Luxury fashion shop Oliami will open new premises in Auchterarder today after an investment of £100,000.
The brand, which has operated a shop in the Perthshire town since 2020, is moving 500 feet along the High Street to larger premises.
It has renovated the former Café Kisa premises at 128 High Street. The café has previously moved over the road to the former Bank of Scotland premises.
Oliami Auchterarder plans
Owner Nadia Alexander started the brand – named as a tribute to her daughters Olivia and Amerlia – due to her passion for fashion.
She said: “I’ve always had a real interest in clothes,” she said.
“In 2017 we opened a franchise in Edinburgh for Holland Cooper. It has since changed to be an Oliami so we can work with other brands.
“I thought Auchterarder was an ideal location and we opened three years ago.
“I couldn’t believe it that the small Auchterarder store has almost matched Edinburgh for sales.
“The move to the new premises gives us a larger retail space and allows us to stock menswear.
“I think the new shop will be more prominent in the town, which should encourage footfall.”
Focus on customer
The larger premises mean Oliami’s distribution centre will move from Perth to Auchterarder. The brand now has nine staff working in Auchterarder.
The shop also contains its own clothing collection, called Bearco, which has products using a unique tartan.
Nadia and husband Murray – who is managing director of Tayside building firm Algo – also invested in Cumbernauld fashion manufacturer Hancock of Scotland last year.
The entrepreneur said that what sets Oliami apart is not just the brands it contains, but the customer service.
She adds: “You would be hard pushed to find another independent store with the level of interaction we have with customers on a weekly or monthly basis. We have fantastic staff.
“It’s not easy being in retail during a cost-of-living crisis and we are at the luxury end of the market.
“For us it’s about slow fashion, clothing that will really last the test of time.
“In the future I hope to open more shops up and down the country.
“But for now, I hope that people come to the store and support local.”
Conversation