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Childrensalon

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Childrensalon
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail Fashion
Founded1952 (1952)
Headquarters
Royal Tunbridge Wells
,
United Kingdom
Area served
Global
Key people
Michèle Harriman-Smith (CEO)
Revenue£80 million (2016)
Number of employees
400
Websitewww.childrensalon.com

Childrensalon is a British retailer and manufacturer of high-end fashion and luxury clothes for children. It is based in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England. The company was founded in 1952.[1]

History

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Childrensalon was founded in 1952 by Sybil Harriman in a workroom at her house.[2] Before creating the business, she pleated, smocked and remade old fabrics into clothes for her children.[2]

That year, Sybil Harriman created the brand, Joy Models (named after her daughter, Joy) and rented a shop premises. Her husband Rene conceived the name The Children's Salon (the French word for boutique).

Sybil Harriman soon began wholesaling imported French brands, also adding Fair Isle knits and Harris tweed coats, wool kilts from Scotland and Irish Linens from Ireland.

At some point, Sybil Harriman decided to concentrate on her retail outlet, the Children's Salon. In the 1960s, The Children's Salon moved to larger premises. In the late 1970s, Sybil Harriman's daughter, Michele Harriman joined the company.

In the late 1990s Michèle Harriman and her husband George Smith began planning an eCommerce website for the company. In 1999, The Children Salon website was launched.

In 2006, the company name was changed to Childrensalon. During this time, the company suffered 25% of orders being cancelled through lack of stock plus at one time a complete loss of all 25,000 images from the website. Childrensalon was forced to upgrade from its home-made website on a shared server operating from a barn in Eridge, Tunbridge Wells.

In April 2017, Childrensalon launched an Outlet website, initially called The Petit Outlet.[3][4] In 2018, this was renamed to the Childrensalon Outlet.

Operation

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Childrensalon is a family-owned business with its head office and distribution warehouses in Royal Tunbridge Wells.[5] It employs approximately 600 members of staff who speak over 25 languages.[6]

Financials

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Revenues in 2017 rose 27% to £80.1 million up from £63 million in 2016.[7][8] More than 80% of Childrensalon's revenue are generated from sales outside the UK.[9][10]

Recognition

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  • 2016 Drapers Digital Awards: Best Multichannel Retailer – £25m-£200m Turnover[11]
  • 2016 Pitti Bimbo: Top 10 Children's Fashion Retailers[12][13]
  • 2016 UK Private Business Awards: Private Business Woman of the Year Finalist[14]
  • 1000 Companies to inspire Britain 2015[15]
  • 2016 Drapers Independent Awards: Highly Commended for Best Customer Experience in an Independent Retailer[16]
  • KEIBA 2016: Customer Service & Commitment Award[17]
  • 2016 Kent Digital Awards: Gold Award for Online Retailer[18]
  • 2016 The Sunday Times BDO International Track 200: 66th place[19]
  • 2016 The Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100: 45th place[20]
  • 2015 The Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100: 10th place[9]
  • 2015 The Sunday Times BDO International Track 250: 48th place[21]
  • 2015 The Sunday Times BDO Fast Track 100: 77th place[8]
  • 2015 50 Fastest growing businesses in Kent: 4th place[22]
  • 2012 Drapers and Retail Week PayPal Etail Awards: Best Customer Experience Award[23]
  • 2012 Drapers and Retail Week PayPal Etail Awards: Overall Award for Excellence[24]
  • 2012 Drapers and Retail Week PayPal Etail Awards: Overall Award for Excellence[25]

References

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  1. ^ Price, Chris (19 December 2014). "The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 features Chartway Group in Maidstone and Childrensalon in Tunbridge Wells". Kent Online. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Kid's Wear – Childrensalon – Royal Tunbridge Wells". kidswear-magazine.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Childrensalon launches outlet site 13 APRIL 2017BY TARA HOUNSLEA". 13 April 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Childrensalon launches Petit Outlet". Exquisite Concierge. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Childrensalon Company Details". The Times. Profit Track 100. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  6. ^ "The Drapers Interview: Michele Harriman-Smith on how Childrensalon's website became a window to the world". 14 June 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  7. ^ TWK. "Childrensalon – Fast Track". Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  8. ^ a b "2015 The Sunday Times BDO Fast Track 100". fasttrack.co.uk. Fast Track. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  9. ^ a b "2015 The Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100". fasttrack.co.uk. Fast Track. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  10. ^ TWK. "Childrensalon – Fast Track". Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  11. ^ "Winners 2016 | Drapers Digital Awards 2016". digitalawards.drapersonline.com. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  12. ^ "The special award by Pitti Immagine to the 10 international retailers that BOF has deemed 'the ones to watch'". Pitti Immagine. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Who's Tapping the Childrenswear Boom?". The Business of Fashion. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  14. ^ "Private Business Awards (PBA)". ukpba-awards.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  15. ^ "*1000 companies to inspire Britain 2015" (PDF). London Stock Exchange. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  16. ^ "The Hambledon wins top gong at the Drapers Independents Awards 2016". Drapers. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  17. ^ "Customer Service and Commitment – KEiBA". Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  18. ^ "Kent Digital Awards 2016: Winners celebrate at ceremony at Brands Hatch". Kent Live. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  19. ^ TWK. "Childrensalon – Fast Track". Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  20. ^ "2016 The Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100". fasttrack.co.uk. Fast Track. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  21. ^ "2015 The Sunday Times BDO International Track 250". fasttrack.co.uk. Fast Track. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  22. ^ "MegaGrowth 50 2015: The full list of the fastest-growing private companies in Kent". kentonline.co.uk. KM Group. November 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  23. ^ "Drapers and Retail Week PayPal Etail Awards: the winners". Drapers Online. EMAP Publishing Limited. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  24. ^ "In pictures: PayPal Etail Awards 2012 winners revealed". Retail Week. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  25. ^ "In pictures: PayPal Etail Awards 2012 winners revealed". Retail Week. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
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