The Scottish Mail on Sunday - You
THE GO-TO FOR RELAXED GLAMOUR
Twelve years ago, Liz Houghton created Mint Velvet with friends Jane Rawlings and Lisa Agar Rea. In 2017 she was given an OBE for her business nous.
I wanted to create a business that was fun to be part of, with strong values and a sense of community. While we worked 24/7 at the start it never felt like a job and we made sure our families were part of the journey, roping our partners and children into everything from registering the web address to delivering our brochures. The importance of our culture was brought home to me seven years later when we lost our son Will in a cycling accident. The whole team wrapped their arms around me and continue to do so, finding ever more creative ways to raise funds for the Will Houghton Foundation.
We make clothes for women who want to be fashionable and confident but not feel hampered by what they’re wearing. Our customer is a modern woman with multiple demands for her wardrobe and she wants great clothes that will stand the test of time. It’s about attitude over age.
Whenever the likes of Holly Willoughby or Susanna Reid wear our clothes we sell out of the style. But our biggest moment was when the Duchess of Cambridge wore our trainers. We sold out instantly and get requests from all over the world asking about them.
Closing our boutiques during lockdown was a huge setback – I knew I had a great team, but their resilience and positivity has been amazing. Thankfully, our online sales have been strong – I think our relaxed vibe has been so right for the times. Our loungewear, unsurprisingly, has been flying out, as have our denim, candles and beauty treats.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about the launch this month of our collection of sophisticated occasion pieces and our swim and beach range for summer. mintvelvet.co.uk