After bringing Brighton vibes to Whitby, the owner of a boutique clothes shop in town is looking to expand as she starts her second year in business.
It is one year since Mandy Walton Parker opened Saeweard on Flowergate, fulfilling a dream she had had as a child.
At the time, the fashion and interiors stylist, who has worked for Debenhams, Habitat, Harrods and John Lewis, said she was living the dream” when she set up on her own.
It took her two years to find the perfect location for Saeweard, which means coastal guardian, forever moving forward and changing.
And, Mandy sees her second year in business as being just that.
The idea is to add unisex and menswear as well as more home furnishing and furniture pieces on the first floor.
So far, so good though, says Mandy whose philosophy when choosing brands to work with is “timeless and future classics with a twist”.
She said: “The reaction has been phenomenal. When people walk through the door the first thing they say is, ‘I wasn’t expecting a shop like this in Whitby’ and it is something you would see in London.”
While she gets customers from Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester, Mandy very much wanted to create a clothes boutique where locals would also flock.
It also means she is particularly meticulous about the lines, ranges and brands she collaborates with.
She explains: “I wanted a shop in Whitby for local people to come in on a Friday saying they need something for the weekend and go ‘Mandy, what have you got?’
“I didn’t want a shop where you see everyone wearing the same thing. You will be guaranteed to have something different to anybody else, unique, for a special occasion or even every day.”
Mandy works with female founded brands, also paying attention to their ethos and origins.
Saeweard stocks LF Markey which has built a cult following; Studio Koter; Mabe (which sells in Liberty London); Welsh brand, Mabli (think retro 70s knitwear); Wild Cloud is a new brand which Mandy has added to her shop, as is Call of the Sea.
This is a French brand, a little “out there for me”, admits Mandy, but she wanted a range which was a “nod to the sea” and different to the offering already out there.
The centre table in Saeweard is like a magazine styled photo-shoot (as you would expect with Mandy’s stylist background).
It features a range of home-ware items including Donna Wilson, Och Vegan soaps made by two friends in Glasgow, and Olor, a Derbyshire-based home fragrance range.
The lampshades by Lush are like a work of art, while hair accessories by Yonder and the Maegen candles are big sellers.
So, where does Mandy get her inspiration and ideas from? Especially as she is so steadfast about being different to the high-street.
“I look in magazines, I see what people are wearing”, she explains, “there are people I have met over the years, I look on social media and see what people are wearing.
“I used to do trend spotting for major companies in the past so I am always looking at, and following fashion, and have the ability to find the latest trend.
“The shop is about future classics. It has been hard work, I have learned a lot and have a year’s sales under my belt so I know what I am doing. I am pretty proud of what I have achieved.”
