Friday 1 November 2019




Tallulah’s Sweet Sixteenth.

Come help celebrate 

Working so close with our customers has really been such a privilege. 
Living with them through pinnacle milestones in their life over the last 16 years. In this blog you will read the story of Tallulah plus the plans we have to celebrate this big anniversary with you...







It’s quite amazing- Sixteen, even sitting here typing it, I still need to pinch myself. Tallulah Lingerie is turning 16 years old. 

Who would of thought that 16 years and 4 months ago nearly to the day I spoke to Bennet my partner and somehow managed to persuade him to open a lingerie boutique in Islington, not just any lingerie boutique but a Treasure trove of beautiful well fitted everyday lingerie.

2003, what a very big year that was. I was only 25 and had had my first baby (not totally planned) in the March of that year, then utterly unplanned I had my second baby as in Tallulah and opened the business in the November with my partner. 

We had complete role reversal, Bennet was the ‘homekeeper and childcarer’ I  was the ‘breadwinner’. Thinking back to those days we were purely running on such a high because it was SUCH hard work. I felt pangs of guilt everyday going to work and in those days I was working 7 days a week- staff was a pure luxury and not one we could afford! …..  later leaned from openly talking and sharing with customers that most mothers feel guilty somewhere along the line……

It was all hands on deck and friends helped us out..

Liddie painted the famous Purple front.



Eve did the soft furnishings.


Bennet did the entire interior.


And I lit the candles and decorated the Christmas tree.

Islington is a wonderful leafy neighbourhood with lots of independent boutiques and Cross Street in particular was the only street I would even dream of opening Tallulah. The perfect home for the prettiest lingerie collections.   

I love Islington, know it well after living here and even working on Cross Street for over half my life, (Hello all my Clusaz customers from back in the day) so although it was terrifying opening a new business, it also felt so natural to do so at 65 Cross Street. 
Just off busy Upper Street the boudoir is nestled in our cosy intimate Street.
It is a destination street for sure, not too many passersby making it the perfect spot to open a lingerie boutique as it is private and intimate something very important to our ethos, didn't want to block out the windows looking too seedy but equally did not want it totally exposed to the outside world, so a quiet part of Islington was the perfect spot to open a boudoir. 

My passion has always been to encourage women to feel confident, sexy and happy within their own bodies. Lingerie is the beginning to every outfit so it makes sense to start with that!
My love of encouraging women to feel sexy everyday, not for their partner or anyone else, but themselves drives me and the this is shared with everyone that works in the boudoir. Tallulah is Every Day Sexy and this what we encourage to every customer.
Having consistently worked in retail, dressing beautiful women in well cut clothes, I witnessed over the years some terrible and ill-fitting bras.
Then the idea of Tallulah Lingerie was born over a cup of tea and a slice of cake with a girlfriend after me moaning that I couldn't find anywhere that fitted me properly and offered beautiful lingerie in a pleasurable environment, somewhere not too sexy or too stuffy, being a young new mother needing someone that would understand me, somewhere intimate so i could feel safe and ultimately help me feel ’normal’ again.


Working so close with our customers has really been such a privilege. Living with them through pinnacle milestones in their life. From fitting them for that first date, then the wedding lingerie and bridal trousseau to pregnancy lingerie then the nursing bras and then back to work lingerie, trying to feel ‘normal’ again and now even fitting their children. And with the tween bras I found it hard as it is hardly something any of us could weartest, luckily Dolly (my daughter) is 11 and at the perfect age for helping us find the perfect bras for the young girls. We have been with our customers through so many of their most important points in their life and not all highs, some lows and we share as much with them as they do with us, We have a strict ‘What is said within these ruby walls stays within these ruby walls’ policy in the boudoir. 

Photography; Mark Whitfield.


It was very important to have double sized fittings rooms so rather then cramming more we have 2 huge fittings rooms allowing enough space for us to be in the fitting rooms with customers to do our fittings comfortably and help our customers feel comfortable enough to openly talk to us.

Here are the fitting rooms being built in 2003 and today being 
used to their full capacity, as you can see plenty of room.
I love our fitting rooms.













