyan. What to wear For a classy place like this, it’s just got to be the equally classy dress, jacket and boots combo. We love this sleeveless tunic dress by M Missoni, with it’s glam 70s-inspired A-line fit and shimmering metallic knit pattern. The knitted style makes this dress perfect for the winter season, and becomes even more so when paired with this luxurious Dumont black leather jacket by IRO. The buttery soft leather and gorgeous ruffled detailing on the back make this jacket an absolute must for dressing to impress this winter season, and it sets this outfit off perfectly. And don’t forget the boots! Complete your winter party look with these head-turning Elisa-Baby Silk over the knee boots from Ash. This style is bang on trend this season, and the stretch suede will keep your legs nice and warm in the winter coastal breeze. Beach walk and coffee at Le Petit Prince There’s nothing quite like a walk on the beach to blow out the cobwebs and catch some of that invigorating sea air over the winter months. With the beach just a six minute drive or a 20 minute walk away from the centre of Westbourne, you can be out enjoying the stunning coastline in no time at all, with miles of beautiful beach to explore. Then, to warm yourselves back up, we would recommend a mug of steaming hot coffee at a beautiful little Westbourne coffee shop and patisserie called Le Petit Prince. Just round the corner from Stanwells Westbourne, Le Petit Prince is a coffee shop with bags of character, friendly, welcoming staff and a wonderful variety of hot drinks, cakes and savoury treats to enjoy. What more could you want after a brisk walk along the beach? What to wear You will, of course, need to wrap up warm for this day out, so the first port of call needs to be a good coat. We recommend this beautiful Gobi Bomber Jacket in Red from Parajumpers. You can’t beat a fur lined hood for keeping you snug and warm on a winter’s day and this water and wind proof coat is sure to keep you cosy this winter. And underneath? It has to be this adorable Card Sleeve Sweater from Jumper 1234, with its subtle and feminine ivory colour and cute playing card motifs on each sleeve. And, once paired up with these sleek black Bombshell Skinny Jeans from Parker Smith, you’ve got one perfect winter outfit that ticks every AW17 trend box while remaining perfectly practical. Finish the look off with some sturdy footwear, like these Lucky Star Trainers from Ash. With their cool mesh knit and chunky, flexible rubber sole, these trainers are super comfortable and hardwearing as well as stylish; perfect for a winter stroll without having to compromise on style. That’s winter in Westbourne all wrapped up, so let’s move on to the lovely Lymington. Things to do in and around Lymington We love our Stanwells Lymington store, set in the heart of this beautiful port town and just a 40 minute drive from the bustling city of Southampton. Here are a couple of our top recommended days out in our second neck of the woods: Forest walk followed by lunch at the East End Arms, Lymington Surrounding our lovely town is the gigantic New Forest National Park, which is perfect for exploring on long winter woodland walks. With over 25 walking routes to choose from, you can wander for hours in this beautiful landscape and work up a very healthy appetite in the process. Afterwards, you simply cannot leave the New Forest without a bite to eat at the East End Arms. This traditional country pub has oodles of charm, a roaring open fire and a mouthwatering menu of rustic food to warm you up after all that walking. It doesn’t get much better than this on a chilly winter’s day. What to wear First thing’s first, let’s get warm. The Alessandra Chamonix Georgette Racoon Coat, with it’s big fur-trimmed hood, detachable fur lining and stunning beadwork, makes the perfect winter walking coat for keeping you toasty warm in the coldest of temperatures. Once you've warmed up a little, why not unzip your coat and show off this chic Starburst Cashmere Sweater by Jumper 1234. The striking neon yellow zig zag motif and super soft cashmere work together to make a gorgeous winter jumper that’ll turn heads wherever you go. Match it up with these blue Runaround Sue Jeans by Parker Smith, with their sleek straight leg and figure-shaping stretch denim. Roll your jeans up and pair with some fabulous Montelliana boots for a super stylish forest look.   Cozy up next to the East End Arms roaring fire before enjoying a delicious lunch at this great pub that is a favourite with the locals. The best food for miles, this pub has a reputation for hospitality and you can even stay the night in one of their stylish rooms...we promise you will want to re-visit soon! Dinner at The Jetty in Southampton Our final recommendation for a wonderful day or evening out is the newly opened waterside restaurant The Jetty, sitting pretty in Southampton’s Ocean Village Marina. Just a 40 minute drive round the coast from our Stanwells Lymington store, The Jetty offers stunning views and an even more stunning menu of locally sourced, sustainable seafood. Perfect for a special occasion celebration during the winter party season, this beautiful place is well worth dressing up for. What to wear Let’s start your outfit off with the most elegant of dresses to match this equally elegant restaurant. This stunning feather trimmed dress by Boutique Moschino is sure to catch everyone's eye, with its cinched in waist, deep v-neckline and elegant neck tie. Make a statement with the marabou feather trimmed hem that exudes style and sophistication whilst adding a fun and playful element to your evening look. That concludes our little tour of our two Stanwells locales. If you love our outfits, you’ll find them in our online boutique or in either of our two stores, so drop by and find your favourites. Have a fabulous time exploring and eating your way around the south coast!

