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Be Fabulous meets ... Mayfair Stockings
Businesswoman Lucy Holmes turned her passion for fashion into an opportunity to launch a leading online boutique for luxury hosiery. She tells Be Fabulous why she launched Mayfair Stockings and gives us her insight into what to wear for perfectly on-trend pins this summer.
Lucy Holmes isn’t one for resting on her laurels. As a fashionable woman with a penchant for skirts and dresses – Lucy doesn’t own a pair of jeans – the most important accessory in her wardrobe has always been her hosiery. And frankly, Lucy doesn’t think the choice on the high street is up to scratch.
When it comes to getting your hands on first class hosiery brands such as Gerbe, Le Bourget, Oroblu, Transparenze, Gio and Falke, identifying a full range in department stores can be a tricky business, and as something of an expert in tights, hold-ups and stockings, six months ago Lucy launched her own luxury online boutique, Mayfair Stockings, to fill that niche in the market, offering a wide range of styles to meet customers’ discerning demands.
“I’m not alone in wanting to have a diverse range of hosiery in my drawer,” says Lucy. “In a world where Jimmy Choos, Louboutins and Charlotte Olympias have become something we work hard for and wear with pride, it stands to reason that we crave high quality and high fashion in every aspect of our wardrobe. Why spend £500 – or even £50 – on a fantastic pair of shoes, and settle for a pair of lacklustre £3 tights because you can’t find anything special to show them off? I thought it was time to redress the balance.”
Mayfair Stockings’ virtual show-room brings together a massive choice of top-brand hosiery from finest French silk stockings to high-fashion tights and hold-ups. From enduring everyday elegance including ultra-transparent hold ups, perfect for polished-looking pins and peep-toe pumps, vibrantly patterned, lacy or polka dot designs to brighten up the dullest of mornings, and super sexy seamed stockings to give Dita Von Teese a run for her money, you’re bound to find exactly what you’re looking for at the click of a mouse without trawling department stores in vain for the right look to bring your outfit to life.
But the customer base isn’t merely fashionable ladies with a desire for superb quality hosiery – the retail experience has opened the doors to men too. Lucy says: “I first noticed at Christmas that a lot of orders were coming from guys, so I carried out some market research and discovered that Mayfair Stockings appealed to men who wanted to buy their other halves’ stockings but didn’t have the courage to wander around a department store and ask advice from an assistant.
“The anonymity of the online experience, and the advice I was able to provide, right through to the pretty gift-wrapping service, made their lives much easier. I was pretty impressed by the research findings; it seems we’ve given men a rough deal – 73% of men know their partner’s size, 79% know what kind of lingerie and hosiery their other half likes best, but more than half weren’t prepared to put themselves through the embarrassment of browsing in a lingerie department to find them! As a result of that, I started to stock a range of fabulous suspender belts from Kiss Me Deadly and Gerbe to meet that demand and they’ve proved a huge hit with both male and female customers.”
So what are the leading favourites for lovely looking legs?
According to Lucy, the clear best-sellers ever since Mayfair Stockings was established in November are the glamorous Gerbe Carnation fully fashioned stockings (£34.50), closely followed by the Falke Shelina 12-denier hold-ups (£11.95) and tights (£8.90). High quality, nude and ultra-transparent, they’re the perfect solution for anyone wanting to emulate the Duchess of Cambridge’s style.
Lucy said: “From the moment Prince William and Kate Middleton got engaged, Kate has become a huge fashion icon, and her love of skirts and dresses teamed with immaculately-encased pins in sheer and subtle hosiery has become one of the most popular looks. The quality of the Falke hosiery is superb and with a cost-effective price point, they’re showing no signs of slowing down. I have to have a constantly replenished supply to meet the demand.”
This summer though, is all about neon brights, polka dots, lacy designs and sugary shades. Lucy says: “I’ve never been someone who feels comfortable with bare legs, and customer research showed that a lot of other ladies are the same – especially professional ladies who wear skirts to the office.
“That doesn’t mean people have to play it safe with nude shades or black opaques or sheer styles. With some of this summer’s top designs, there’s a chance to transform the most sober skirt-suit or dress. The vintage-inspired lacy Le Bourget Amalia hold-ups (£18), the striking Gerbe opaque Futura 40 tights in a rainbow of shades (£21.95) and the cute Le Bourget Eva spotted tights (£14.75) or Gerbe Plumetis 10 spotty hold-ups (£24.95) with their on-trend polka-dot patterns all turn a simple skirt or dress into a statement outfit.
With sales flooding in from all over the world, Lucy’s found her niche, and she’s passionate about developing it.
“It’s wonderful when you have a passion for something and find that you can turn it into a career. Following the fashion weeks, understanding my customer-base and choosing new pieces to add to the boutique make the decision to launch Mayfair Stockings a dream. It just takes belief, a real knowledge of your marketplace and determination to bring an idea to fruition. I love the spring/summer stock on the site now, but I can’t wait to unveil the autumn/winter stock in a few months time…”
To view the current range of stockings, tights, and hold ups, please visit www.mayfairstockings.com.
EXCLUSIVE BE FABULOUS COMPETITION …
One lucky Be Fabulous reader can choose their favourite Mayfair Stockings product* in our May competition!
(prize must be one piece from the store to a value of £50 excluding vouchers)
Plus Mayfair Stockings is offering ALL Be Fabulous members 10% Off for orders over £20 using code ‘befab’
How to enter
If you’re already a Be Fabulous member then just simply leave a comment below letting us know what product you desire most!
If you’re not a member then register now (it’s free) and then you’ll be able to leave a comment.
The winner will be chosen at random by Lucy Holmes on 25th May 2012.
Good luck!
To view the full Mayfair Stockings collection, visit www.mayfairstockings.com. You can also stay up to date by following on Twitter and on Facebook.
T&C’s: There is only one prize on offer. The prize must be one piece from the store to a value of £50 excluding vouchers. There is no cash alternative. Only registered members can enter and only one entry per member is allowed. All entrants details will be given to Mayfair Stockings BUT they will only make contact once after the competition and your details will never be shared with anyone else or any other company. Lucy Holmes will be choosing the winner on the 25th May and her decision is final. The winner will be announced on the 26th May. If you decide to purchase anything else from Mayfair Stockings then your contract is direct with the brand and Be Fabulous will not be liable for any loss or damage of goods sent from Mayfair Stockings.
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