About Us
Frankie and Ruby started out as a personal styling business based in Berkshire. Started in 2011 by personal stylist Victoria Lochhead, we've always had a passion for showing our clients and customers the wonders of shopping for treasure from all kinds of second hand sources.
But in 2014, after seeing inside so many clients wardrobes, we decided to open a dress agency; a place to help our customers sell the clothes they don't wear, and a place to introduce new customers to the idea of pre-loved clothes from great labels.
In our dress agency, we look for pre-loved clothes in perfect (or near perfect) condition. Our clothing is given to us to sell on behalf of our sellers, and we split any sale proceeds with them. We like to have a range of items available, some high end High Street labels and a bit of designer excitement - we try to look for things that are more everyday wear with a touch of luxury so we look out for great fabrics, good workmanship and well thought out designs.
Up until Coronavirus struck, all our clothes sales happened in person and at pop up shop events in local cafes, so 2020 has been the year we took our dress agency online. Wanting to deliver a great service for customers who want to browse and buy preloved clothes from home, our aims are to keep things as personal as possible. We aim to offer:
- the option for local collection and return rather than posting
- plastic free packaging materials (or we use recycled plastic bags)
- items to be photographed in different lights to give as good an indication of colour as is possible on screen.
- items are measured so that potential customers can use real measurements as a guide to determine if something will be likely to fit
- a description of each item which may include styling ideas on how to wear it
- a picture of the label showing the fabric composition and the care label.
- a quality control check and complete honesty in the description if anything is less than 100% perfect
- a no quibble refund policy if something isn't right
- a complimentary personal styling picked for you try on service for anyone who isn't sure what to go for, or would like to try some clothes handpicked by a stylist for them.
As well as an online dress agency, Victoria offers personal styling sessions with a focus on sustainability. Our online courses & classes show clients how to squeeze every ounce of love from what they already have in their wardrobe at home, and we run regular workshops and personal styling events and activities. Victoria has written a book In the Jumble about the joys of finding, buying and wearing second hand clothes which you can purchase here or on Amazon (paperback and kindle versions available).
About Victoria
Hi! I'm Tor and I run Frankie & Ruby.....
I have always loved being a personal stylist and helping my clients feel more confident in their choices. This has led me to travel, running workshops, consultations and speaking events as well as creating courses and classes online. What makes me get out of bed is my customers - I just love meeting and listening to other women who want to feel more empowered and authentic in what they wear, to keep that sense of self in amongst the busy lives we all lead.
Having been introduced to jumble sales and charity shops from a young age, I am passionate about sustainability, and how I can introduce others to finding treasure in charity shops, as well as wearing and loving more of what they already have hanging in the wardrobe at home. After a year of not buying any new clothes back in 2014, I wrote a booked called 'In the Jumble' to share my tips and I offer lots of courses and classes online to help people discover the joys of finding beautiful sustainable preloved treasures. I like nothing better than a rummage around the charity shops and finding something special for someone.
As well as running the dress agency online, I am an author and speaker on sustainable style and have been featured in the Daily Record Newspaper, Good Housekeeping magazine, Newbury Weekly News, Out and About magazine, The Reading Chronicle, and Berkshire Life magazine. I have been interviewed on BBC Radio Berkshire by Anne Diamond, Debbie McGee, and Paul Ross as well as appearances on Kennet Radio. You can read our blog on sustainable style and preloved clothing.
I also work with charities to help promote preloved clothing and their charity shops, from speaking at events and fashion shows to promoting their shops on social media and creating styling videos on youtube.