It’s brand of the month time! This month, as we head deeper into autumn towards winter, we’ve chosen Canadian brand, Moose Knuckles, and you’re about to see why. All you movers and shakers and disruptors out there, Moose Knuckles is designed especially for you. That’s according to the brand’s creative director, Steph Hoff – and we concur. Yes, Moose Knuckles Canada is the exciting premium outerwear label that everyone wants to wear this season, and as we’ve been spending the day getting up close and cosy with the latest collection, we can certainly see the attraction. What we love so much about this brand, apart from its amazing products, is its infectious personality. It’s certainly not a shy one, with its name, logo and even its advertising campaigns loaded with giggle-worthy innuendo. Since Moose Knuckles was launched in Toronto in 2007, it has set itself apart from other outerwear brands and made a name for itself as the irresistible luxury label that nobody really needs, but that everybody really really wants. With the weather rapidly cooling off, what could be better than a cosy, expertly tailored coat designed to keep you toasty warm? Once you zip them up you’re in fur-trimmed heaven, and no other coat will do. We love every single coat this brand makes, but here are our absolute favourite Moose Knuckles parkas and coats from the latest collection. Discover that fur-trimmed heaven we were just talking about with the Debbie bomber jacket from Moose Knuckles. The jacket comes in other colours including a cool granite grey, but this vivid red is hands down our favourite shade. We love the way the red contrasts with the jet black, super soft fur trim on the detachable hood, and the bouncy fur pom pom pull cords. The waist and cuffs are elasticated to seal out the chilly air and provide the perfect snug fit, while the main waterproof coat is embellished with quality metal hardware, including the iconic Moose Knuckles logo on the sleeve. Pair up with your favourite skinny jeans and sturdy winter boots to create a luxury outdoor look perfect for any weather this season can throw at you. Everyone loves a classic parka, but this one is rather special. The Stirling is Moose Knuckles’ best selling parka, and it’s obvious why. Once again, this coat comes in other colours including olive, navy and grey, but we fell in love with this bright white version as soon as we saw it. The striking monochrome design with the same fur-lined hood and pom pom pull cords of the Debbie design, creates a classic winter look that’s just as practical as it is pretty. Their 80/20 down filling makes the Moose Knuckles parkas able to withstand the most extreme cold weather, so you can feel sure that this coat will see you through the winter no matter what. Slip this coat on over any outfit, daytime or evening, and just wait for the compliments to pour in. Looking for the perfect autumn coat? This is the one. The Rosedale quilted bomber jacket gives you all the warmth you need for the autumn months in a much more lightweight design. We love the way the stretchy Flex Core fabric, ribbed elasticated sides and cuffs keep the coat fitted perfectly to your body shape, creating a casual, tailored look. The classic bomber style works perfectly with jeans and ankle boots, with the black colour ensuring it will harmonise with any colour scheme. The Rosedale is the ultimate ‘day out’ coat, and is just as much at home on a mountain hike as it is on the high street. For all you active and outdoorsy folks, this is your new favourite coat. Like the Rosedale, the Rockcliffe quilted coat from Moose Knuckles Canada is a little more lightweight than the parkas, and is perfect for hikers, gym-goers and day-to-day shoppers looking to stay warm-but-not-too-warm. The Rockcliffe is waterproof and comes with that all-important hood to protect you from the UK’s persistent autumn showers, while the Flex Core stretch fabric provides ease of movement with the perfect fit. Wear this over any casual outfit and be prepared for it to become your go-to everyday accessory. Are you a Moose Knuckles convert now? We most certainly are. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the range, as well as our wider collection of cosy coats and gilets and stylish designer jackets to make sure you’ve got the perfect outerwear options for all occasions.  

