Online dress shopping proves popular in Clare

As internet shopping comes into its own, Nicola Corless talks to the woman behind Irish website Dresses.ie about changing attitudes to buying online

LISA Foley and her husband Eamon Downey set up Dresses.ie three years ago. The online clothes shop is aimed mainly at the 16 to 35 age bracket and features a range of dresses in a variety of on-trend designs.
The couple have a strong fashion background and what was originally a sideline has turned into a viable company.
“Eamon grew up on the cutting room floor. His parents, Eamon and Carolann Downey, owned Penthouse Design and then the Lipsy shop in Powerscourt Shopping Centre in Dublin for many years. I came into fashion about 10 years ago and started out with Eamon selling jeans on the road nationwide. After a few years, we started selling and then making our own dresses. Originally we had our own fashion label, which we sold to up to 100 shops nationwide,” Lisa recalls.
Recognising the worldwide obsession with fame, the couple recently decided to bring a new element to their collections by offering celebrity-inspired pieces for sale at budget prices.
“We recognised from the popularity of celebrity magazines like Now and Heat that girls were immersed in celebrity culture and that they wanted to dress like their favourite celeb but at a reasonable price. Any dresses that we make that are in the style of famous celebs such as Kate Moss, Cheryl Cole and Victoria Beckham do really well,” Lisa outlines.
According to the entrepreneur, people’s attitudes to buying goods online has changed significantly since Dresses.ie was set up.
“In the early days, people were very tentative about buying online as they thought they were being scammed. However, with structures in place such as secure sites, proper policies on your website and good PR, the consumer feels more secure. They also prefer to buy online in their own country, which has been good for us,” Lisa explains.
“Clare is a very strong county sales-wise for our website and accounts for up to 11% of our sales. We have a great following in Clare and the county has always, since we started out, been especially strong for buying fashion. Clare ladies love their glamour,” she continues.
Despite straightened economic times, women are still buying clothes, Lisa says, so long as you have what it takes to back it up.
“Certainly, everyone has been affected by the recession. However, good service, a quality product and a good price combine to make it a profitable business in these recessionary times. You just have to keep thinking ahead and work extra hard. The Celtic Tiger has left the building,” she reflects.
Dresses.ie is currently looking for Miss Dresses.ie 2010. The company is looking for someone with an interest in fashion to represent Dresses.ie in the Miss Universe Ireland 2010 competition.
Lisa outlines what would make the winner special.
“Miss Dresses.ie will stand out if she has a genuine interest in fashion. In particular, we would like a girl who has finished secondary education and is planning further education. Though looks and figure are important and certainly you need to be over five foot six and aged between 18 and 25, the most valuable asset will be her personality and a willingness to go the extra mile. We most definitely do not want a skinny girl. We are very much in favour of promoting healthy, happy girls as role models,” she concludes.
Entries for the Miss Dresses.ie competition should be in by the end of March and all candidates should send an email with an accompanying photo to lisa@heartandsoul.ie or by mail to Eimear Burton, Manager, Dresses.ie, Arena House, Arena Road, Sandyford, County Dublin.
The email or letter should include the entrant’s name, address, telephone number, height, size, age, interests, educational background and reasons why she would like to be Miss Dresses.ie 2010. Also, entrants need to give the name of their favourite dress on www.dresses.ie and why?