Meet The Member - Lou Murphy Styles
Lou Murphy Styles
We caught up with our member Lou Murphy Styles to talk all about her clothing boutique of new and pre-loved fashion.
Hi Lou, lovely to have you as part of the We Are Harpenden network. How long have you been based as a company in Harpenden?
Hello, lovely to chat to you today. I established Lou Murphy Styles as a New & Preloved Boutique in Harpenden in September 2022. Prior to that, I had been styling and selling a range of French fashions for over 6 years (I’ve lived here for 22 years).
Your brand, Lou Murphy Styles, is a boutique of new and pre-loved fashion that runs out of your own studio in town. Please tell us more about the type of items you stock.
In the studio boutique (which is at my home), there is a wide choice of quality second-hand ladies’ clothes & accessories from high-end high street brands (such as Hush, Mint Velvet, Reiss & Whistles) through to boutique & designer labels (like Halston Heritage, Ganni, Me & Em and Tory Burch) in sizes 8-18.
As a dress agency, I sell the clothes that ladies no longer wear. This means that stock is always changing as clients edit their wardrobe and bring in their unwanted items to sell. To ensure the boutique is full of high-quality pieces, I review each item, give them a preloved price and pop them on the rails for someone else to buy and enjoy.
Do you partner with any other labels?
As well as selling preloved styles (which often still have their labels on!), I am also a stockist of the wearetwo 2-piece co-ordinate sets (perfect for travelling), and I have a range of colourful Italian leather handbags too.
When did you think your passion for PRELOVED styling might be business venture-worthy? Was it difficult to take the plunge and launch yourself?
Switching my fashion business to a preloved dress agency felt really like a natural thing to do, especially with the increasing focus on fashion sustainability. There has been a surge in second-hand shopping and a desire to sell clothes that are no longer worn/wanted, with the aim of keeping them out of landfill and in circulation for longer.
There are plenty of charity shops for donating clothes, online sites and apps for selling clothes, but no local dress agencies who sell quality second-hand clothes on your behalf. I wanted to give women the opportunity to sell the clothes they no longer wear and buy quality, secondhand fashions at a fraction of their original price all in one place. Hence the idea was born and executed!
How do you find Harpenden and more widely Hertfordshire, as a market for pre-loved fashion?
When I first started, I did wonder if I would have big enough supply of stock to make a business selling second-hand clothes as a dress agency. I needn’t have worried! I have a steady supply of amazing, preloved pieces from local ladies (with lots having never been worn). Most of us have made mistakes when buying clothes, have items that we have never worn or that we simply don’t like anymore. These items are brought to me to sell onto other local women. I love the cyclical nature of this business: someone else’s unwanted garment becomes a favourite piece is someone else’s wardrobe and gets a new lease of life!
What do you think you are able to offer your customers that might impress or surprise them?
I’m not just a shop! I have an eye for style and offer personal service to help clients find anything from one item to a complete outfit. I encourage customers to try on a variety of styles so that we can find the most flattering fit. I’m give honest feedback, as I want my customers to go away with something that they love and that loves them. I won’t tell you that you look great in everything, unless you really do!
I love running events and working with other local businesses to share style and fashion advice to help my customers – like make-up and styling events, jeans-fitting workshops, and charity fashion shows and I also pop up the in the “pop-up shop” opposite Waitrose throughout the year.
What are the common challenges that your customers face when shopping for clothes?
One of the biggest challenges my customers face is finding styles that suit their shape. As women, our shape often changes– from pre/post-pregnancy and weight gain/loss through to menopause. The clothes we once wore may no longer fit, suit or look good and we need to find new shapes and styles that really compliment and flatter our body-shape. There are lots of simple tips and tricks that can help without always having to buy a new wardrobe of outfits; once armed with this knowledge, shopping can become easier.
How do you like to have fun with fashion? Is there a certain aesthetic, or accessory you like to play around with?
One of my favourite looks is the tonal outfit – this is where you wear the same colour head to-toe but vary the tones and shades of that colour. I love to do this with shades of cream. I like to add interest through layering and mixing fabrics and textures. Tonal dressing can look very chic yet understated.
When shopping for clothes for yourself locally, where do you like to pop into?
Obviously, I start with a pre-edit of the preloved pieces in my boutique (some items never actually make it onto the rails – perks of having your own boutique!). Whenever there is a fashion retailer in the pop-up shop, I’ll take a look, as I like to find interesting and unique pieces from small businesses. I also like the styles, colours and quality of designs in Oui.
And finally, in your opinion, where’s a good hotspot in St. Albans or Harpenden to get glammed up for and where do you like to go when not working?
I love to eat and drink in The Silver Cup. It’s the kind of place where you can get dressed up or equally pop on a ‘nice top & jeans’ and be welcomed. When I’m not working, you’ll find me in my gym leggings doing some strength training, attending a yoga class or catching up with friends over coffee & cake!