Introducing RIXO London, our brand of the month and latest fashion crush. Each month we will be taking a closer look at one of our newest additions to the Stanwells designer family, showcasing their collections and choosing our favourite pieces. RIXO London is our new obsession here at Stanwells. It has everything you could ever want from a designer clothing label: stunning prints, unique designs and luxurious fabrics. The label was founded by best friends and London College of Fashion alumni, Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McClosky. Elegantly combining their surnames to create the brand name, RIXO, these two friends shared a love for all things vintage. In 2015 they began creating a clothing line that explored this mutual passion, with the most beautiful results imaginable. RIXO clothing combines fearless contemporary designs with bursts of vintage flair, and the prints are simply to die for. No two pieces are the same, there’s always something new to look at, and you’ll wish you could take the lot home with you immediately – at least, that’s what happened to us when we first discovered RIXO. We knew the moment we laid eyes on this stunning collection that we simply had to have it at Stanwells, so we selected a range of our favourite pieces to bring back for you. If you’ve already seen the RIXO designer womenswear collection, you’ll know it’s a treasure trove of luxury fabrics. Silk is a firm favourite for Henrietta and Orlagh (and us), and a great deal of the RIXO pieces we selected for Stanwells are crafted from it, including beautiful dresses, skirts and blouses. We chose a range of pieces that could be worn either individually or as part of an ensemble, giving you more choice and opportunities for new outfit creations. The blouses and skirts, for example, could be paired up for a truly head-turning vintage look, or you could simply slip into a RIXO silk dress and rock it all by itself. Without further ado, here are three of our personal silk RIXO favourites here at Stanwells: Oh, this dress! We fell in love the moment we saw it, and we think you’ll see why. That spellbinding print, known as Oriental Sky, drew us in immediately. With it’s splashes of red among a detailed black design, all on a background of elegant cream silk, this print gets 10 out of 10 from the Stanwells team. Continuing the Oriental theme, the Cindy wrap dress also features delicate black piping around the collar, neckline, cuffs and hem, and wide kimono style sleeves. The whole thing is drawn together beautifully with a simple black tie fastening to help cinch in the waist and create a truly gorgeous Eastern look. We think this dress works perfectly when paired up with a pair of black velvet or suede ankle boots, as this creates the ultimate evening look without needing to resort to gigantic heels. As some of the latest additions to our new season collection, these dresses will go fast, so snap yours up quick!Yes we have, once again, been drawn in by a print, and what a spectacular print this is. Bold, mesmerising and elegant, this top will attract so many compliments, just you watch. We love its swirls of vibrant red and green florals, classy V neckline, delicate tie sleeves and retro tapered collar, all combined in a floaty, loose-fitting blouse design. The RIXO ladies have once again managed to create a super contemporary design that also oozes vintage flair and retro fun. How do they do it? We simply don’t know, but we love the results. The best thing about this blouse, and one of the main reasons we picked it for our focus blog, is the fact that you can wear it from daytime through to evening with next to no effort. Slip this gorgeous silk blouse on over your favourite jeans or trousers with flats for a playful day look, and then simply swap the flats for heels and you’re ready for the evening. Easy. Want one? We don’t blame you. Take a closer look and get yours here. How cute is this? Move over polka dots, and make way for the mini stars. We couldn’t resist this gorgeous dress for so many reasons. Of course, the print was an instant hit. Striking yet sophisticated, it draws the eye and flatters the figure simultaneously. And we just love that contrasting neck tie; such a simple idea yet a stroke of total style genius in our opinion. The neck tie immediately elevates the outfit into the ultimate retro 70s siren look, and the daring-yet-classy skirt splits create an incredible, billowing skirt shape to top it all off. As if all that style wasn’t enough, this RIXO creation is crafted from 100% silk, so you’ve got the luxury as well as the looks. Add a splash of statement colour with a waist belt or bold heels, or pair with your favourite ankle boots for an equally sophisticated evening outfit. Take a closer look at this gorgeous dress and add it to your new autumn wardrobe here. We’re so excited about the addition of RIXO London to our Stanwells line-up, and we can’t wait to see what you all think of the pieces in the collection. If you’re anything like us, you’ll swoon over every single one. Love this collection? Remember to check back in next month for the next installment in our Brand of the Month series.