Nothing and I mean nothing enters the boudoir for us to sell to our wonderful customers that myself and the Tallulah girls do not LOVE ourselves. That is the main rule when viewing new collections to bring into the boudoir other then the obvious well fitting, we ask each other- “Do you love? Would you wear? Can you live another day without it in your life?” OK that last one is for the high price pieces, but honestly we love and believe in every piece of lingerie, lounge wear, swimwear anything and everything! 
Every piece is tried by us all when they arrive as they all fit differently and we are all different.

Having worked in the fashion industry for over 25 years now a lot has changed in that time, fashion trends change but one thing remains the same we still need well fitted beautiful lingerie everyday and I still love to help woman feel confident. It started with the outerwear and a natural progression to underwear my true calling.

Over the years it has been such a pleasure working with strong like minded business women who have encouraged and helped me to grow. Lots of wonderful women, a few of whom stand out to me, Laura from Ell and Cee still remember our first meeting, we thought we were so grown up (boy have I grown up since this meeting Laura !) Fleur from Fleur of England (when I first bought this label it was called Fleur T) her printed silks were out of this world literally good enough to eat, she had a hand drawn chocolate collection and Luisa Loveday from Loveday London whom I very luckily still get to work with.
But Janet Reger is probably the designer I miss working with most. She was our high end silk British designer when we first opened our doors and I can still remember visiting the Knightsbridge boutique to carefully choose the collections on a very small budget and take it back to our Islington boudoir. They were the most beautiful silk pieces, I feel very lucky to have worked with such a renowned British lingerie designer so very early in my lingerie career. The photo below is a set of hers.


Beautiful silk and sequin lingerie from Janet Reger.


Back in Nov 2003 Tallulah opened her doors stocking only 7 brands and now 16 years later Tallulah currently works with over 55 brands from small independent unique brands to the big well known lingerie houses from all over the world. 


Tallulah today. Photography Mark Whitfield.


Your experience with Tallulah is like none you will have experienced before, from the moment you walk in and see the carefully curated lingerie and slips hanging on pretty padded hangers and draped on the antique furniture to the personal talks you may have with us. We only put one out of a size as everything else is held in our stockrooms (which we have three, lots of stock!) sometimes this confusses customers thinking that we only sell the small cups but on the contrary our best selling cup sizes are E,F,G, they just don't look as pretty hanging! 
We do not have a till, we hand write our receipts, every package sent out has a personal hand written note and only recently have an iPad to keep customer files and their wish lists on as it was all hand written in our folders before and it was getting out of control.



Over the last 16 years Tallulah has never advertised, we exclusively rely on word of mouth, it still makes me feel warm in my tummy when someone comes in and tells us that we have been recommended.
Fortunately we have had so many wonderful write ups and mentions in the press and all has been done so organically. There are so many honourable mentions, but one that stands out is when Grazia wrote that Tallulah was the place to get your Lux Lingerie in London, we had no idea until a customer popped in with a copy! I guess that's what happens when you are an independent small business with no actual PR team (hehe). We all do everything in the boudoir, its one of our super powers, being able to wear every hat needed to run the boudoir.



Grazia sharing their love for Tallulah.



Thank you for letting Tallulah support your breasts and a 
Heartfelt Thank you for your love and support over the years lingerie loves, we feel it from all over the world. 
Below are just some of the amazing testimonials we have been sent over the years. 


Tallulah is a wonderful, tiny, elegant, unique, sumptuous Aladdin’s cave of the most exquisite and beautiful lingerie. Nicola and her colleagues are so friendly and can ‘fit’ you perfectly before taking measurements – style, size, fit…..Nicola makes the whole experience from the moment one sets foot in the shop utterly pleasurable – as it should be!! Have been a customer from the beginning and now would not contemplate visiting any other lingerie shop. So lucky to have her and Tallulah in Islington. ED


Tallulah is my secret shop – I want everyone to go there and no-one so I can keep it a secret. It is glamorous, enticing, seductive and great fun. Nicola is an expert and makes you feel special. Her colleagues are friendly and welcoming. I always come out feeling great.



