I was bright with such a sight, having made my way to Godiva’s Boutique along Grassmarket. The sun was shining and people were flooding the streets. I was lucky enough to meet the owner of Godiva, Fleur MacIntosh. Having had a moment, I made my way around the colourful, object-jumping materials and patterns of the vintage boutique.
From the large design of painted unicorns and artistic vines on the walls to the rough wooden flooring and glazed ceilings, there wasn’t a dull spot to be found. The smell of old wooden flooring and the musk of the Victorian atmosphere filled the room.
Godiva was brimming with creative ideas, from small, sweet-smelling ornaments to vintage old suitcases used as décor. I almost felt like I was in the Tim Burton “Alice in Wonderland” film.
Godiva‘s boutique store is unique and vintage and has a high-street, gloomy touch. Founded in 2002, Godiva exudes charisma and showcases exquisite clothing and accessories from independent designers and graduates seeking to promote and sell their work.
Fleur is able to provide these young designers and artists with the opportunity to enter the world of fashion design and bring their creations to life! I felt more at ease in the environment because of the calm, collected swing and jazzy-type music playing in the background.
In the comfy red lounge chairs with the sun glaring through, the store, which looks tiny but opens up to a Mary Poppins bag, has its very own special studio. They have a custom service where you can choose a design and fabric and have a garment made just for you! It is also where independent store designers go and create their masterpiece collections.
Having been so sucked into the environment of the shop, I later snapped out. I sat down with Fleur to ask a few questions about life on the road of creating a store with such taste and creativity—the goods, the bad, and altogether, just grad-tactic opportunities! Instead of me rambling on, I will let Fleur bring you into all the ins and outs of her personal world at Godiva.
Given that Godiva is not your typical high-street store, how would you characterise a typical day there?
“A typical day changes every day. Every day is different, and that is the fun of it. There are various customer interactions and daily tasks each morning, but the joy of running a business like this is that every day brings something new. It keeps you constantly adaptable, with different seasons coming and going.
What exactly do you want to get from your customers in terms of your styles and the clothing itself?
“I think the thing about the shop is that there are a few things that are different and unusual, often like on-off or limited edition.” I think we are quite established now, and often the customers who come in here know the products and that they are hand-made by independent designers or small-scale productions, and that’s the unique pull towards the store.
Again, vintage shoppers like to be different and mix and match their wardrobe with new pieces, so that inspired all the different designers and supporting different talent.
That ‘s what was so eye-grabbing about Godiva. How did you go about choosing designers? Did you go out and find people, or did they approach you?
“A bit of both.” People often approach the store because it is well-established and houses a showroom for independent designers. People come to me, and when I see something someone is wearing, I often ask where it’s from. I’ll go and find it, or I’ll just be alert about what’s around me. Occasionally, I troll through things. But generally, it people coming to me, or I notice things on the street, or recommendations; a lot of people recommend designers as well.“
Who would you say would be your biggest market competitors?
“I don’t really have one. I don’t feel there’s intense competition; instead, there’s a sense of unity among independent stores as we all strive together. I strive to offer unique items. So we have either freelance or in-house designers based in the studio, where she makes all her designs, and they are always exclusively made with her and in the shop as well.
I have some labels that other stores have, but we won’t have the same ones. Also, I asked all the designers who sell with me if they don’t sell at other shops within 5 miles of our area, which is kind of fair.
I think the more independent shops there are, the better because I think there is a need to understand this kind of shop. I don’t feel that I have much to worry about in terms of competition.
How many employees do you have at the moment?
“I have 2; there are 3 of us in total. We are a small shop. The uniqueness of our business trade depends on the time of year. Obviously, around the Fringe Festival, we tend to have a few more people on the shop floor, but generally, there is only about 1 person on the shop floor a day. The amount of work required varies based on the day and activity level.
What was it that actually made you start Godiva in the first place? What was the motive behind it?
“I worked in Godiva, which used to be a second-hand vintage store just up the road, and I actually worked there during university, so I truly took the business on. But when I took it on, it was just a room with alright vintage clothes—nothing too amazing—and I bought it for a minimum amount. It was more of a shell of a shop, but I liked the idea and completely changed it to what I have now, which is more vintage; about 30 to 40% of the shop is vintage, and the remaining portion is made up of independent designers. We have a studio within the store.”
Do you need any experience in retail shop ownership?
