Very good companies for the girl about town
The Dressing Room
The Dressing Room in St Albans is a multi award winning boutique, mixing established fashion labels with niche brands and local designers.
- Best Independent Retailer of the Year and Womenswear Retailer of the Year - Drapers Fashion Awards 2011
- Best New Business - Drapers Fashion Awards 2006
- Independent Womenswear Retailer of the Year - Drapers Fashion Awards 2009
Dorothy Perkins
Online retailer offering women and girls clothing, women shoes, fashion accessories for women, swimwear, bags, maternity clothing and many more items
- Best for bags - Cosmopolitan Magazine Click Fix Online Awards 2008
- Highly commended a 'most ethical e-tailer for Woodland Trust Initiative'- Cosmopolitan Magazine Click Fix Online Awards 2008
- Winner - Best workwear - Cosmopolitan Fashion Awards 2010
- Highly commended e-tailer blog - Dorothy Perkins - Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2010 winners
- Shortlisted - High Street Retailer of the Year - Drapers Fashion Awards 2011
The Real Flower Company
The company is dedicated to the small scale production of flowers that will fill your senses with their unique look, texture and exquisite scent. Also operates a shop in Selfridges, London
- Winner of a RHS Certificate of Commendation for stand presentation at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2011
- Winner of the Cut Flower Grower of the Year - Grower of the Year Awards 2009
- Best Emerging British Luxury Brand at The Walpole Awards for Excellence 2009 and winner of Walpole Brands of Tomorrow 2008
- The Independent - 2008 - 'The 50 Best Florists'- The Real Flower Company were number 1 in the list of the 50 best florists
Karen Millen
Fashion designer of distinctive clothing and accessories for the girls and women of today - The label's signature knits, coats, polished tailoring and stunning eveningwear focus on beautiful fabrics and immaculate finishes
- Best Premium Brand - GMTV High Street Fashion Awards 2009
- Winner - Hottest Partywear - Cosmopolitan Online Fashion Awards 2009 and 2010
- Winner - Lust - Have Designer - Cosmopolitan Fashion Awards 2011 winners
Demarquette
Fine chocolates of the highest quality hand made by award-winning British chocolatier Marc Demarquette using traditional artisan techniques, available online or in his West London Chocolaterie on the Fulham road, Chelsea.
- 5 Gold Awards - Great Taste Awards 2009 - the Guild of Fine Foods
- Winner of 10 Great Taste Awards 2010 incl. three 3 Star awards
- Awarded 4 medals at the Chocolate Awards during the 2006 Chocolate Week - Academy of Chocolate
- Gold and two Silver Awards - 2011 Academy of Chocolate Awards
- Best Speciality from the South East - Golden Fork trophy - Great Taste Awards 2011
Schuh
One of the leaders of UK fashion footwear industry recognised as one of the most innovative independent footwear retailers, not only on the high street but online too
- Winner Young Fashion Footwear Retailer of the Year and Highly Commended Multiple Footwear Retailer of the Year - Drapers Footwear Awards 2009
- Best Multichannel Retailer - Drapers Etail Awards 2010
- Multiple Footwear Retailer of the Year - Drapers Footwear Awards 2010 and 2011
- Footwear Etailer of the Year - Drapers Awards 2011
The Gourmet Cupcake Company
Lovingly creating delicious handmade cupcakes for every occasion. Cupcakes made for: baby showers, corporate events, weddings, birthdays etc. Delivers cupcakes throughout the UK. Also offers cupcake classes, cupcake kits and cupcake cases
- Clients of the Gourmet Cupcake Company have left some comments about the good customer service they received - click here for details
- Triple Winner - Iron Cupcake competition - London - August 2009: Eton Mess cupcakes - November 2009: Spice Girls cupcakes and December 2009: Chocolate marshmallow coconut snowballs cupcake ; Winner - iron cupcake - london - May 2010 - Professional co
- Finalist - Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Essex Business Excellence Awards 2010
Kurt Geiger
