Continuing our focus on Retail in 2017 the first of our conversations with People in Retail we hear from Sarah Connelly; William Street in Edinburgh is a haven of boutiques, Sarah runs one of them.
Tell me about you, who you are, what you do and what you love most about your life in Edinburgh?
Sarah Connelly, Owner & Director of Odyssey Boutique. Odyssey is a lingerie & swimwear boutique in Edinburgh’s West End; I specialise in bringing luxury and designer brands to the city; mostly independent British labels, but an exciting mix of international labels too. I launched the boutique 7 years ago and LOVE what I do. Primarily my fitting & styling service is what keeps me busy and meeting with clients is the highlight of my day. I regularly see Private Clients; I might host an exclusive brand preview for them – which is a joy as these women are so trusting in what I do that we can really push the boundaries of lingerie together and experiment with some really exciting brands and designs. And of course new clients, whom I nearly always completely transform their lingerie size and in turn positively alter their body confidence, is an absolute joy.
Edinburgh is undoubtedly a stunning city. I walk to work everyday and on a beautiful morning, the view over Arthur’s Seat and The Crags from Regent Road is just breathtaking. But Edinburgh doesn’t always scratch my itch; I love the pace of really big cities like London and New York and the diversity that those cities of scale bring. So I take myself to a metropolis every now and then to load up on inspiration.
What is it you love most about retail?
I LOVE retail. I love going into a shop and totally losing myself – the music, the smell, the service, exploring the products and being inspired.
Retail, in many ways, has become so ‘transactional’ – we can buy anything online and anytime, but I thrive on the emotional aspect of a purchase which only a real shopping experience can fulfil. We ‘reward’ ourselves for achievements and can justify a treat for any occasion. We want to feel the value not just in our purchase but in the relationship we develop with a brand; it reflects our lifestyle, real or aspirational. A purchase comes from a place of desire.
I’d love for the UK to really up it’s game as far as service goes
In my business I thrive on anticipation and love to see my clients realise their desires of looking and feeling a particular way. I guess it’s the dopamine hit; achieving the look, the feeling, the sale, the purchase that keeps me in love with what I do, and my clients coming back.
Do you have a dream for retail in the future; what would you like to see?
I’d love for the UK to really up it’s game as far as service goes. Building real relationships between customers and retailers, or retailers and retailers, is where real business is forged; talk to each other, make recommendations, collaborate and inspire each other.
I hope the pendulum has swung far enough now that the high-street, or British retail in general, will start to see a resurgence in exciting new retailers bring their own products and service back to our towns and cities. But the bureaucracy that surrounds small business has to give somewhere to help this happen; escalating rents and rates, the vast swathe of imposed levies and not to mention employment laws make running any small business challenging. The drive for economic growth has dominated for so long now that I think people are searching for new ways to bring their ideas, products and services to market in a way that serves a different set of values beyond the bottom line of a P&L sheet.
If you were to walk into a Doctor’s surgery or Dentist waiting room (there is zero wifi or phone reception), which magazine would you instinctively pick up and why?
Conde Naste Traveller; any opportunity to take my mind on vacation will be seized. I love to see what else is going on around the world. What trends are happening in hotel interiors? Where are the coolest bars I should be adding to my must-visit-list? Who’s collaborating with who and trying something really out the box? It’s a world of inspiration.
Odyssey Boutique, William Street, Edinburgh: http://www.odysseyboutique.co.uk/