Tallulah is without doubt the best lingerie shop in the world. Since day one I have not and never will buy lingerie from anywhere else! Equipped with not only the most sumptuous of collections, the beauty of the shop and the knowledge and warmth that the team exude is second to none. This is customer service and wonderful shopping at it’s absolute best! DRC


The spectacular phenomenon that is Tallulah has given me the most wonderful lingerie in the world! Incredible shop, incredible service, Nicola knows instinctively what brand and fit will suit and is ALWAYS right! No need to ever shop anywhere else, ever again. D

Offers a bespoke, professional service. Fabulous experience to purchase goods where the team at Tallulah’s instinctively know what is going to embellish and suit your assets best!! Superb service with a smile!!
Tallulah is the only shop to get my lingerie – it’s so good to shop there that I travel especially, from Suffolk, a few times each year. It’s a real treat to get such personal and friendly service and wonderful lingerie. Can’t wait for my next visit JN


I’ve been going exclusively to Tallulah on Cross Street for seven years now. The shop is gorgeous, not to mention its collections. Bras, knickers, a handmade corset, silk nightgowns and dressing gowns, pyjamas, vests, swimsuits and bikinis, shower caps, silk eye masks, tights and stockings, hold-ups… I always to to Tallulah’s for all these things. I wouldn’t consider going anywhere else! I’m on friendly terms with the staff – who were inspired hiring choices – and the owner Nicola (who always fits my bras for me) and they’re all warm, caring, and full of expertise and experience. I just think it’s an amazing shop and a lovely place to be. You are guaranteed to walk out feeling sexy, in whatever way that translates for you. Nicola always texts when she has stock in she thinks I’ll like (she knows my taste very well by now) and advises my husband come birthdays and Christmas! Nicola fitted my bras throughout pregnancy and breast feeding (including sleeping bras which became needed!). Nicola advised / warned me about the changes I could expect with pregnancy and post having a baby. And throughout my severe post-natal depression, Nicola, Marine, Amy and Sanchia were genuinely caring and supportive. They always ask how I’m doing and we always end up chatting. I can’t say enough about how special I think this little treasure of a shop is, with its extensive and ever-changing stock to suit all sizes and tastes. I would also mention that on two occasions I’ve gone against Nicola’s advice and bought a bra she advised didn’t fit me quite right and would be uncomfortable, just because of how pretty they were, and both times I’ve regretted it. I don’t go against her advice any more!  LK
I have not shopped anywhere else since I found this little gem, who provided the most comfortable and elegant girlie wears. A


Tallulah Lingerie rock, They have a wide variety of stylish comfortable clothing backed up with the most polite, helpful and knowledgeable staff. I now feel I know more about lingerie than a lot of women and in the process I have certainly got into the girlfriends good book. Yippeee. Thanks Tallulah x

Fantastic selection of unusual and exquisite lingerie, wonderful patient and creative staff and a fabulous environment. Head and shoulders above the generic mediocrity that sadly we are all accustomed to. SR



Some photos of Tallulah over the years, look how she has grown up ... and filled up!

Starting with the mood board....


                              


Tallulah in 2003


Tallulah recently captured by our resident photographer Mark Whitfield.



Whether you have been a fellow lingerie lover from the very beginning or found us along the way we would love to invite you in to the boudoir to help celebrate our 16th anniversary ;


SATURDAY 16th NOVEMBER
 12 - 6

SUNDAY 17th NOVEMBER
12 - 5

Drinks will be served plus a very special 
Thank You 


So grab your girlfriend and swing by for a glass, some love, laughs and a lingerie fix with that special Thank You from Tallulah.







Really hope we see you over the weekend lingerie loves.
If you are on our mailing list then over the next few days we will be sending out your personal invite via text message.

Thank you for reading.



One more photo from our opening party 16 years ago...




Until next time... T x






Thursday 10 October 2019

Autumn In Islington



Thursday 17th October...

Another blog post in quick concession, 
the last blog post was a little teaser to this one…

Gina snakeskin silk with Luna alpaca v-neck knit

Autumn in Islington is beautiful. The tree lined streets have started to change colours from the succulent green to crisp red and pink ivy leaves creating a wonderful mood board and our inspiration for the collections in the boudoir right now.
Taking inspiration from nature and our natural surroundings in our local neighbourhood.
The long stretch out cold evenings are rapidly drawing in, isn’t it time you thought about your winter loungewear wardrobe?

