Retro Lingerie in Glasgow
Profile of Betsey la Belle, a Boutique Selling Kitsch Underwear
Aug 10, 2009
Hayley MacLellan is lovely. Her lingerie boutique is lovely. Its name, Betsy La Belle, is lovely. Fitting, as lovely appears to be MacLellan’s favourite word, at least when it comes to describing her business venture, which saw her swap the daily drudge of a social work career for days spent surrounded by burlesque corsets and silk knickers.
MacLellan, aged 26, had wanted to go into social work from an early age, but found the career to be hard-going and stressful. “I just did one too many child protection cases. I was just constantly battling with people, parents and management. And I just thought, wouldn’t it be lovely to do something lovely?”
And therein lies Betsy La Belle, the product of MacLellan’s lovely idea. A retro lingerie boutique tucked away near the bottom of Byres Road in Glasgow, selling all manner of silks and satins and ribbons and lace to turn any girl into a glamorous starlet.
An Intimate Setting
Entering the store is like walking into a 1940s film star’s dressing room. Kitsch bird patterned wallpaper, retro furniture, fairy lights and swathes of luxurious fabrics fill the tiny shop and set off her retro wares perfectly.
And there sits MacLellan herself, behind her counter which is in fact an old cocktail cabinet with its legs chopped off. She looks as if she belongs there. Dressed simply in a knee-length skirt and a jumper, the details – leopard-print tights and a vintage brooch – add a hint of glamour. With long, glossy dark hair tied to the side, a slash of eyeliner, and a girlish laugh, she looks as if she too came straight from the forties.
Retro Vintage Boutique
Her idea came from her obvious love of vintage fashion, coupled with a gap in the market for affordable, yet chic underwear. And her frustrations with social work pushed her forward, resulting in her opening the store within just four months.
“You know when you get an idea, you just eat, sleep and breathe the idea? My poor boyfriend – I’d be waking him up at 3am to tell him another idea I’d had.” Yet while her enthusiasm for the venture was obvious, she faced hurdles along the way. Advisors at Business Gateway, the government organisation that helps new start-up businesses, were less than supportive.
“They told me I was too adventurous, and that I should just start with lingerie parties. They basically said that I was a fish out of water.”
Whether they were put off by MacLellan’s girlish exterior is questionable, but her appearance belies a determined and intelligent businesswoman underneath.
Undeterred by the lack of help from Business Gateway, she secured two bank loans and started the business on her own. Her determination to see the venture through is commendable – sleepless nights over her business plan, 14-hours days fitting out and decorating the shop with only her father to help, and endless hours trawling the internet for ideas for her shop’s name. She and her fiancé also had to move into his parents’ home and rent out their own flat to get by. Yet while MacLellan acknowledges that things have been hard, her passion for her business is palpable.
The Burlesque Scene
“It’s knackering, but it’s fine. If this was just a job that I sat in six days a week I’d kill myself I think, but when it’s your own you just get so enthusiastic about it.”
Her resolve has paid off, and Betsy La Belle is already building up a stellar reputation thanks to the growth of the burlesque scene.
Designer Sleep Masks, Garter Belts and Corsets
So what’s next for MacLellan and Betsy La Belle? A sensible, slow-paced build-up of her name, by the looks of things.
“My first year plan was just to get open, and my second year was to start developing my own brand.”
So it seems MacLellan will not be moving from her place behind the cocktail cabinet any time soon. Yet she refuses to rule out an eventual return to her social work career.
“Well, never say never! At the age of 25, to give it all in was a bit sad. I don’t know if it’s something I’ll ever go back to, but not for the near future anyway.”
And so off goes the lovely Hayley MacLellan, with a final girlish laugh, to serve her lovely customers. And as they wander around her glamorous boudoir, I’m sure they’re hoping she doesn’t go back too soon either.
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