How far would you travel to find the perfect outfit? If you’re anything like us, you can’t resist exploring the fashion treasures in every boutique you come across on your travels. There’s nothing quite like the excitement of discovering a new designer, and that’s why we’ve made it our business to do exactly this. Not off on holiday any time soon? You’ve always got us. We’re always searching the world for new and exciting brands, and bringing them back here to our boutique stores for you to explore. So here’s a whistle-stop tour of some of our favourite designers from around the world, and how they captured our hearts: In the exotic, faraway land of Morocco, we discovered the beautiful work of Maryam and Daren Bonar, and their label, En Shalla. The moment we saw these stunning hand-woven handbags we knew we had to find out more about the artists behind them. After visiting the local artisans of Marrakesh, Maryam and Daren were inspired to combine traditional North African art with modern fashion ideas. They began weaving beautiful bags using natural raffia and leather trim to create a unique style, and we fell head over heels for it. Perfect for festivals and completing any boho chic outfit, these bags are an accessory-lover’s dream. Let’s now jump back across the sea to Europe and one of the biggest fashion destinations of the world: Italy. It’s here that we discovered the stunning work of fashion designer, Vivi Ponti, a.k.a Vivetta. Famous for her signature embroidery, clean lines and retro feel, all of Vivetta’s clothing is designed and crafted exclusively in Italy, so it doesn’t get much more authentic than this. Vivi’s collections take inspiration from sixties and seventies style, as well as poetry, dolls and antiques, and this comes through in her gorgeous designs. And with stars like Pixie Lott, Alexa Chung and Cher Lloyd having been spotted wearing Vivetta clothing, we couldn’t resist bringing some of our favourite pieces back with us for our stores. Heading across the pond to the States now, and the star-studded city of Los Angeles. Here we discovered the masters of denim, AG Jeans. Launched in 2000 by denim industry pioneer, Yul Ku, AG Jeans has grown from a denim designer to an established contemporary lifestyle brand, and we can’t get enough of their style. Once you’ve slipped into AG’s luxuriously soft denim, you’ll never go back to high street jeans again. Plus, you’ll love the classic, sophisticated styles such as The Stilt and The Legging – two of our absolute favourites – and these, unsurprisingly, remain the key styles for the brand. One more thing we love about this brand is their attitude toward social responsibility. Did you know that AG only use eco-conscious fibres and partner with charity: water, to help make a difference to people in developing nations. Amazing work, amazing brand. A relatively short hop from the States is Canada, home to another of our favourite fashion brand discoveries: SOIA & KYO. Founded in Montreal in 2004 by creative director, Ilan Elfassy, this brand believes that beauty is found in simplicity, and we couldn’t agree more. When we discovered the brand’s timeless, tailored style we couldn’t resist introducing it to our own stores as one of our favourite lines of ladies’ outerwear. Combining luxurious materials and the chic, contemporary style of Montreal, SOIA & KYO is now a global brand, and will always have a place at Stanwells. And finally, it’s back over to Europe and another world fashion destination: France, of course. Here we discovered the stunning work of Maison Baluchon, crafting high-end accessories with some of the most swoon-worthy prints you’ve ever seen. Maison Baluchon’s range of beautifully crafted fabric and leather pouchettes, clutches and iPad cases is created by designers Nathalie Vidal and Toma Bletner in the heart of the French countryside. Designed to reflect the forests, lakes and rich cultural heritage of their home in Haute-Marne, each piece has a wonderful authenticity to it, and gosh are they pretty! Once we saw them, we just had to have them at Stanwells. They make the perfect accessories, and add a splash of colour and intrigue to any outfit, smart or casual. That concludes our fashion tour of the world for now. If you want to see more, just head over to our Designers section on our website to see more of our favourite labels.