“No. (Laughs slightly.) That’s why it’s taken me this long! I have just taken my time. I have learnt from my mistakes; I didn’t have any prior training, and I have never worked in a shop. I believe that you must rely on your instincts. You must be prepared to make mistakes and put in a lot of effort. But that is the fun of it, too; that’s where much inspiration came from. I like to make myself proud. It has its ups and downs, though, just like everything else.”
How did you get the word around and promote your business?
“Well, promoting for me doesn’t come from lots of advertising because it’s so expensive, and I think I have tried, and it hasn’t worked. I think the best thing that works is word of mouth. I think the fact that I have been here so long and am pretty established says it all. Word of mouth is definitely the most important factor.”
Was there anything you would have preferred to know about getting into this industry before?
“It’s hard to say, as I think the best lessons are learned through experience, so I think they are the ones people can tell you whatever, but really, it’s up to you to make things work in your own way and your own style; I think people have different business models and it’s up to you to decide what works for you. “
Are you planning on branching out further in terms of stores?
“I wouldn’t branch out further, no, not currently, especially after the recession. I don’t think it’s the most sensible idea. Furthermore, everyone says businesses should go online now, which I think is what we have been trying to do, but there is nothing like coming into an actual store and having a unique shopping experience. Especially with all the lovely items in here, you really have to see and touch them; it’s not the standard high street situation, but I still believe having the store is the most powerful thing. Maybe one day, when the economy has improved, we can expand further.”
Just within the last six years, there have been about two dips within recessions and you have to be really careful about decisions you have made. There have been situations where I was sitting on my hands a few years ago, making it tick over and trying to get through it. I didn’t find it that difficult within the recession, as I think people care what they spend their money on more so people wouldn’t really go to H&M and spend £50 and feel dissatisfied, where people could come here and feel more connected with what they re buying because you are not just supporting the shop but supporting independent designers as well. “
Could you please share how you generate revenue with your independent designers? Is it through commission or volunteer?
“Originally, the whole store started because it couldn’t afford stock. Therefore, I began to handle everything on a sale or return basis, transforming the store into a showroom showcasing people’s collections, with the commission being paid only after the sale. It depends.” As novices and designers, we often begin by experimenting and observing their reactions, given the significant risk involved in working with someone unfamiliar.
Have you had any form of event or fashion show you have done or are planning on doing?
“Yeah, we have had a few people approach us. We frequently participate in student fashion shows, but we have never organised our own. It has always been a dream of mine to have my own shop, but as the years have gone by, we have never got around to it.
We do have customer evenings at the store, where we tend to do a late shopping night at the end of the month orbeginning of the month with some beer and wine. You find people tend to spend a little bit more.”
Do you have anything like that coming up soon?
“Yeah, we do We are going to have one really soon at the beginning of June but I shall let you kno“w!
You have the whole unique, quirky look to the whole vintage and gloom. Many people are so high-street these days; what was it that made you do something different in terms of this style?
I never liked the high street. I never liked it. I always wore vintage—well, most of the time—because I was usually brought up around second-hand stores. I didn’t have much money, so I spent a lot of time in charity shops with my mom.
I have never feared something like vintage being different; I used to go to school with a grey uniform and red clogs (Laughs.) So I think for me, from a young age, I was one of these people who wasn’t worried about the condition or standard of fashion; I actually preferred it! I liked it!
I didn’t exactly melt into everyone else’s, which is what you do in the high street. People often feel accepted based on their appearance or thoughts, and I believe that the second-hand market is primarily focused on hipsters these days. However, I don’t want to align myself with that demographic. However, I want to stand out and challenge people’s perceptions. I find the creativity of designers to be truly captivating.
What advice might you give independent designers or people wanting to start up their store like you?
“I would say, DO IT. Have faith in yourself, believe in yourself, and be willing to make mistakes along the way. Please move past it and learn from them. It’s really rewarding. You don’t always do it for the money; you do it for where you want to be in life. If I am having a difficult day, sometimes the shop does cheer me up. However, this happens only occasionally. That would be weird. “
Future events and opening evenings are a wonderful way to get work displayed and shown, especially for those who want to hit it up in the town and have a unique and quirky edge. I left the store feeling so accomplished and inspired. Godiva provides inspiration and opportunities for independent designers, offering a gateway to their dreams by allowing them to gain insight into the dynamic and exciting world of design.
