Denise Hamilton, Chief Corporate Affairs & Communications Officer at Childrensalon, reflects on the company’s past, present and future following its 70th anniversary.
Laura Turner: What are Childrensalon’s key milestones over the last 70 years?
Denise Hamilton: Childrensalon, formerly known as The Children’s Salon, was created in 1952 by Sybil Harriman, an entrepreneurial woman known by many in Royal Tunbridge Wells for her impeccably dressed children. Always a family business, Sybil’s daughter Michele took over the reins in 1978 along with her artist husband George. They made a bold decision in the late 90s to take Childrensalon online. What happened next was an incredible journey for them that became a life-long passion for beautiful childrenswear, their customers, their team, innovation, creativity and most importantly, having fun along the way.
Childrensalon has continued to evolve and grow over the years. In 2009, having outgrown our previous studio space, we moved headquarters to Decimus Park in Royal Tunbridge Wells. With a state-of-the-art studio and cutting-edge warehouse space, the business still resides here today with an ever-expanding team of almost 600. Currently, we bring an edit of more than 240 of the world’s finest designers − from Gucci to Burberry, Moncler, Patachou and more − to customers in over 170 different countries.
Our award-winning customer service team, which speaks 32 languages, is available 365 days a year via phone, email, live chat, WhatsApp and social media. We are also proud to have received a number of awards over the years, which sit proudly on display in our HQ. This includes three accolades on The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For, The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2018 and several Drapers Awards across the years, including Best Retailer and Best International Retailer.
LT: How did you mark the 70th anniversary?
DH: Seventy years is such an important milestone and one we felt strongly about celebrating with our wider Childrensalon family. This includes our customers, industry partners, brands and our wonderful team, alongside giving back to the wider community through our charity partners.
One of the key highlights was our short film. To bring the idea to life, we worked closely with director Rebecca Manley to create a piece that portrayed Childrensalon as “an honorary part of the family” present for each and every special moment during childhood. We also paid tribute to Childrensalon’s founder Sybil Harriman with a specially made Sybil print. Comprising beautiful blue florals, the print was used in an exclusive capsule collection; Childrensalon in collaboration with Beatrice & George. Further notable launches include two Atelier collection dresses to the Childrensalon Occasions range named Puppe and Michele after Sybil’s daughters. We also organised a special 72-hour charity auction with one-off pieces and collectable keepsakes donated by some of our generous designers. All proceeds raised were donated to three charity partners supported by The Childrensalon Foundation: Porridge & Pens, Nourish and Sistah Space.
LT: Can you tell me more about The Childrensalon Foundation?
DH: As Childrensalon has grown, so too have its charitable initiatives. The Childrensalon Foundation was established in 2021 to help us further support and partner with those who are working to make the world a better place for children across the globe. It unites our philanthropic initiatives for maximum impact, partnering with charities that will make the world a safer, cleaner and brighter place for the children of today. We currently work with six partner charities across a range of different areas, from improving access to education to building safe community spaces to support both children and young adults in the UK and abroad.
LT: What’s currently trending at Childrensalon?
DH: Well-established designers such as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Patachou and Kenzo are extremely popular with our global audience. However, brands like Beatrice & George specialising in traditional styles, and Childrensalon Occasions offering special occasion pieces, are always very strong. We recently launched our Snow Shop for 2022 which is always popular and perfect for those planning a holiday or living in a cooler climate.
LT: What is the secret to Childrensalon’s success?
DH: It is down to a combination of the right values and a shared passion and desire to constantly improve. The values held by Sybil, Michele and George are still pivotal to the business today; learning about our customers, providing the best product offering, looking after our incredible and creative team, and most importantly, placing our customers’ needs at the heart of everything we do.
LT: What’s next for the business?
DH: We plan to continue dressing children beautifully and we’re very excited to introduce a selection of new brands for s/s 23. One of the brands we are most excited about is Maison Ava, which is available exclusively on site alongside many other sought-after labels including Zimmerman, Palm Angels and Off-White. In
addition to this, we will be focusing on enhancing our occasionwear across the site to offer something for every special calendar event. We also plan to continue working with our partner charities through The Childrensalon Foundation, helping to support children and young people close to home and around the world.
