20 Years of IRIS
A letter from our Creative Director and Founder
When Sarah Claassen and I opened the doors of the first Iris boutique in what is now the well-established village of Queen’s Park in London, it was before it had earned its stripes as an area worth visiting. It was 2004 and there was one pub on Salusbury Road and not much else – certainly nowhere to find great clothes. So, without much thought (and certainly no business plan), we borrowed the money we needed against our mortgages and set up shop. A local dad stopped by on the day to complain about the fact that we weren’t opening something useful, like a fishmonger!
From the very beginning, our edit of brands shared a laid-back, romantic worldview that suddenly became something very special when they were all under one roof. We were completely overwhelmed by the response in those first weeks – the women in our community were thrilled to discover a retail destination right on their doorstep and we quickly became the go-to spot in the neighbourhood. After a while, we started to meet more and more customers who had pilgrimaged from all corners of the city to see what all the fuss was about. Four stores and twenty years later, Iris has grown into a beloved community; a brilliant, all-female team; and a label in its own right.
In 2016, we launched the first collection from our own brand – then called 'by IRIS' (now just Iris). We wanted to design for the customers that had become friends – the mothers and the creative, working women we had spent almost a decade with on the shop floors. It started as a creative outlet, responding to the customer and trying to design the pieces we knew they were looking for, but we didn't realise it would grow so quickly. Now the Iris own-label collection accounts for almost 50% of the business and is fast-becoming the heart of the brand, with our 'Iris Icons' – like the Freya dress and the Frankie blouse – selling out year after year. Whimsical prints, vintage-inspired silhouettes and a timeless femininity run throughout the collections, but we always make sure our designs are always easy-to-wear, versatile and enduring.
'The brand continues to grow, but they still retain the feel of that neighbourhood boutique in spirit.'
This year – somehow! – Iris turns twenty. The brand continues to grow, but we are dedicated to retaining the feel of our neighbourhood boutique in spirit. All our wonderful staff are passionate about the clothes and getting to know their customers: this is still a place where you feel you are amongst friends.
We want to take this moment to thank you, the Iris woman, for supporting us from that first day until now. We are honoured to be able to design and discover clothes for you that make life feel beautiful. This month, to mark our milestone birthday, we have launched a new website, logo and packaging – and are looking forward to celebrating with you tomorrow in all five of our stores, wearing our best AW collection yet.
Annie Pollet - Founder and Creative Director
