Fashion firm scales up online operation

ADundee fashion shop has closed after C o v i d -1 9 accelerated plans to move the business online.

Little Lies opened on Union Street three years ago but the boutique has decided not to renew its lease and focus on its online sales , which exploded during lockdown.

This year the firm has added nine new jobs and invested more than £ 70,000 in a new headquarters in Glencarse.

Jade Robertson, who founded the company from her bedroom in Kirkcaldy five years ago, said: “Like everyone in retail we were really worried when lockdown hit – there was a noticeable drop in sales for a week or two and our city centre store was obviously closed.

“We refocused and redoubled our online efforts – which was how we started and where most of our customers are anyway.

“We saw a huge uptick in sales as we got into April and May and right through the summer. T hat has allowed us to speed up our expansion plans – closing the city centre store and focusing all our efforts on our online boutique.”

The retailer, whose range includes Boho inspired clothing, homeware and a vast range of band T-shirts, has amassed almost 125,000 social me d i a followers and dedicated customers around the globe.

Ms Robertson said she was sad to close the doors on her Dundee premises but said the growth of the brand meant more space was required.

She said: “The face-toface connection with our customers was amazing and we loved being able to showcase our products to them, interact with them and get that immediate feedback. It has definitely informed the way we will work going forward.

“But the lease was up on the shop and we needed a bigger space. We were bursting at the seams and needed to add staff.

“We could have looked for a bigger shop with bigger non-retail space, but we made the choice to foc us all our energies online just now where we have seen phenomenal growth this year.

“But we will definitely be back in terms of that facetocontact with our customers in the future.

“Our new headquarters means we can increase our s tock ho ld ing and processing space and be able to do all our creative work from the same premises.”

The new un it in Glencarse, on the A90 between Perth and Dundee, has offices, a creative space and fulfilment centre.

The company also plans to hire further creative staff in the coming months to bolster their online content and design teams.

“On any given day we are shipping to North America, Europe and Asia as well as within the U K ,” Ms Robertson.

“That c ustomer base seems to be growing and staying loyal, so we need to expand to cater to them.

“We’ve brought in nine new staff so far to cope with the demand and maintain the high level customer service that we endeavour to provide.

“Our new facility allows us to have our fulfilment team, office s taff and creative staff all in one place.

“We’ ll be bringing in further s t a ff over the coming months that will create jobs in the creative industry in this area – a sector that has been hit harder than even retail during the pandemic.

“We’re delighted to be able to invest in the local area.

“It is where I am from, it is where our business started and has grown.

“It is great to give something back to the community by creating jobs.” said

ON THE MOVE: Jade Robertson began Little Lies in her bedroom five years ago, now she is moving to a larger HQ.