6 Women-Owned Boutiques We Love

Trouva celebrates every single woman that makes up its rich community, from the savvy and inspiring boutique owners keeping high streets thriving, to the creative small makers crafting unique products our customers love. With over 63% of the boutiques in Trouva’s community being women-owned, it’s fair to say we champion women every day of the year.

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2023, join us as we spotlight 6 boutique stories, from mother-daughter businesses to those supporting their local communities in inspiring ways, from the women supporting sustainable practices to founders fighting for a fair living wage.

London-based social-impact boutique So Just Shop, co-founded by Jennifer Georgeson and Aqsa Khan, curates a range of ethically sourced homeware and lifestyle accessories, all handcrafted by female artisans around the world.

Working with 50 artisan groups across 20 countries and 3 continents, So Just Shop’s products are made by women in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Many of the cooperatives they work with provide women with literacy and numeracy lessons, creches and education for their children and extended family, as well as a legal and safe form of employment that pays them a fair living wage.

With the aim of making sustainable products accessible, wearable, and affordable, every piece, from its woven home decor to silver jewellery, is recycled, up-cycled or made of sustainable materials.

Headed up by Fran Bailey and her daughters Alice and Maddie, south London-based boutique Forest houses an abundance of greenery as well as sustainable homeware and lifestyle products including skincare, home fragrance and soft furnishings.

Aside from their expertly curated shop floor, Fran and Alice use their space to educate and inspire their community with a host of workshops on plant care, flower arranging, macrame and aromatherapy candle making, often in collaboration with other small businesses they love.

Blomma Beauty founder Karen MacDonald opened her King’s Cross boutique in 2020, set to spotlight small batch and sustainable skincare makers from the UK. After finding it hard to unearth impartial advice and skincare that delivered on its claims, Karen knew that there was a gap in the market to create a welcoming and relaxing environment in which customers could try out better-for-the-planet products and take away insights they could trust.

Curating a comprehensive edit of brands with brilliant credentials, Blomma Beauty cuts through the noise of the skincare industry, offering an extensive curation of products and in-store facials, consultations and events.

Nestled among the ancient walls of the scenic Italian city of Como is DEP Design Store, founded by Doriana de Petris in 1998.Wanting to create a unique space to express her passion for contemporary interior design, the attention to detail that Doriana uses is clear.

Every single item in the store feels like it belongs. The store was created by combining two apartments, retaining its open house-like feel and showcasing its products in context, inspiring customers with its gallery-come-home settings.

From statement vases from Guaxs to playful Ichendorf Milano glassware, you’re bound to find something unique and exciting for your next home refresh.

Bideford-based Sunshine and Snow, the brainchild of India Snow, is the most colourful spot on its high street. Aiming to bring a little Mediterranean sun to the cornish coast, Sunshine and Snow curates a mix of bold colour and boho-inspired elements from the likes of sustainable homeware brand Afroart, Scandi household name Madam Stoltz as well as showcasing lesser known female-owned brands such as Cosmic Dealer, Scribble and Daub and Ottoman Hands.

Sunshine and Snow also hosts life drawing classes with cafe manager Faith and her mum, bringing together the community to inspire creativity and connect over a glass of wine.

Intrepid, founded by Clare Messer, is nestled within Scotland’s Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and was born out of sister business Intrepid:Scotland, an activity-based organisation hosting outdoor workshops on natural navigation, star gazing, campfire cooking and even wood whittling.

The boutique itself showcases a curation of home and lifestyle products set to elevate your outdoor adventures. From camping essentials to cycling equipment and weatherproof clothing, Clare’s curation inspires the adventurer in all.