Shrewsbury schoolgirl takes her clothing business to the heart of London's fashion scene
A Shropshire entrepreneur aged just 15 has been spending the last two weeks selling her own clothing line in one of the country's leading fashion centres.
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Jemima Neal, who is a pupil at Shrewsbury School, has rented a shop for a fortnight in London's Kings Road, famed for housing fashion figures such as Mary Quant and Vivienne Westwood.
The Shropshire teen launched her own fashion label Mima Rose last August when she was just 14 years old, and began selling her designs via Instagram and TikTok.
And the success led to her last week renting a pop-up shop in the heart of London's West End.
“It started last year when I realised I needed a hobby. We don't do fashion at Shrewsbury School but I have been really interested in teenage fashion and I saw a gap in the market for cheap teenage clothes, so went for it.
“I find a design I like on Shutterstock, I prepare a CAD drawing which I send to a manufacturer who produces the clothes. I then sell mainly on Instagram and Tik Tok.
“It has been really successful. I have been selling all over the country and online to America and Europe.”
The budding businesswoman, who has not even sat her GCSEs yet, says she has the backing of dad Sam and mum Charlotte, who also recently started a new business designing and selling lampshades.
“They have been really supportive. When I saw this pop-up shop was free in August I asked them about it and didn't think they would say yes, but here I am.”
She said after opening the pop-up shop on Monday, there were queues lining the street outside. She has even been asked to give inspirational talks to other young people after customers heard how young she was.
“We had 90 people waiting on our first day and it has been very busy since - we haven't had a quiet day yet. I'm here until September 1 and then the next day, I am back at school.
“I've had mums come in and ask me to do Q&As with groups of children, which is nice.”
She added she would be keen to continue with her business after her exams but want to get her GCSEs out the way first.
“I'd like to carry on with it, but I have my GCSEs next year, but I have not spent any of the money I've made yet and have put in a savings account.”
If you are interested in Jemima Neal's clothing brand Mima Rose, visit https://www.instagram.com/mima_rose_uk/
