We are very much a family business, with my super glamorous 79-year-old Mum Iris running the accounts department and my eldest son Oscar, works in the office, stockroom and shop floor. The younger ones Sam and Monty help out on our event nights, handing out the cakes.
Emma: Director
I set up Velvet 22 years ago and I absolutely love my business, I have such a great team of women who are a joy to work with, it’s also very much a family business. When I am not at Velvet I am kept very busy as a Mum to my 3 boys. Running helps keep me sane and going to the pub with my friends.
Iris: Management Accountant and My Mum
22 years at Velvet. I set the business up with my mum 22 years ago, now she does all our accounts and is known as Lady I by all the team. She is just wonderful, incredibly supportive and super glamourous. We all love her. She loves knitting, going to pilates, her cat and her garden.
Gemma: Buyer and Marketing Manager
13 years at Velvet. She is responsible for social media, marketing, buying alongside me and leads the team in producing the fabulous displays you see in store. She is a Velvet Super Star and literally my right hand. She loves travelling, shopping, dogs, yoga and eating and drinking (that’s why we get on so well)!!
Ella: Manager/Merchandiser
6 years at Velvet. She works very hard on the day to day running of the shop and is fantastic with all our customers. She is the tidiest person on earth and also super creative with the displays. She loves eggs, dogs, Jaeger bombs, Hamilton and has a very wicked sense of humour.
Ellen: Part time Manager
8 years at Velvet. Ellen is now a fabulous Mumma to her little boy Noah but works with us 2/3 days a week. She is a ray of sunshine, gives the best hugs, tells the naughtiest jokes and has brilliant customer service skills. She loves her husband, her dog Mila, sausage rolls and he gorgeous boy, Noah!
Helen: Stockroom & Office Manager
Totalling nearly 11 years (with a break in the middle)
Thank god for Helen – the most organised person EVER, she is the reason the stock gets on to the shop floor so quickly, and woe-betide anyone who messes up her stockroom! She loves raving, anything from the 90's and adventure holidays with her husband!
Elise: Assistant Manager
Joined the team last year and has been an absolute joy to work with. She helps Ella run the shop and orders all our fab cards and jewellery. She is an absolute sass pot, great fun and loves nothing more than a fancy meal out and good glass of red!
Charlotte: Sales Assistant
Has Just joined the team and has fitted in so well. She is super friendly and helpful and always busy tidying the shop. She is always wearing a fab pair of trousers and loves a good walk on the beach.
Sarah: Shop Standards Supervisor
6 years at Velvet. She is a gorgeous very kind French lady, who looks lovely in our clothes, does the best flower arrangements and is wonderful and spends hours with customers, helping style outfits. She loves her dog Loki, going on city breaks in Europe and drinking champagne!
Lauren: Part time Sales Assistant
1 year at Velvet. She is very helpful, friendly, and kind. You will often see her on the tills at the weekend being very efficient and lovely with all our customers. She loves all things sweet and always has fabulous lashes & nails.
Natasha: Stock Supervisor
1 year at Velvet. She loves things to be neat and tidy and you will often see her tidying and organising all the clothes and displays. She makes us all laugh and is excellent with our customers. She loves her horses and cats and When she is not at Velvet she will be at the stables.
Amber: Part time Sales Assistant
1year at Velvet. She is the sweetest and most helpful with a fab dry sense of humour. Amber is studying to be a nurse, so when she is not here she will be on placement training. She is a very busy woman so mostly loves some time to chill out.
Alex: Stockroom Assistant
She has just joined the team and helps Helen with all the deliveries and gets the stock ready for the shop. She is super smiley and very speedy with the stock. She loves Polish dancing at the weekend.
Oscar: Office, Stockroom & Sales Assistant
My gorgeous19 year old son, so has by default been part of Velvet for 18 years. He started working in the office and stockroom assiting Iris and Helen when he was 15, you will now see him on the shop floor most days maning the tills. He loves (me, hopefully) rap music, going out and eating and sleeping A LOT!
Sam and Monty:
Aged 15 and 12, my little superstars, you will see them helping out, serving cakes and sweets at our events.
Lorna, My Sister
You will see her at all our events dishing our wine or helping customers, she looks just like me but younger!! She is Velvets biggest fan, and tells the whole world her sister owns Velvet!! She loves her husband, her beautiful kids, shopping, exercise, writing and drinking wine with me!!
Our George
Was King of the cardboard and Velvet's biggest supporter. He would of been so proud and happy to see all our amazing customers flooding back after all the lockdowns. He was a shop keeper too and I learnt so much from him.
Very much missed by all your Velvet girls xxxxxxxx