Katherine West - Portfolio 

Cookie West Boutique, Leicester (11/09/2004 - 14/08/2011)

Cookie West Showroom & Party Plan (24/09/2011-31/03/2014)

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Setting up and running Cookie West retail business allowed me the freedom to plan and build in clothing sustainability and ethical practices. Many of these principles and processes developed and grew over time, as I was inspired by those customers who came to the boutique and supported Cookie West, our wonderful team at 29 Loseby Lane and through research of what was going on in the contour industry & the sustainable and ethical initiatives and developments that were happening in the world.

 

Retail buying & range selection:

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I only sourced brands that created well made, quality garments, which gave excellent fit, shape, support and comfort; and were made in materials that would wash and wear well and had the potential to be durable and long lasting. I always aimed to find garments and collections that could fit into a mid market range, for example the average price of a bra retailed between £18-£28, as I wanted the collections to be accessible to as many people as possible. I always selected classic or timeless styles over highly fashionable styles or trends, with the aim of customers loving and wanting to wear their purchase again and again. I often looked to buy ranges that were inspired by a certain era in history and styles and silhouettes of that time. Particularly enduring looks and styles from those eras, that gave good fit and flattering shape. I always chose attractive pieces (ranging from simple, minimalist styles to more ornate), but that were also functional and suitable for everyday wear. I always sought and noted feedback from my customers, which allowed me to develop ranges that were right for my varied customer base. I stocked ranges that catered for a wide range of sizes, initially starting with bras from AA-G, but this developed over the years with larger cup, and smaller & larger back sizes, being added. When products became available (around 2009/2010) I introduced Fair Trade organic cotton and bamboo fabric collections of nightwear and underwear to the store. I built close relationships with many local suppliers and brands, as well as finding some fantastic (but less well known) European brands at industry trade shows. It was important to me to try and support and celebrate the British & European contour fashion industry. Many brands were close to the boutique, in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire & Northamptonshire.

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Services available to customers:

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At Cookie West Boutique and at the Showroom the aim was always to provide a friendly, professional and personal shopping service, finding the right fitting contour garments for each individual and to ensure excellent, personalised customer service on every visit. I discovered there was often demand for an even more bespoke service to achieve a really personalised fit and I began operating a garment alterations and adaptations service. This could range from adapting a piece of underwear to fit comfortably for an individual (who had differences on the left and right sides of their body) or to fit perfectly under the cut of an evening-wear or wedding dress, to amendments to bras and soft lingerie styles for customers who had had mastectomy surgery and wanted to incorporate a breast prosthesis or make a style comfortable against scar tissue. I also found that in bras and swimwear the underband and shoulder elastics could reduce their elasticity over time, which led to me offering a 'repair' service to enable the customer to continue wearing their purchase for longer. All these sewing alterations and repairs were carried out by hand at the boutique. Around 2011 I learnt of the bra recycling scheme by the Against Breast Cancer charity and began to collect in any 'in great condition but no longer loved or worn' bras from customers, to be able to support the scheme.

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'Own label' garment design & manufacture:

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In the final years of Cookie West I developed and produced 'own label' ranges of nightwear and soft lingerie, that were sourced, made and retailed locally. I took a sustainable, upcycling approach to their design and product development. I selected quality and beautiful (and also practical and wearable) lingerie and nightwear fabrics and trims, from a supplier who specialised in 'end of line' materials from established contour fashion brands. I knew these had been through rigorous durability testing in their development, so I was able to develop garments that had the potential for longevity. I then worked with local manufacturers in Sheffield & Nottingham to produce garment styles constructed with high quality stitches and finishes, all to build durability in to the garments.

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