Catch up on my interview with the lady behind Sligo’s newest women’s clothing store: ANNA FASHION & LIFESTYLE
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Anna Higgins. I’m a Sligo girl, owner of new boutique Anna Fashion + Lifestyle in Sligo town. I love minimal fashion, cups of tea, walks with Jamie and our dog Logan, my amazing family and friends and the sunshine!
Did you always want to have your own boutique or how did this idea come about?
Yes, I have always dreamt of owning my own little boutique some day. It’s totally surreal that it has actually happened! After moving home from Canada last September, I was delighted to be home and there were very few opportunities in the fashion industry in Sligo to pursue. I decided if I was ever going to open my own store – now was the time to do it. When the perfect premises became available at the same time Anna Fashion + Lifestyle became a reality.
Do you have much experience in the fashion industry?
Having always had an interest in fashion and art I decided to move to the UK to study Fashion Business. I graduated with a 1st Class Honours degree and I couldn’t wait to start working as a Fashion Buyer. However, there were very limited opportunities to work in fashion buying in Ireland, let alone Sligo, so myself and my boyfriend Jamie packed our bags and moved to Toronto, Canada. Here, I began working as a Fashion Buyer with a great Canadian Store. I absolutely loved my job, forecasting and buying beautiful things that I hoped our customers would love. I quickly earned lots of responsibility, which provided me with amazing opportunities and allowed me to meet some brilliant new brands. However our love of Sligo, its beautiful mountains and the sea on its doorstep brought us both home, which ultimately was the deciding factor to open Anna Fashion + Lifestyle. The decision to move home has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Can you tell us a bit about your brand new boutique?
Anna Fashion + Lifestyle boutique offers a collection of brands from all around the world. I wanted to offer my customers beautiful fabrics, pieces that are easy to wear, and timelessly beautiful with a contemporary edge. I would simply describe the style as dressy casual. All of the brands stocked at Anna Fashion + Lifestyle are new to Sligo.
Toupy is a fantastic Parisian brand known for its silk separates.
Bodyfrock has been designed with amazing sculpting slips in each of their dresses, streamlining the silhouette.
Native Youth is a contemporary, minimal brand at an affordable price point.
A Postcard from Brighton is known for their beautiful prints and affordability.
Charli offers timeless, quality pieces. At a higher price point, this brand offers stunning fabrics such as cashmere, silk and super soft jersey. Anything from this brand will be your best investment piece for your wardrobe.
Dr denims are my fab Swedish denim brand offering styles from €55.00.
More to come: LAVISH ALICE, RAILS and THE FIFTH LABEL.
Tell us about your eco-friendly accessory range?
Matt & Nat is a fantastic vegan accessories brand from Montreal, Canada. Matt & Nat (which stands for Mat(t)erial and Nature) products are all made from vegan and sustainable materials such as cork, plastic, recycled nylons and rubber. They recycle approximately 1 million plastic bottles per year and end up with fantastic backpacks, chic handbags and purses. It’s pretty amazing! I came across this great brand during my time in Canada and I just had to bring it back to Sligo with me.
Describe your own personal style?
Think neutrals, minimal, relaxed aesthetic, which I usually always pair with converse or birks galore!
Do you have any fashion icons?
Yes, I absolutely adore blogger Figtny! She definitely inspires my style: neutrals, architectural silhouettes, clean lines and simplicity. To own her entire wardrobe would be the dream! My two grandmothers influenced my interest in fashion and style. Both having such elegant, understated and sophisticated style. I love seeing photographs of them at my age. They look absolutely stunning.
Top 3 styling tips
I have 4!
Less is more! Simple.
Dress for yourself. Not for any man or woman, just for you.
Lipstick will add a pop of colour and instantly make any outfit look great! Then just smile!
Definitely wear something that you feel comfortable in, because if you feel great you will genuinely look great too.
What next for Anna, aspirations?
At the moment I am absolutely delighted to see Anna Fashion + Lifestyle come to life finally. I just really hope that my customers fall in love with it too. After some time I am aiming to have a website up and running and the ultimate dream would be to launch my own clothing line that I could retail in my boutique and online.
Is there a motto you live by?
Be you and be happy.
You can find Anna on: Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat: @annaboutique
Read my first impressions of the store here.
The post Anna Fashion & Lifestyle Boutique appeared first on modaFix: a daily fix of style from the west coast of Ireland.