Underlines speaks with Sarah Connelly, erstwhile owner of the Odyssey Boutique in Edinburgh and now operating under her own name with her Lingerie Fitting & Styling business, offering personal lingerie shopping and customised collections. Her business strategy has helped her stay ahead of the curve during the ‘pandemic pause’.
Life Before Lingerie
“I certainly had no idea that I would end up doing what I am now when I went to study illustration and print at Art College. My career started as an account manager in graphic design and I spent some 5 years doing that at different agencies. I loved the graphic design work but was not so in love with the roles I was propelled into – it was a really bad fit.
“I wandered into the Boudiche store that was in Edinburgh at the time to get fitted and loved the environment. Coincidentally a few days later I lost my job and went back there to see if I could work for them, doing anything, even starting right at the bottom. It was almost accidental as although I had a personal love of lingerie I had not foreseen the importance that lingerie would play in my life and career. I spent over 3 years there before moving on to work at Harvey Nichols for 18 months.
“Five years on after my first lingerie retailing experience I decided to open my own shop (Oydssey) in 2010. I was able to choose brands that I knew would chime with my customers and I did thoroughly enjoy finding the right garments and the right brands.”
So why did you decide to leave lingerie retailing?
“There were a number of reasons for the decision. My lease was expiring in 2019 and to be honest, I had never intended staying there. The competitive nature of the commercial rental market in Edinburgh is well documented and my experience of dealing with commercial agents was not something I really wanted to repeat!
“At the same time as I continued to trade successfully the brands I was stocking wanted to deliver and invoice earlier and earlier – delivering Spring and Summer stock in November! My customers were not ready for it and the pace of the market was too fast for my clients. At the same time it seemed that every season the minimal spend on each brand required was increasing. This misalignment in the market led to problematic cash flow management. Lots of things began to niggle me to be honest – I wanted to shout I don’t work FOR you, I work WITH you.
“I knew it was time for a change of direction so I got rid of the Odyssey name and set up Sarah Connelly Lingerie Fitting and Styling last year.”
How did the new business start?
“Well I was sticking with lingerie fitting as I knew I was good at it, a workspace became available close to where I live and I thought I cannot let this great opportunity pass me by. To be honest, the reduction of over £30K a year in annual rent and rates certainly helped! By offering personal lingerie shopping and one-to-one consultations I was only taking what I had been doing in the shop a step further. I did not have to steer the customer in the direction only of the brands that I had stocked and became free to promote any brand that I felt comfortable with and knew would be a good option for my clients. In terms of structure, I had run an appointments system only in Odyssey anyway so that part was not so different.
“It means that my customers have a much greater choice now than I could offer them in the shop premises – a greater range of fit, flattering their body shape and making them feel flipping fantastic! It is a totally one to one relationship and now over Zoom it has become easier to be more open and honest.
Timing is everything?
“Well I don’t have a crystal ball but you could say moving out of the shop was timely given the crisis that is 2020. At the start of my new business last year I was going out and seeing the clients or working at my studio just 5 minutes away from home but this has easily translated into a virtual brand fitting service. The lockdown has given me more time to set out new strategies for my business going forward and to work on refining my website.
“The only thing I have really had to postpone is my Bra Amnesty event this year, but with extra time available I am nearly ready to roll out my Private Members Club and Virtual Shop online. I will be showing my preferential customers customised collections (updated monthly) and following up with virtual fittings. The current way of working still gives me a personal connection and in any case some have never been that comfortable with a face to face fitting.
“I know my clients well and indeed will help them correct those purchases that they should not have made. We can discuss it online to help them understand why something is not a good fit or even a good shape for their body type! I can also recommend items that they might never have considered. It is still all about the personal service and connection even if it is virtual at the moment.
And what of the future?
“Well when lockdown started I had just completed a pop-up brand week with Katherine Hamilton and I would love to do more of this in the future. There is a great freedom being able to recommend the right brand to the individual customer and not be tied to a set number of brands. You can really offer that bespoke service which is also at the heart of good lingerie advice.
“The virtual fitting services have really proven such a success so will definitely be continuing with that and I do actively want to work with more lingerie brands. There are no boundaries to this as I can work with clients and brands both here and overseas. And I certainly want to fulfil my dream of dividing my year between here and a terrace in Ibiza!”
