Nestled among rows of honey-stoned independents in rural Rutland, you’d be forgiven for thinking Oakham’s Cavells was just another small-town boutique. Yet step into its unassuming façade and you’re met with 6,500sq ft of shop floor space set across multiple rooms and passages. Inside, shoppers can find everything from pop-bright dresses and knitwear to rainbow-hued footwear, Scandi hair accessories and locally sourced socks. “It’s a bit like a Tardis,” says Charlotte Burrows, who’s been a buyer for the store for the past 21 years. “People are often surprised by its sheer scale the first time they see what’s inside.”
The building itself is steeped in history. Owned by the same family for 130 years, it was originally an agricultural supplier for animal feed, which Mill Street – where it resides on – was later named after. Today the original owner’s great-great grandson Corry Taylor is the proprietor, running several businesses spanning retail and fashion wholesale all under one roof.
Fashion dynasty
Taylor first took over the business from his father in the early 1990s, who had taken over from his own father before him. He’d spent some time living in California and returned to his hometown to launch an activewear brand inspired by his travels.
The brand got its first big break when Princess Diana was spotted in one of its leotards during one of her infamous visits to the Chelsea Harbour Club’s gym. “You can imagine his surprise to get to his little shop in Oakham to find 10,000 letters waiting for him – all from people wanting to buy a leotard,” says buyer Siobhan Patterson, who’s worked alongside Charlotte for the past four years. “He quickly realised that retail was the way to go to grow the business.”
Working with his then-wife, multi-branded fashion independent Cavells was born – named after Taylor’s great- great aunt, the hero WW1 nurse, Edith Cavell. It stocked a range of clothing labels sourced from around the world, including Schöffel Country – another brand launched by Taylor after he convinced the German ski brand to let him use its technology to create a warm shooting jacket.
Alongside Cavells, Taylor also owns outdoor clothing distributor Bradshaw Taylor, with all businesses operating from the same premises. In 2023, he partnered with Cotswolds-based indie Landmark to rebrand its menswear department, which now sits inside Cavells behind its own separate shop front. Meanwhile, there’s also an adjoining coffee shop – owned independently – with a door leading directly into the store, creating a comprehensive service for customers. “We like to think that Cavells offers the ultimate shopping experience,” says Burrows. “Customers will literally spend hours here with their husbands and dogs.”
Perfecting the edit
The product mix at Cavells is sourced entirely by Burrows and Patterson, who jointly select every product across menswear, womenswear, lifestyle and accessories. “We sit next to each other every day, go on all the buying trips together and bounce ideas off each other constantly,” says Patterson. “Charlotte has always worked in the independent world and knows every brand and agent. I come from a direct buying background, having worked for Tesco and Arcadia, so I’m used to negotiating with factories and working strategically. Our combination of skillsets complements each other perfectly.”
Cavells’ customer base is wide ranging, covering men and women of all ages, spanning locals, second homeowners and the area’s visitors. Its breadth is down to its location: a small market town in picturesque Rutland – England’s smallest county – that’s part of a little-known area coined ‘The Notswolds.’ “It’s just as pretty here as the Cotswolds, but we don’t get the coach parties of tourists,” says Patterson.
But Cavells’ customer base does share at least one thing in common: the desire for a curated product mix and memorable experience. “They want to take their time and enjoy shopping,” says Burrows. “That coupled with the unique curation we offer is the beauty of shopping with an independent.”
And there’s much to explore. Cavells carries a wide variety of categories and price points that’s carefully selected to appeal to all ages and budgets: “You can pick up a pretty hair clip for £4 or a beautiful coat for £900,” says Burrows. “We really do cater for everyone.”
Core brands include American Vintage “it sells every single day” alongside Vilagallo, Luisa Cerano, Essentiel Antwerp and Weekend Maxmara. “Never Fully Dressed has also been fantastic for us,” says Patterson. “It’s got really powerful marketing behind it and a strong online presence, which draws customers to us. That’s been invaluable.”
Denim is one of the indie’s best performers, with the buying team adopting a “good, better, best” pricing structure. Shoppers can choose quality jeans starting from £60 moving all the way up to £300 from brands such as Mos Mosh, NYDJ and Paige. Footwear is another fundamental category, with trainers, sandals and loafers on offer from the likes of Birkenstock, Hoff and Paul Green.
Elsewhere, the team “sprinkles on” gifting options to elevate each season edit: “Shoppers can buy birthday presents, something for their dog or just a little guilt-free treat for themselves,” says Patterson. “Those are the fun little add-ons we select that bring everything together to create a mix customers won’t find anywhere else.”
Shoppers perusing the numerous rooms at Cavells will find one thing missing, however – and that’s anything in black. “It just doesn’t sell,” says Patterson. “Cavells is known for colour – and it’s what our customers want. There’s no point fighting that.”
Bright ideas
Currently, buy-now-wear-now pieces have been doing well at the store as customers transition into spring. Brightly coloured cashmere has been “flying off the rails,” alongside versatile pieces that can be worn in multiple ways. “Customers are fed up with winter now and they’re ready to change things up. Layering pieces are key. They’re really considering cost-per-wear value too.”
