Struggling to comprehend the title above? Let FUCHSIA put it into perspective for you.
Audley’s Aisle started on 5th of May 2015 as an online shop which sells cocktail dresses for ladies of all shapes and sizes, for the expecting mums, for their little bubs as well as for their pooch.
Here is why …
Living on the luxurious Sentosa Island and being the mum-preneur that she is, Sonia was well aware of a large population comprising of pregnant women, mums with push chairs, and people with pets, all dressing up in a style conscious manner.
And by that, we mean dogs with Burberry shoes on.
FUCHSIA wanted to get to know the face behind the brand which sells gorgeous clothes for all under SG$100, and so we paid a visit to Sonia at her Sentosa Cove residence. Warmly welcomed inside, we sat at her breezy balcony facing the ocean as she pleasantly shared her experience as to how Audley’s Aisle came about.
When Sonia was expecting, she and her husband decided she would be a stay-at-home mum since working in marketing for many multination companies involved a lot of late nights and time. 4 to 5 months down the line, she realised she was ready to go back to work, but the challenge was working from home, doing something she would enjoy as much as her previous role.
Michelle, Sonia’s friend, is an ardent online shopper with suppliers in Turkey, China and Korea, to name a few. Every visit to the mall was a disappointment for both ladies as dresses which cost a fraction of what Michelle was paying (despite being superior in quality) were being sold at an overpriced minimum of SG$200! The added let-down was the sizing factor. Most boutiques showcasing cocktail dresses did not cater for the curvy figure, and Sonia more than often heard her expat friends complain that they had to shop in the US or UK and bring back stock to wear in Singapore.
That is when Sonia and Michelle put their heads together to come up with an online blog shop. They started researching the best suppliers to bulk order, and how to go about quality control, as well as pros and cons of online business.
They were not going to keep their shop limited to cocktail dresses and kaftans for ladies of all shapes and sizes. Having given birth just a few months ago, Sonia understood the dilemmas of an expecting mother on the lookout for something nice to wear and added a maternity-wear line to Audley’s Aisles. And not just your typical one-size-fits-all clothes, or as she candidly describes, “a square sack with a ribbon at the back”.
Hence, the idea of a one-stop-shop selling semi-formal and formal wear for mums and ladies (pregnant or not), for babies and for pets was conceived.
Initially, Sonia was expecting one or two orders a day and she imagined herself pushing the pram, delivering clothes to her neighbours. She hadn’t quite thought so far and was pleasantly surprised when orders poured in from all corners of the island.
At prices below SG$100, the online shop went viral on launch-day, and sales have been booming since, with Audley’s Aisles having become a familiar name in the expat community.
Audley’s Aisle has taken the next step out of the virtual word by stocking at Linen & More, in Great World City. They are also opening pop-up stores in different locations across the island to reach out to a larger market.
Although they don’t customise your orders, they do find what you’re looking for, or something as close to it as possible. Offering a personalised service at the boutiques they stock at, as well as a fantastic exchange policy both in store and online, the shopping experience is easy, breezy and pocket-friendly perfection.
Check them out on FB: Audley’s Aisle
