Charmskool Showroom: London soft launch for Valentines

CHARMSKOOL SHOWROOM: LONDON SOFT LAUNCH FOR VALENTINES

Charmskool Showroom, the latest retail project from Alexandra Houston, founder of Charmkool and co-founder of Le Boutique Bazaar, has opened at permanent premises in East London just in time for last minute Valentine’s gift purchases and outfit additions for the weekend’s Valentines parties.

Located at 111 Railway Arches, Cable Street, London E1 2LY, a short walk from Shadwell Overground and DLR stations and near both Brick Lane and Shoreditch, the Showroom opened for its soft launch on Wednesday evening (February 12) and will continue in soft launch mode until Sunday Feb 16.

Owing to gremlins getting into the barcoding on the opening day, Alexandra had to request that, before visiting the showroom for the soft launch, shoppers help out by creating a Charmskool.com account, enabling them to purchase showroom items online instead of at the till if that should prove necessary. Anyone buying an item this way would, she promised, be given a code for free shipping so that they could take the item away with them immediately upon purchase.

Top image: Charmskool Showroom featured brands include, left-right, SPI&CE, The Loussine and Velvet Rebel Lingerie. More of its featured brands are shown in the images below.

The images in this article all represent brands that are featured now or will appear in rotation soon at Charmskool Showroom. But the 1,400 sq ft showroom will not just be a treasure-trove of innovative, design-led fetishwear, lingerie and accessories. It will also double as a versatile event space hosting workshops and masterclasses, sample sales, photoshoots and product launches.

Alexandra Houston has revealed that for a long time, she had wanted to own her own store more than anything. “When I was young,” she wrote in a social media post a week before the soft launch, “my single mom opened up a shop to support my sister and me. She had no experience at all, but trusted her gut and created a really successful niche business — a children’s consignment shop [selling secondhand items on behalf their owners] in our town in Connecticut.”

Watching her do this, Alexandra learned about how to brand yourself, set the tone of your space and deliver the right customer service. “She made sure that, although we were selling secondhand clothes, the shop had a high-end feel, looked and smelled beautiful, and our customers and consignors were treated with the utmost care and respect.

Houston says she also learned about hard work, seeing her mother work until 2am six days a week, washing and ironing all the clothes so that they were presented at their very best. And doing all the admin by hand, because they couldn’t afford a computer. It was this that made her want to own her own store, she explains, but for a long time, she didn’t believe she could make it happen.

“With the twin terrors of bad ADHD and severe dyscalculia, life hasn’t been easy for me. I’ve spent life filling the void of self-doubt with other things to make me feel better — parties, outfits, vacations, distractions.

“After trying so hard to give my magic to so many companies who just didn’t get my vision, I was in despair, and finally started my own online market. It’s been a hard slog in this economy — truly. My pop-ups have continued to perform, but I just couldn’t find the missing puzzle piece. After a lot of soul-searching and the support of an incredible angel of a mentor, I am now finally opening my store.

“Who knows what will happen — there are so many factors these days. But I believe in small business, I believe in the connection that real-life retail creates, the community, the creativity. There is nothing like it. I will talk to anyone who will listen about my love for independent business for days. I guess I got it from my watching my mom create her little empire — and seeing the positive impact it has on so many people.

“Anyway, I’m here, and I can’t believe it. Dreams do come true.”

Charmskool Showroom has also benefited from the talents of Charmskool marketing manager Rebecca, formerly of Playful Promises. Together, the two women are dedicated to scouting, developing, and championing the most exciting creative kink talent — both online and offline. Viewing the showroom as bridging the gap between Charmskool’s successful online marketplace and pop-up events, they promise that the showroom’s official, full bells and whistles launch will follow in the near future. (Follow Instagram link below for soft launch opening hours.)

charmskoolshop.com
instagram/charmskool.shop
instagram/charmskool.showroom

Below: Charmskool Showroom supremo Alexandra Houston awaits the first delivery of contents for her new East London premises