See inside Willow & Eve: Beautiful West Sussex boutique offers preloved premium and designer brands at affordable prices – and you can sell with them, too

Karen Skagerlind and Yvette Stubbs met as school mums and together they have created Willow & Eve, a preloved consignment store selling womenswear, footwear and accessories.

They care about the environment and truly believe that buying preloved is the way to refresh your wardrobe without costing the earth. Karen said when they launched in June 2019, 'preloved' was relatively new terminology but now it is all the rage, especially among younger shoppers.

They wanted the shop to be contemporary and focus on premium high street brands, like Boden, Mint Velvet and Phase Eight, with some designer labels, like Victoria Beckham, Emporio Armani and Ralph Lauren. Designer brands, like the Jimmy Choo trainers, Chanel sunglasses and Burberry skirt currently available, are painstakingly authenticated so customers know they can trust the label.

Yvette said: "We are the bridge between charity shops and the high street, and we have a boutique feel, which takes away any stigma from secondhand shopping. We offer affordability in a boutique environment."

Willow & Eve consigns and sells branded and designer womenswear, footwear and accessories, usually on a 50 / 50 commission basis. Yvette said: "We have got some lovely items and there is always new stock coming in. Last week, we took in 200 items and that is pretty consistent."

The store in Sea Lane, Rustington, has built up a loyal clientele of local regulars and the shop at The Old Mill, in River Road, Arundel, is a magnet for visitors. Yvette said: "A lot of customers want to come in and feel the fabrics rather than buying online. The regulars will come in for a chat and spend a bit of time with us. We get to know them and we keep a waiting list for popular items."

Karen, who was previously a buyer for Harrods, presents the range in colour stories, rather than going by sizes. She explained: "A lot of people come in and ask about sizing but we prefer to make the shop look pretty, plus we have noticed that the sizing for different makes is so varied. It is like a department store on a smaller scale. We offer people help to find what they are looking for. Our USP is the curation and customer service."

Karen and Yvette pride themselves on their honesty, both with clients wishing to sell with them and customers trying on outfits. They spend a lot of time with people in the changing room and would not consider letting anyone leave with something that doesn't look right.

Karen said: "Here at Willow & Eve we want everyone to be able to buy from our curated range of preloved clothing. That’s why we stock sizes from 6 to 24. We try to showcase as many sizes as we can on the shop floor and organise clothes in sizes in our stock room. Do always ask the team if you can’t find your size as we may have just the thing behind the scenes!"

There is a focus at the moment on occasion wear, the wedding season and prom dresses, which are already selling well. The holiday shop is also proving popular, alongside a range of activewear and outerwear. Visit willowandeve.com for more information about buying and selling with Willow & Eve.