This fashion story is not just about clothes, but about Greystones. A third generation resident of the Co
Wicklow
seaside town,
Juliette Ledwidge
is the well known proprietor of Juju in La Touche Place, which will celebrate its 10th birthday next July and which this year won the
Irish Times
best boutique award.
Now boasting a population of 25,000, Greystones, says Juliette "is a magic town, a destination with so many shops and boutiques", which she and her photographer sister, Jenni Browne, chose to incorporate in the shoot using the town's enviable coastal location and her husband's 32ft racing yacht along with farmyard ducks and pigs belonging to a friend, another local.
Described as a phenomenal saleswoman, Ledwidge knows her customer base intimately, being a working mother of three children aged 6, 10 and 12.
Recently back from a family cycling holiday in Achill, she knows all about travelling with kids and dogs and the sort of clothes that her life and that of others like her entails. "Myself, Trish Martin and Jenny Keating in the shop are working mothers and we know exactly what our customers are looking for, as does Linda Korovela who now works with us from Latvia.
“So the collections are in tune with what they want – sweaters in natural fabrics like cashmere, great jeans like Goldsign (from the founder of Diesel) and James that are both comfortable and flattering, items that can be machine washed and that can take you from day to evening,” she says. No wonder stylish parkas and wellies are part of the gear.
Collections are chosen to connect with previous season’s offerings, so that they survive the test of time and are not trend driven. “Customers love beautiful things and we buy and edit with them in mind,” she stresses. By concentrating on daywear drawn from Irish and international brands rather than more formal items for special occasions and on personal service, Ledwidge has weathered the worse of the recession.
Jeans are key to her offering. They may be worn casually with a cashmere poncho, a knit in subtle colours such as taupe or toffee, teamed with a silk blouse for work, or given instant evening glamour with a tuxedo. The boutique is particularly well known for its knitwear, carrying seven brands including Sphere One, by Lucy Downes and Sian Jacobs, and & Daughter, a father/daughter company whose knits are made in Donegal.
Other Irish products she champions are Melissa Curry’s jewellery and Susannagh Grogan’s silk scarves. Boots and shoes that mature gracefully come from from Fiorentini and Baker, an Italian brand based in Bologna, while French labels such as Hache, Hartford and Studio Nicolson are popular, and Joseph is a regular favourite.
Photography: Jenni Brown (jennibrowne.com) Styled and directed by Juliet Ledwidge. Model: Caroline Lewis. Hair: Sarah Byrne. Makeup: Avalon @ AS Makeup.
