Donna Ida Thornton has created a jean empire
Donna Ida Thornton is often hailed as the Queen of Jeans and it’s all down to her denim empire that she built from the ground up.
Donna’s hard work and determination prove that she is a fashion and business icon, definitely someone women should be listening too and taking advice from.
Donna will also be taking part in the upcoming Inside Out Victoria festival of events celebrating the recent transformation of Victoria from 2nd – 5th October, where she will be sharing her denim insight at a denim workshop as well as a Q&A about her business and inspiration.
Ahead of the event we spoke to Donna about her business, which started as just one boutique in 2006 , to three stand-alone shops and an online platform today.
She has built the ultimate denim destination curating the modern wardrobe.
Tell us a little about the Inside Out Victoria event you’re getting involved with?
I’m so excited about the events celebrating Victoria’s current makeover, with the shops, restaurants, cultural hotspots and entertainment destinations of SW1 opening up their doors for this one special weekend. Victoria is a real fashion hub, but don’t take my word for it, that’s a quote from Vogue. It’s quickly becoming a lifestyle destination, and that’s one of the reasons why I chose it as a location for my Elizabeth Street boutique.
Starting this Thursday 2nd until Sunday 5th October, Inside Out Victoria will give Londoners an exclusive ‘backstage’ view of everything on offer in and around Victoria. Some of the biggest names from across Victoria’s thriving music, art, food and fashion scenes will be taking part, including my own boutique, St James Theatre, Curzon Victoria, and The Vincent Rooms. I’m honoured to be one of the headlining events!
Why did you want to get involved with this?
Donna Ida started when I realised there was a gap in the market for a great selection in denim combined with fashion insight and the support of great customer service. Specialised shops didn’t have the selection I was looking for, and the big department stores had a great selection but the service left a lot to be desired. One day after discussing with a friend, she suggested that I follow through with the idea to fill that gap. It still astounds me that that one idea transformed into three stand-alone boutiques in London (one of the most exclusive shopping destinations in Europe) along with an online retail shop.
The start of the AW14 season is a great time to introduce the area’s lifestyle offering to London! To share this story, I’ll be hosting a free fashion talk on Friday at 5:30pm at my Elizabeth Street boutique. Along with AW14 trends, I’ll be sharing fashion insights and talking about the in’s and out’s of starting your own business.
Building your business, what did you find to be the most difficult thing?
I think the hardest thing is growing the business while keeping the heart of it alive, and making sure it’s consistent across boutiques and the online platform. When you have one boutique, you’re there day in and day out and it’s as simple as that. When you have three, as well as an online store, it’s not as easy! It’s meant I’ve needed to spend a lot of time hand-picking the people that work at Donna Ida, so the brand is constantly evolving in the retail and fashion landscapes, but staying true to its heritage.
What advice would you tell your younger self if you were just starting out?
I’d tell my younger self to have faith, no matter what, and trust my own instincts. Making decisions was difficult in the beginning, and I felt like I was being pulled in so many different directions. But now I see that the times I followed my own instinct and did exactly what I felt was right, things tended to work out in the end exactly as I needed them to.
Finally, what are your ultimate fashion tips for shopping for jeans?
It’s so important to find the right fit so you feel comfortable. It was the same idea that launched the series of Donna Ida boutiques, and that’s the main thing to consider above the trends. Still, we all want to mix it up and for AW14, ripped jeans are the statement pair to have, so make sure you have a pair of those to style with some flats for work, or strappy heels for a girls’ night out!
For more information on the Donna Ida Q&A and to book tickets please visit www.createvictoria.com/insideout. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on all the Inside Out Victoria events facebook.com/createvictoria and @CreateVictoria . For more information on Donna Ida, please visit www.donnaida.com.