Emma: Founder and CEO
I set up Velvet 24 years ago and I still love it as much now as I did then. I have such a great team of women around me, who are all an absolute pleasure to work with.
I’m a single Mum to three noisy but fabulous boys and my wonderful Mum Iris still keep us on track as our management accountant. It’s very much a family affair.
I’m obsessed with fashion and interiors and I also love living by the sea: running, swimming, going for long walks and heading to a Pub for a few drinks with my best friends and very silly boyfriend.
Iris: Management Accountant and My Mum
Iris was there from the very start and still very much by my side. We started Velvet together
and now she looks after our management accounts. She’s known as Lady I to all the team and you will often see her in our try-ons on Instagram. Forever glamourous, supportive and absolutely wonderful. Everyone loves Iris. She loves gardening, knitting, pilates and just relaxing with her beloved cat Poppet.
Gemma: Managing Director
The indispensable Gemma! After sixteen years loyal service, she was promoted to Managing Director last year. Gemma has become an essential part of Velvet, a precious asset, total superstar and a good friend to me. Amongst many things, she is primarily responsible for all our marketing and social media, buying, leading the team in producing all our fabulous instore displays and managing our team.
She loves travelling with her smashing husband Ryan, shopping, dogs, yoga and checking out great new restaurants in the city (maybe why we get on so well!)
Ella: Manager & Visual Merchandiser
Seven years at Velvet. Ella works very hard on the day to day running of the shop and is fantastic with all our customers. She has a wicked sense of humour, is a stickler for tidiness, as well as a standout creative genius. Alongside Gemma, she creates, develops and perfects all our lovely instore merchandising and wonderful window displays. A deep love of stage shows, especially Hamilton, her sweet little cat Coco and of course fashion & interiors.
Elise: Assistant Manager & Buyer
With us two years now and an absolute joy to work with. She helps Ella run the shop and also assists Gemma in the buying. Our customers love her and she works very hard on keeping everything organised and running smoothly. She is an audacious charmer, bags of fun to work with and she loves nothing more than a fancy meal out and a good glass of red!
Ellen: Part time Manager
Nine years at Velvet. Ellen is now a fabulous Mum to two little boys Noah and Teddy but still finds time for Velvet a few days a week. She is a ray of sunshine, giving the best hugs, telling the naughtiest jokes and rounds it all off with exceptional customer service. She really loves her dog Mila, her gorgeous boys, oh and of course her husband.
And partial to a sausage roll too!
Helen: Stockroom & Office Manager
Nearly seventeen years service, with a break in the middle.
Where would we be without Helen? The most organised person ever; the reason our merchandise gets to the shop floor so quickly and in perfect order, and woe-betide anyone who messes up her stockroom. She loves raving, Arsenal FC, anything from the 90's and adventure holidays with her husband!
Sarah: Supervisor
Eight years at Velvet. Sarah is a gorgeous, kind and flirty French lady, who looks lovely in all our clothes, which you will often see her modelling on our Instagram. Her flower arrangements are unparalleled, and she is simply charming with our customers, always taking time to help them find their perfect style. She loves her dog Loki, going on city breaks in Europe and drinking champagne!
Natasha: Supervisor
Three years at Velvet. Natasha loves things to be neat and tidy and you will often see her straightening and perfecting everything on the shop floor. She is excellent with our customers and has terrific product knowledge. She loves her cats, and when not at Velvet there’s a good chance she will be at the stables with her beloved horses.
Libby: Full time Sales Assistant
With two years now and is still bringing the good vibes and witty one-liners. You will usually see her in store keeping things tidy and being extra helpful and chatty with all our lovely customers. She loves nothing more than listening to a bit of Harry Styles.
Ella: Full Time Sales Assistant
Ella joined two years ago, and has become one of the stars of our Instagram. She is tremendous fun to work with and a natural with our customers, always helping them find that perfect new outfit. Effortlessly stylish, purveyor of the freshest dance moves and partial to a Guinness and a bacon bap.
Bruna: Full time Stockroom Assistant
Bruna joined us two years ago and has now progressed to the esteemed role of stockroom assistant, working closely with Helen to ensure all our fantastic new stock hits the shopfloor in double-quick time. If anything comes in pink, then expect Bruna to be wearing it. She loves to spend her free time chilling out with her pets Louis the dog and Milo the cat.
Sophie: Part time Sales Assistant
Sophie has just gone on maternity leave with her secong little girl, but she will be back with us part time next year. Industrious, warm and friendly and with a keen eye for detail. On nights when the babysitter is booked, she loves to let her hair down and throw some elegant shapes on the dancefloor - she certainly put us all to shame at the Christmas party!
Izzy: Part time Sales Assistant
Izzy joined the team just over a year a go. Full of creative flair, a bubbly and jolly soul, she is terrific with the customers and always makes a fuss of the numerous canine visitors we have every day. Never happier than when enjoying a cosy film night in with her mum and Layla the dog.
Millie: Part time Sales Assistant
Joined us as a Christmas temp in 2022 and was so impressive, we had to snap her up on a permanent basis. She has an easy charm, wonderful customer service skills and a great appreciation of the Velvet style. She loves to spend time with her friends and listening to great music.
Alice: Part Time Sales Assistant
Joined the team last summer, Alice is super friendly and loves a good chat and you will often find her at the fitting rooms offering excellent styling advice. She is currently studying to become a child play therapist. She loves having cosy cuddles with her cat or enjoying a well deserved pint in the pub.
Lorna, My Sister
My lovely sister Lorna – she looks a lot like me and is also in the gifts business with her exciting new venture https://hellogifts.uk/
An eternal cheerleader for the Velvet brand, often found keeping me company over a great bottle of wine and sharing great stories and our very own brand of humour. She has a wonderful family of her own, supportive husband and two beautiful kids.
Lucy: Part Time Sales Assistant
The newest member of the team, Lucy is an absolute ray of sunshine who always has a big smile on her face. She’s always whizzing around the shop floor offering excellent customer service and keeping Velvet very neat and tidy!! She loves hosting fabulous dinner parties for friends and is always the hostess with the mostest.
Oscar, Sam and Monty:
My lovely boys who give me infinite pride and joy, and only the occasional moment of frustration! Oscar lives in Bath with his lovely girlfriend Millie, and after cutting his teeth in retail here at Velvet, is making great strides at Marks & Spencer and already in management. Sam is another entrepreneur in the making, already developing innovative money making schemes and plans. Super-sporty Monty is thriving at school, studying for a plethora of GCSE’s. A cricket superstar, keen on photography, media and commerce and sure to follow in my footsteps in a business of his own very soon.
George, My Dad
Always deeply missed, by me and the rest of the Velvet team. My lovely Dad George was the Velvet King of cardboard and our biggest supporter, as well as a genuine Hove legend.
A great shop keeper and entrepreneur himself and the foundation of so much of what I have learned along the way.
