Latest news with #LittleLies
Daily Record
12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Taylor Swift-favoured Perthshire clothing firm celebrates a decade in business
Glencarse-based Little Lies' Sweet Jane dress, worn by superstar, have launched their 10 Pieces For 10 Years collection. A Perthshire clothing brand beloved by global superstar singer Taylor Swift is celebrating its tenth birthday. The singing sensation had been spotted stepping out in a velvet dress created by Little Lies' fashion designer Jade Robertson in January 2024. The multiple Grammy winner wore Jade's 'Sweet Jane' mini dress which sells for £58 while out for dinner in New York. As well as celebrities like Swift, Denise Van Outen and Helena Bonham Carter have been seen sporting Little Lies' pieces over the years. The Glencarse-based firm, founded by Jade and husband Stuart, began in a Kirkcaldy bedroom in 2015. Its name comes from a Fleetwood Mac song and its inspiration from the flowing outfits of rock goddesses like the band's Stevie Nicks. To mark the anniversary they have launched the 10 Pieces For 10 Years collection described as representing 'a decade of graft, heart and style'. Co-founder Jade said the company's biggest success was in still being in business after a decade which has seen a pandemic, cost of living crises and tough conditions for independent retailers across the board. Jade commented: 'Independent businesses have not had it easy over the last few years so we're delighted to be thriving in the current environment. 'There have been some incredible highs and some difficult times, but nothing pleases us more than seeing our customers all over the world loving the products we are coming up with right here in Perthshire.' Each and every Little Lies piece is created at their current rural Perthshire headquarters and the firm work closely with trusted manufacturers to bring their unique designs to life. Jade added: 'We are all about creating what we call 'future vintage' - the opposite of fast fashion, quality items you're going to love and wear again and again for years to come. 'That's been critical to the transformation and growth of the business over the past ten years and it is the key thing we hope to carry forward in to our second decade.' Following Taylor Swift's 2024 endorsement the business received a big boost. Jade said at the time: 'The response has been phenomenal – we sold out of the last few of the dresses that we had in stock and opened it up to pre-orders, and we've had customers from all around the world buying it. 'It has been bigger than anything we could have dreamed of, and that demand has gone across into our other items which has been great. 'It has opened us up to a new audience and we're delighted to have them checking us out. 'We are a small family business run by a small team and this was just so unexpected that we are mostly trying to play catch-up right now.'
The Courier
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Perthshire fashion designer's journey to dressing Taylor Swift and £2m turnover
At secondary school in Perth, Jade Robertson was known for customising her uniform. Fast forward two decades and her flair for design caught the eye of one of the world's top pop stars. Orders for Jade's Perthshire-based fashion brand 'skyrocketed' when Taylor Swift was spotted in one of her velvet dresses last year. However, the incredible success of Little Lies is down to far more than just the so-called 'Taylor effect'. Founded in 2015 by Jade and husband Stuart Robertson, the business – which specialises in bohemian, 70s inspired styles – turned over £2 million last year. It began as a small, online boutique operating out of the couple's bedroom. Clothes, while carefully curated, were bought in from wholesalers. However, since 2023, Little Lies, headquartered in Glencarse, has been selling solely its own creations. Jade, 35, will share more about her remarkable story at this month's Courier Business Conference. The event, on Tuesday June 24, is held in partnership with Henderson Loggie and brings together pioneers of gaming, music, fashion, design, media, and digital innovation in Dundee to explore the future Scotland's creative sector. Speaking to The Courier from her Little Lies HQ this week, Jade said: 'So much has changed since we started Little Lies 10 years ago but the ethos remains the same. 'For me, it has always been about helping women of all ages and sizes express their authentic selves and feel comfortable in clothes that are made for their bodies. 'Little Lies isn't a brand that chases trends. 'We are inspired by the music and free spirit of the 70s but want our pieces to feel timeless and be worn again and again. 'The antithesis of fast fashion, we care about quality and fit and use reputable factories.' Perth-born Jade credits her aunt Eve Graham, who sang lead vocals with the New Seekers, with inspiring her love of 70s music and fashion. Jade would dress up in songstress' vintage stage wear and listen intently to tales of parties with the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. She recalls: 'As a young girl my aunt's influence was huge and definitely got me hooked on the music and style of that era. 