Fashion is personal. The old adage that ‘bigger is better’ couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to fashion retail, and we should know. The gigantic department stores may have a higher volume and variety of products, but is that really conducive to a better shopping experience? We say not. We say boutique is best. Designer fashion deserves to be showcased properly, and this can’t be done as effectively when each piece is drowning in those around it. Experience has shown us that good things really do come in small packages. And here are four very good reasons why: When wandering wide-eyed around enormous department stores, you’re quickly swallowed up by your fellow frantic shoppers and endless rails of products. Everything there is designed for the masses, and one-to-one human interaction is rare. Now imagine this: Walking into an established, local boutique fashion store, and being greeted by the owner who you’ve come to know very well. She has years of experience in seeking out the very best emerging fashion designers, and has an eye for the perfect outfit. She knows what you like, she knows what you love, and she can help you find exactly what you need. That’s the personal touch that only a boutique fashion store can provide, and it can make all the difference to a shopping experience. A boutique store is characterised by its small size and its more selective product range, but also by the natural passion of its owners and staff. They know every inch of their stores, and every product that comes through the door has been sought out and hand selected with an expert’s judgement. Each label and each piece of clothing is selected with the customers in mind, and with the intention of evoking the same level of excitement in the customers as it does in the staff. Without this passion, the shopping experience feels empty. The concept of having everything under one roof, while convenient for some, is not what we consider to be the most important offering of a good fashion retailer. Do you want to buy from a store that sells everything to an average standard, or from a specialist store that offers a smaller selection of beautiful things to the highest standard? The latter is what the boutique store brings to the shopping experience. In our case, we’ve got the art of discovering and presenting the most desirable high end fashion from existing and emerging designers down to a tee. Fast fashion has changed the way we shop forever, particularly online, but an unfortunate side effect of this trend is cloning. We all end up wearing the same clothes as everybody else, and that’s not ideal if you want to stand out from the crowd a little every now and then. Boutique fashion stores do things very differently. We don’t order things in bulk, and nor do we order mass produced, high-street products that will end up in the wardrobes of 50,000 other women by the end of the weekend. We take the time to find new, exciting brands and products that will stop you in your tracks. We want you to get the same thrill from buying and wearing our products as we get from sourcing them; there’s nothing else quite like it. If you’re nodding in agreement and thinking you’d quite like to see what we’re talking about, you’re our kind of woman. Here’s how to find us at our beautiful Lymington and Westbourne stores. Come along for a visit or explore our online store if you’re short of time this weekend.

Helen Kaminski founded her hat collection in 1983 after making a raffia hat to protect her children from the searing Australian sun. Soon her distinctive design was being coveted by small boutiques in Australia and within a year Vogue recognized these stylish summer hats a must have Summer wardrobe essential. Now a global brand,Helen Kaminski is stocked in the top stores and boutiques across the globe with the classic raffia hats and sun visors offering a factor 50 ultraviolet sun protection in some of the brims and peaks. The sought after sun hats have some roll-up styles that are so easy to pack, emerging from your suitcase like new! New styles and colours each season touch on the trends of the moment; this summers trilby and ' broken in' cowboy styles a must have for chic holiday style.