The Fairy Arrived… and Stage 2 Has Begun!

Hello everyone,

What a week!

It’s been one of those weeks where so much has happened behind the scenes that I hardly know where to begin.

Trade has been a real mixture of sale and new-season purchases, and interestingly we’ve sold quite a few pairs of trousers and jeans – surely a sign that Autumn really is creeping in!

All our Autumn/Winter stock is now out, the new Adini has arrived, I’ve been updating stock, moving things around, refreshing the windows and generally going about my business when suddenly…

The Fairy was on her way! 🪄

You may remember me telling you about Emma, who looks after Cream and Orientique.

We first met about five months ago and instantly clicked. She has been such an inspiration to me and has given me so much help and encouragement that I now refer to her as my Fairy.

She sprinkles a little bit of fairy dust over Karen George every time she visits!

I knew she was hoping to come back soon, but she is incredibly busy and wasn’t sure when she could fit me in.

Then came the phone call…

Right then!

Emma also had some of next year’s High Summer Cream collection to show me, so we could kill two birds with one stone.

And before I knew it, we were officially into…

Emma is an absolute whirlwind.

She works at approximately 100 miles an hour and, once she gets started, you just have to hang on and go with her! 😂

We went through the rails together and she showed me different ways of merchandising the collections and making the pieces work together, so that rather than simply seeing an individual top, jacket or pair of trousers, you can start to see how they could all work in your wardrobe.

The window has been completely redressed too.

And there’s been another fairly major change…

Well, not gone gone – I haven’t miraculously sold every last pair!

But they have now been packed away for the time being. They did an absolutely brilliant job of bringing people through the door and we cleared so many pairs, but it’s time for the shop to move forward into Autumn.

I’ve removed the Summer footwear from display and the focus is now firmly on the new season.

And we’re creating SPACE!

This is the bit I’m particularly excited about.

Emma has given me an additional rail, which means I’ve been able to bring ALL the remaining sale clothing together in one place in the middle of the shop, including the Winter sale pieces.

Much easier to browse – and much easier to spot a bargain!

That then freed up another rail, which means all my Winter Robell trousers can finally come out of hiding and be displayed properly in the shop.

And THAT means…

So today, that is exactly what we’re doing.

Removing more cupboards will give us another rail for dresses, allow the clothes to breathe and, most importantly, make the whole shop feel more spacious and easier to browse.

Bit by bit, the vision I had when I started this huge clear-out is actually beginning to happen.

There is still plenty to do, but every change is taking us a little closer to the Karen George I want it to be.

And then she waved her wand again…

Of course, Emma’s visit wasn’t all moving rails and telling me where to put things!

We also sat down together and chose another beautiful Cream collection for next Summer.

Yes, I know – we’re only just getting the jeans and jumpers out and I’m already buying Summer 2027! Such is the strange world of retail.

Order placed, shop transformed, advice dispensed…

And in a wave of her wand, she was gone! 😂

I really am so pleased our paths crossed. Sometimes you meet someone at exactly the right time, and Emma has given me a fresh pair of eyes, some brilliant advice and a renewed enthusiasm for what Karen George can become.

Meanwhile… the NEW stock is selling!

That’s the other part of this week that has made me smile.

Lyn’s very first customer yesterday walked in because she HAD to have the Orientique Porto-print bubble dress she’d spotted in the window.

I LOVE it when that happens!

She also fell for the last jacket we had, although she decided both purchases in one go might be slightly too extravagant…

Personally, I have a feeling we may see her again. 😂

And that is exactly why the windows matter so much.

This week’s little temptation…

My photo this week is one of the new Adini brushed-cotton tops.

It’s beautifully soft, with a lace-trimmed V-neck, and comes in this gorgeous teal as well as mulberry.

They’re £45 and exactly the sort of easy piece you can start wearing now as the weather changes.

So if you fancy one, do pop in – because, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m deliberately buying smaller quantities now rather than filling the shop with lots of the same thing.

Less stock, more frequent newness is the plan.

And I think it’s working.

So… now we need you!

There has been no Vinny adventure this weekend. Ian was off enjoying the Goodwood Revival yesterday while I had a lovely lunch with my best friend.

Instead, today we’re heading into the shop to remove those cupboards and carry on with the transformation.

Then there is just one rather important part of the plan left…

We need to get selling! 😂

The shop is full of beautiful Autumn/Winter pieces, all the stock is finally out where you can actually see it, the sale bargains are together in one easy-to-browse area and the whole place is gradually becoming lighter, more spacious and easier to shop.

So if you haven’t visited for a little while, this is a really good time to come back and see what’s changed.

Have a rummage through the bargains.

Try on some of the new Autumn arrivals.

See what we’ve done with the place.

And perhaps find something you didn’t know you needed until you saw it!

I’m feeling genuinely excited about where Karen George is heading.

It’s still very much a work in progress, but Stage 2 is underway – and I can’t wait for you to see it.

Thank you, as always, for coming along on this journey with me.

Until next week…

Take care of each other and, above all, be kind.

Karen xx