'I've always had my own unique style. I used to customise my own clothes, including my school uniform, and at one point wore bright pink shoes to school.' Attending Craigie Primary School and Perth High School, Jade excelled in art, music and English and took part in the school drama shows. But despite an impressive haul of Higher results, she decided to leave after fifth year to run a charity fashion show, Rock the Catwalk. Jade immersed herself in the planning and staging of popular event at Perth Concert Hall for four years – even roping her architect dad, Billy, in to be a model. At 21, she decided to apply to the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow to study technical theatre – but the degree wasn't quite what she expected. 'I loved working behind the scenes at the Concert Hall and decided I wanted to learn how to do all the technical jobs. 'I enjoyed much of my time at the Conservatoire but after two years I realised it wasn't for me and I was going to end up a qualified electrician rather than doing something creative.' Never one to be doing just one thing, Jade's 'side hustle' came to her rescue. She continued: 'I had been making tie dye t-shirts so I started to make more of them and sold them to independent shops to cover the remainder of my rent.' After a brief stint with Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance, she began working in a boutique in Dunfermline, which stocked her t-shirts. It was there, she met her now husband, Stuart, 38, who was friends with the owner. The pair immediately clicked and within a matter of months Stuart had persuaded Jade to set up her own business. Jade said: 'I remember the moment we decided to go for it. We were driving back from a gig and Stuart said he would support me all the way. 'I have always been quite spontaneous but I think I needed that push from him to realise I could make it work. 'Little Lies has been a joint project from day one and I'm so grateful for Stuart's support.' Starting small, Jade set up Little Lies as an online boutique in 2015, sourcing garments that both fit her aesthetic and she knew women would feel good in. She bought a small van and attended tattoo conventions and held local pop-up shops at Aviva and SSE's Perth offices. At the start of 2018 she opened a small standalone Little Lies store in Dundee. While Jade loved chatting to customers on the shop floor and helping them chose outfits, running costs and profitability were a struggle and she made the decision not to open again after the pandemic. However as one door closed, another opened and soon after she got the keys to the current Glencarse unit, Little Lies began selling its own designs. There were a number of reasons Jade was keen to start designing, notably to offer better size inclusivity. She explained: 'Our clothes now come in sizes 6 to 24 and in two different lengths. 'It's important to me to cater to everyone and while the average women's size in the UK is a 16, it can be hard to source over a 14. 'Now sizes 14 to 18 are my biggest sellers.' Turnover was steadily increasing year-on-year until January 2024 when Taylor Swift was spotted wearing Little Lies' Sweet Jane olive crushed mini dress on a night out in Brooklyn. Orders and pre-orders flew in from across the globe and Little Lies met its monthly target within 24 hours. Jade said: 'We usually sell 200 to 300 per style but we sold 6,000 Sweet Jane mini dresses. It was incredible. 'Taylor is the perfect ambassador for the brand. She embodies female empowerment, is unapologetically herself and has strong value that she stands up for. 'She didn't just wear our dress, she wore an affordable £58 dress from a tiny, Scottish female owned brand that comes in inclusive sizes. 'The Taylor effect was a flash in the pan moment in terms of long-term sales but it increased brand visibility and has given me new opportunities to share my story, such as the Courier Business Conference.' Jade, who was recently asked to design St Johnstone FCs third kit, is excited about the future of Little Lies but is also enjoying the 'stability' that 10 years in business brings. Mum to two-year-old Naila, her work/life balance is more than important than ever and her weekends now involve more soft play trips than gigs. She added: 'I used to hate the 9-5 but am now glad to be able to have my evenings and weekends free to be with my family. 'Running your own brand can be stressful so I am happy to be in a stable place right now and work on slow growth and releasing collections I really love.' The Courier Business Conference will also hear from Dundee games boss Chris van der Kuyl who will demonstrate a new virtual design studio and his company, 4J Studios' new game. Held at The Big Real at Water's Edge in Dundee, the keynote speaker will be Geoff Ellis, chief executive of DF Concerts, who will reflect on his career putting on high profile music events including T in the Park and TRNSMT. Tickets are available from