As well as the edit, creating the right shopping environment is crucial. “We’ve got an amazing group of women on the shop floor who are absolutely product-obsessed,” says Burrows. “They take time with customers. It’s that personal experience and also a feeling of calm and space.” Patterson adds: “People can really have fun with the collections. Our displays are inspiring – the merchandising, the colour, the furniture – it’s all curated, and you can really feel the passion behind the team.”
The buyers deliver staff training at the beginning of each season, taking those working on the shop floor through brand stories and outfitting so they can dress customers from head to toe. “We really appreciate the craftsmanship that’s gone into a product and it’s important that they understand too,” says Patterson. “If you really believe in the pieces like we do, that can be explained to customers so they can fully appreciate their value.”
Patterson and Burrows purposely create full looks each season when planning their edits, selecting a statement skirt, for example, alongside three different options of tops. “We want every piece to work hard in a wardrobe. Customers don’t want to save things for best anymore, so if someone buys a £300 Paige jean, they can pair it with a £40 tee or elevate it for a special occasion.”
New season
For AW26, the buyers report an “exciting and successful” season, with trips to Who’s Next, Ciff, Scoop and Top Drawer. “We also do lots of showroom appointments – we try to see all the collections. Even if we don’t buy it, we need to know what’s out there.”
Weekend MaxMara was particularly strong, they say, with strong adjacencies to Claudia Winkleman’s wardrobe on The Traitors. “There are three amazing themes that really capture what the trends are for the season,” says Patterson. “We’ve bought into brown and plaid, but in a way our customers will be able to wear it. I can’t wait to see it in store.”
Elsewhere, the team picked up a new French cashmere brand, a British occasionwear label and a feminine daywear collection from Holland. They are still, however, on the hunt for well- made structured dresses – a store category that needs strengthening since Samantha Cameron’s Cefinn brand folded. “That was a really great fit for us, and we’ve sadly struggled to replace that gap.”
Brand longevity really matters to Cavells’ buyers while a supplier has got to deliver standout winter and summer collections equally. The pair also say minimums can literally make or break a buying decision: “We don’t buy deep because the beauty of being independent is once it’s gone, it’s gone,” says Burrows. Patterson adds: “Brands have to be flexible on minimums, and ideally offer a good B2B platform so we can buy in- season. I also negotiate hard on payment terms; I’m never afraid to ask.”
The buyers are also never afraid to take a risk. Each edit is formed on instinct and previous sales data, “but we don’t focus too much on the numbers because we know how things change.” Some of their seasonal budget is also purposely side-lined for less safe pieces. “Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t,” says Burrows. “We were too quick to jump on horseshoe jeans, for example, while Celia B didn’t resonate with
our customers. But we can’t only offer safe clothing. It might be that our online customers will buy it instead, or we’ll use it for the window to drive more people inside.”
Community spirit
The physical store is still the main focus for Cavells, with e-commerce making up around 20 per cent of its overall revenue. “Everything is done in-house. Social media is important because we’re in a small market town and not on a busy high street, so we need to attract new customers and create the storytelling around Cavells to make people come to us. We also use it to build community and connect with customers.”
Shopping events are another fundamental part of its overall strategy, and its team runs regular in-store gatherings to build loyalty. Brands will often support the team with fashion shows and incentives: “Some suppliers are amazing with this, and that support really matters when you’re an independent,” says Burrows. “Luisa Cerano has hosted a fashion show, Paige has given us freebies for customers and Date has offered incentives for sales staff. That supplier support makes a real difference.”
Last year the team introduced the Cavells Brunch Club, which has been successful for driving footfall and retaining loyalty. The event is open to all but with only 30 tickets up for grabs, it sells out fast. Entry includes a grazing table with locally made produce as well as an informal fashion show. “It always has such a great buzz,” says Patterson. “There’s a stylist talking through the outfits and people are free to look closer and touch the clothes – it’s very tactile. Our ladies will drink fizz, buy a new outfit, or have the confidence to try a new trend another time.”
Above and beyond
Of course, the Cavells’ team is facing multiple challenges like many other fashion independents. Burrows and Patterson cite price and shipping costs as the main pressures – “we don’t want to pass these onto the customers” – as well as the UK’s often unpredictable weather. “Winter in particular is tough. October can be boiling; November is when everyone’s discounting and December is all about gifting. Then by January, when it’s freezing, you’re already in sale. It’s a short window so we need stock in early so we have time to sell it.”
The main focus for Cavells’ buyers for the next 12 months is to “keep doing what we do best” while also introducing new brands and initiatives to gain new customers. This will include a store refresh as well as a new denim destination in partnership with Mos Mosh, which is set to be installed imminently. “We want to build on what we’ve already got,” says Patterson. “The business is evolving all the time – that never stops. We’re constantly looking for new brands to keep our offer fresh and exciting, our events calendar is looking strong, and we want to introduce a loyalty scheme. There’s lots going on.”
Burrows concludes: “The challenges are ever present in fashion retail. But standing out in everything we do and making sure we’re offering the very best curation and experience will always be our number one priority.”
And that commitment is exactly what keeps its customers returning. From the outside, Cavells may appear to be just another shop on Oakham’s Mill Street. Yet step inside and it becomes clear why shoppers are happy to browse the rails within its airy rooms for hours.