Photography: Tom Collins
Ashley & Helen created The Box Edit Boutique and have now opened their store in The Goodsheds. Ashley is a converse addicted Scottish gal and Helen is Welsh born and bred with a love of heels. They met awaiting the arrival of their babies and bonded during maternity leave, which consisted of long lunches and too much wine. Many conversations followed in which they discussed their similar career paths, packing up to live in London and working in the fashion industry, to then leaving that life to start their own families.
Background
Our own store was a dream then, but as soon as we caught wind of The Goodsheds we knew we had found the perfect home for that dream. We can’t wait to bring our box of curated style to this vibrant & growing community and be part of this collaborative group of independent businesses.
What we do
Helen’s background is in merchandising. Ashley’s experienced in buying and design. Together we have over 30 years of experience at Fashion Head Office level and we can’t wait to put those skills to use in Barry, where we met, where we live and where we love.
We aim to breathe new air into the womenswear on offer locally and provide an alternative to chain store shopping. We will be handpicking those wardrobe updates, creating a boutique with must-have pieces which are affordable and offer a friendly, personal shopping experience.
We will also pride ourselves on offering our ‘conscious range’ which will ensure we have a portion of our range using recyclable, sustainable and organic fabrics.
We feel very passionately about showcasing local brands and will ensure we offer a percentage of our range from small, local independent makers.
How we navigated Covid-19
Covid-19 caused us several problems, including a break in our supply chain which saw us fighting to get goods released from Denmark, where most of our brands are housed. As well as that, The Goodsheds build came to a halt, so our critical path to opening was not only changed but uncertain. Pivoting business plans, never-ending zoom meetings and full-time mumming was challenging but we are proud of the range we have curated.
For more information and the latest fashion trends, follow @thebox.editboutique.