UK's largest luxury shoe retailer offering a large choice in designer shoes including Kurt Geiger's own brands as well as Gucci, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, Mark Jacobs, Christian Louboutin, Edward Green, John Lobb
- Voted 'Coolest Shoe Brand' by Vogue readers in 2007
- Best Shoe Shop - Time Out Shopping Awards 2008
- Shortlist - Footwear Retailer of the Year - Retail Birmingham Awards 2011
Botanicals
Retailer of a range of personal care products based on the fruits of Mother Nature - with a team dedicated to providing the best products with the best service and at the best prices
- Best Organic Facial Product - Soil Association Organic Awards 2010 announced at the Natural and Organic Products Europe Show
- Best Organic Body Care Product - Soil Association Organic Awards 2010 announced at the Natural and Organic Products Europe Show 2010
hob salons
UK group of 18-strong hairdressing salons offering a wide range of hair care services including cut, colour and styling services in London, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Essex and Leeds
- London Hairdresser of the Year 2009 (Darren Bain); British Hairdresser of the Year 2008 and 2009 (Akin Konizi) ; Artistic Team of the Year 2008 and 2009 - British Hairdressing Awards
- Regional Salon Group of the Year - Hair Magazine Awards 2008 and 2009
- Fellowship Hairdresser of the Year (Akin Konzini) - Fellowship for British Hairdressing Awards 2007
- Artistic Team of the Year (HOB Creative Team; Schwarzkopf Professional Colour Technician of the Year (Christel Lundqvist); HJ\\\'s British Hairdresser of the Year (Akin Konizi) - HJ's 2011 British Hairdressing Awards
Crystal Iced
Professional and bespoke crystal customising service for mobile phones, ipods, Nintendo DS, or any other accessory , transforming them in a unique piece of jewellery for girls
- Finalist - Sparkling Jewel Awards 2009
- Winner - Polaris Business of the Month 2008 and Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Tiger Awards 2008
flowersdirect
National network of florists, providing quality flowers and gifts locally, nationally and abroad
Gina Conway
Hair and Beauty salons in London renowned for outstanding service and trendsetting style. Located in Westbourne Grove, Fulham and Wimbledon.
- Winner of the 2008 Global Salon Business Awards for Entrepreneur of the Year
- Shortlisted for London Salon of the Year - 2007 Hair Magazine Awards
- Best New Salon of the Year - Gina Conway Aveda Lifestyle Salon & Spa, London - The Professional Beauty Awards 2010
- Shortlisted for the Merton Business Awards 2011 for their Wimbledon salon & spa
L'Artisan du CHOCOLAT
Artisan of luxury chocolates with exceptional craftsmanship and individuality
- Chocolate Academy award winners 2008
Marc Jacobs
Designer of clothes
- Best New Retail Concept of the Year - British Fashion Awards 2007
Oli
Fashion retailer targeting the fashion conscious lady with a mix of exclusive Oli Fusion designer collections and own sub-brands
- Winner - Best Newcomer - Cosmopolitan Online Fashion Awards 2009
- Voted 3rd in the 2009 Sunday Mirror's High Street Fashion Awards for Best Website
Sparkling Strawberry
Supplier of costumes dedicated to fun and fantasies, inluding sexy costumes, Halloween costumes and men's and ladies' fancy dress costumes
- Winner of Customer Care Award 2008 - Vale Royal Business Awards
Spice London
Leading shoe and bag boutiques offering a mixture of luxury designers, high street labels and the exclusive Spice brand
- Women's Footwear Retailer of the Year - Drapers Footwear Awards 2008
- Independent Footwear Retailer of the Year - Drapers Footwear Awards 2011
The Grove
Grand luxury country house hotel with 300 acres of park and woodlands, an award-winning spa with fitness / boot camp challenges, world championship golf course, and a choice of three restaurants
- Best Spa - Ultra Travel 100 awards 2009
- UK Best Leisure Hotel - Conde Nast Traveller Reader Awards 2008
- Sequoia Spa at The Grove voted the World’s Best Spa 2009 by the Daily Telegraph Ultra Magazine
- Best Spa in UK Hotel - Third place, Conde Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards 2010