Starburst was born in the Autumn of 2008 although the planning went on for much much longer..during my stint at London College of Fashion 1997 - 2001 the retail seed was planted and I wanted a shop..and to fill it with beautiful desirable product which I was mad about.
Womenswear, Acessories, Perfume, Candles, Art, Chocolate, Flowers, Bolts of fabric, Brocante, it was all fair game. Amid my planning I shopped endlessly in lovely places in the UK and abroad, hurried trips into Liberty at lunch time, rainy days in small boutiques in the South of France, my parents waiting patiently outside, a bold walk into Chanel on Sloane Street aged 12 ( I was obsessed ), The Cross, Fenwicks of Bond Street, Space NK, Couverture, Browns South Molten Street, Paul Smith, Coco Ribbon, drip drip drip....it was during this time that I worked for amongst others Next, Whistles and M& L Harris, probably the scariest fashion agency in the whole of London. Not always pleasant experiences but beneficial none the less. I have earned my stripes. Once I graduated my infatuation with magazines, style, fashion and product was given its full head a I took on a full time job as in- house PR assistant at Oasis in a small windowless dungeon under Oxford Circus. After one too many launches and the need for change I decamped to the wonderful world of Lulu Guinness. I`m convinced to this day that as I sat there being interviewed by an elegantly chain smoking Lulu, immaculate in cocktail dress, red lips and teeny tiny teetering heels that I only go the job due to the fact that I was from Winchester. Lulu you are a legend.
To cut a long boring story short after reading " Anyone Can Do it" from coffee republics founder Sahar Hashemi and clutching a decades worth of inspiring independents cuttings I ditched the day job and jumped ship. Having completed most of a rather shaky business plan on the floor of a South West Train hurtling between London and Hampshire I managed to get through 3 temping jobs, one refused bank loan and 3 failed property pitches before I found my dream shop in deepest darkest Devon. Devon was the dream and somehow it all happened. No more Jubilee Line, no more scary fashion editors, no more scary bosses. Just me and my shop..and the seaside.
Three years later ive just about managed to keep going, so I will take this opportunity to to do an Oscars style shout out to most importantly my mum and dad. They didn't have to support a totally non academic daughter with a clutch of failed A Levels and one bad Maths GCSE and pay for her 5 year education at fashion college. But they did and have continued to support me every single day since. To my friends, colleagues and all my customers who support me season after season..and lastly to all the surgeons and nursing staff at Torbay Hospital who carved me up and saved my life - twice! The road to recovery has been a slow one but I think im there - and I`m firing on all cylinders.
Theres no business like show business!
x
