An online homeware store is making a name for itself in Stafford by bringing vintage, retro-styled and pre-loved styles back to the county - and using local sources to do it.
Mother-of-two, Lisa Oakley, has only been running LottyBlue since 2011, but has already established herself as one of the premier retailers of high quality vintage- inspired items, stocking classic pieces of furniture as well as modern items with a nostalgic influence.
Inspired by and named after her grandmother Lotty May – and now the namesake of her daughter Lotty Louise – the business celebrates the trinkets and pieces that make the mid-century modern period from the 1950s to the 1970s so iconic in people’s minds and memories.
Mrs Oakley recently spotted a gap in the market for pretty vintage aprons and put her background in fashion design to good use, searching extensively for pattern cutters, designers and manufacturers, all based in the UK, to help bring her ideas to life.
"I set myself a difficult challenge but I was determined to create fabulous vintage aprons that were totally made in Britain,” said Mrs Oakley. “At times I found it difficult to find good quality cotton fabrics at affordable prices but I soldiered on and eventually found everybody I needed. Incredibly the majority are based within a 30-mile radius of where we live in Staffordshire"
The first limited run of the new product is now available and Mrs Oakley is keen to start manufacturing in larger numbers later in the year if the response proves favourable.
Mrs Oakley secured the services of popular singer and entertainer Lola Lamour – who recently featured on the cover of Vintage Life magazine – to model the range of aprons based on her unique 1950’s styling.
