Lincolnista the guide to Lincoln, UK.

The Rise of the Boutique

Wednesday, 24th March 2010 Written by: The Girl in the Pink Shoes

Original, individual and different- that’s what women want from their fashion nowadays and where can they get these looks? From boutiques of course.

Ever since boutiques first began, they have continuously increased in popularity, stocking inexpensive clothing and offering a personal and friendly shopping experience so that customers feel secure in knowing that they won’t be pushed into buying something and will be offered advice if they need it.

A boutique is a shop that is “synonymous with quirky, individual fashion and it is perceived as ‘fashionable’ to shop in one as people feel that what they’ve purchased is more covetable,” says Lucie Powis of Rubyred Boutique in Lincoln.

A wooden frame surrounds the glass window of an 18th Century building. The warm glow from inside invites you to come in from the cold. Walls covered with funky, retro wallpaper, glass chandeliers cascading down from the ceilings and quirky vintage furniture mixed with contemporary creating a comfortable atmosphere. Rails of pretty, feminine dresses line the walls and a glass cabinet filled with glittering jewellery stands just left of the entrance. This is Rubyred boutique and we’re seeing more and more of its kind on our High Streets.

Given the amount of designer labels and High Street brands there are out there, it’s no wonder women find it hard to find affordable fashion that doesn’t look the same as what everyone else is wearing.

“A boutique offers something that the mass produced high street cannot. It is a unique experience to shop in each individual boutique which cannot be replicated.”

When it comes to fashion, we all know it’s a travesty when someone else is wearing the same outfit as you and from time to time one particular trend creates a bout of excitement meaning that you are more likely to come across someone wearing the same Topshop dress as you.

“Our customers like the fact that each week there is lots of new stock which keeps it exciting and they also know there are only small quantities of the styles in the locality so they are much less likely to bump into another girl wearing the same outfit,” explains Lucie.

“Shopping in a boutique over time builds a relationship with the staff and customers. We get to know what type of things that particular customer likes and suits them. This is something you don’t often find in the High Street stores,” adds Lucie.

Michelle Rudd of Birdy’s Boutique in Lincoln also said that people are looking for a “unique shopping experience and not worry about seeing lots of people in their new item.”

Being in one of the most competitive industries today, it can be hard to branch out and do something very different to what already exists but it appears to be working. Lucie says boutiques will very often “fight for exclusivity so that other boutiques in the same area cannot stock them” creating a ‘fashion war’ with any other boutiques. “They end up stocking some of the same brands and then a ‘price war’ begins. Shops like Primark have changed the face of fashion forever, we are in a throw away fashion society, and because of their prices people expect so much more for their money.”

At a time when money is hard to come by, a shop with its own personality becomes more popular because people are tired of following the crowd. “Boutiques like [Rubyred] stock equally affordable clothing. An individual boutique adds a splash of uniqueness to a town, it is simply different.”

Finding uniqueness can be difficult in the fashion industry when everyone draws on inspiration from each other. Elements of one dress will be found incorporated into another. This is where boutiques differ to High Street stores. “I am concerned with making my shop as successful as it can possibly be, so I work very hard networking and hunting for new niche brands and individual jewellery makers and engaging with my customers to ensure I am always one step ahead of the competition.”

An evolution in the way people shop has begun. High Street brands do now not only have to compete with each other but also with these quaint, little boutiques which are often set aback from the High Streets. Boutiques offer the chance of a unique experience which only a boutique can offer and are renowned for. So that wooden framed window you glance in everyday maybe the answer to all your fashion worries.

Fashionable Facts -

Boutiques began in the 1960s at a time when everything was mini. That is, a mini skirt and a Mini Cooper. With the likes of Twiggy and The Beatles beginning to make a name for themselves, the celebrity influence we still endure today took hold.

Big changes in society such as in the music industry, easier travel abroad and the Vietnam War were some of the many influences in fashion.  Until this time, only the wealthy could afford designer, expensive fashion.
Boutiques came about when women desired different styles, patterns and individuality. A boutique, boasting some original and eclectic pieces, offered all of this at a lower price.