I am very excited to introduce you to this week’s Campus Celebrity: Poppy Waters! If you’re a Lancaster University student, then you will most likely recognise her from Alexandra Square’s weekly Farmers Market, every Thursday. For two years, Poppy has been running her fashion business, so the Her Campus Lancaster team thought it would be a great idea to find out more about the face behind fashion!
Hello! Thank you for being this week’s Celebrity. So, can you take us back to the beginning and tell us how you came up with the idea for your business?
I always wanted to set up my own business, but imagined this would be something I would do later on in life. After graduating from university, I worked in a buying department for a fashion company in Manchester. After the temporary contract finished, I decided to take a leap of faith… This is where Mary & Milly was born. I decided I wanted to run a fashion business that offered something a little different from the high street, whilst remaining affordable to everyone. As a keen shopper myself, I wanted to offer pieces that could be worn day or night to avoid the oh-so-common ‘I have nothing to wear’ scenario. I must say, it has definitely helped having the support of my family friends and my boyfriend!
Where does the name ‘Mary & Milly’ come from?
My business is named after my two special Grandmas – Mary and Milly.
How long have you been doing this for now?
My business celebrated its second birthday back in December – time flies!
Is there a particular look you go for when choosing what to sell?
Yes! I wanted the business to offer something a little different. The Mary & Milly style is inspired by my two Grandmas individual styles – Mary had more of a classic style and Milly more of a vintage style so I have tried to incorporate the two.
What gave you the idea to start selling at Universities?
I wanted to keep my overheads low when starting my business, and I thought having pop up shops at universities would be a great way to do this. Also, I thought it would help me reach a larger customer base through moving across the North West to different universities. Not only this, but students are also my core target market! So, I thought I would bring the shop to them and offer a unique shopping experience, all whilst being able to offer phenomenal value for money including student discount!
Do you sell your clothes anywhere else?
Yes! I sell all over the world through my boutique on ASOS Marketplace:
I also offer a home party service across the North West area, where I set up a shop at your home and the host gets 20% off all products. It’s a perfect excuse for a girl’s night in!
Where do you hope to be with Mary & Milly in 5 years’ time? Do you have any future plans?
I would like the Mary & Milly brand to become even more well-known and loved across the country, and indeed the world. I would like to have my own website as well as my own base – maybe even including a Mary & Milly shop – watch this space!
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day at Lancaster University’s Farmers Market to talk to us!
ASOS: https://marketplace.asos.com/boutique/mary–milly?tab=all
Instagram: MARYANDMILLY
Twitter – MARYANDMILLY
Facebook – Mary & Milly