 Working with nightwear designers from all over the world we get to offer you the very best there is in the world of lingerie and here we introduce you to our carefully selected 

 'Silk  Collection’ 


All of our silks are 100% silk, be it silk satin, chiffon, crepe, printed, piped or plain all 100% silk, a natural and beautiful material to wear day and night.



Starting with Christine Silks from 
Vancouver - we are the only European stockist of her beautiful glamour gown and have it offered in two lengths and a myriad of colours. Found on our travels around the world back in 2008 and bought to you in our Islington boudoir and online boutique. Wonderful to lounge and sleep in and amazing to wear out as a dress with heels for a glamorous evening or biker boots and a cashmere chunky knit for the school run! 


Silk and Alpaca




They come with a cheeky warning... once you have had one of these silk gowns, you will want another and another as so many of our lovely ladies have over the years. They are truly and utterly wonderful and something you will wear and treasure and wear even more.


Christine silk gown with Luna alpaca cardigan



Next is Ginia, an Australian Brand that has been creating simple and elegant shapes for over 40 years and probably our number one shape in the slip dress. Easy to wear day to night as outerwear or indeed underwear, especially in these colder months having a silk slip under your dress is key and of course perfect to lounge and sleep in. 






Ginia silk slip dress



Now for Marjolaine who are regarded as one of the true finest french nightwear brands and have been for over 70 years. Using only the finest french silks and Chantilly laces to create unique and timeless ‘works of art for the body'. 


Marjolaine silk and Lace slip



Last but by no means least is our Italian Independent family run business, Clara Rossi. All designed and made in their atelier in Florence using traditional sewing techniques passed on through the generations. Here we have the found to be the best classic pj shape, and they really know how to do a print. Each and every piece is bespoke to Tallulah.

Clara Rossi Rose print Robe with Marjolaine silk and lace slip




So there is a little in sight to the ‘Silk Collection’ - we love editing the collections to bring to you, carefully and meticulously choosing the silk colours and lace trims to offer you lots of choice in our favourite tried and tested shapes.
 Never following the fashion trends, just setting our own !!

Now to the main part of this blog....

You are warmly invited to Tallulah’s Pyjama and Prosecco Party

Don't worry you don't have to wear your PJs just bring them along to be donated!

Thursday 17th October 
     2-8pm


Clara Rossi Rose Print


Bring a pair of PJs, nightie or slip along on the 17th and we will DONATE them to a local charity and as a Thank You for your donation and for one night only you will receive 10% off any new sleepwear pieces including anything from the
 ‘Silk Collection’ mentioned above.

Also with every purchase you will be entered in a very special prize draw we have organised with the help of some of our sleepwear suppliers who have very kindly sent in gifts for you to win.
Jessica Russell Flint
Cosabella
Marjolaine
Ginia
Donna Karan
Aubade

Winners will be notified within a few days, be sure to leave your details with us.
 


Ginia and Aubade sheer slips



The fun does not end there, our wonderful neighbours, Neal's Yard Islington have offered VIP shopping cards with a very generous discount for our Tallulah customers of 15% off plus lots of relaxing and sleep inducing natural products at the event for you.

Throughout the day and into the evening we will be burning the calming and soothing ‘Womens Balance’ oil from Neal's Yard and of course serving drinks.



So whilst you are doing a good thing of donating to a local women’s charity you will be rewarded with a special discount off new sleepwear AND drinks AND a chance to win 1 of 6 gifts, so a pretty good thing say, don't you?


Really hope you can make it. Please spread the word, the more that come and donate some PJs or nightie the more we can donate to charity.

Marjolaine silk outfit


This would be a great chance to bring along any unwanted bras to- don’t forget we collect these for Charity all year round, everyday you can drop off any gently worn bras you no longer wear.  


Christine blush full length gown


Hope to see you Lingerie loves 
In The Boudoir
on

THURSDAY 17th OCTOBER 
2 - 8 pm

Donate a pair of PJs or and sleepwear and receive 10% off 


xx

- 65 Cross St. Islington. London. N1 2BB -

Gina lace trimming


More details over on Instagram