17-year-old student Lucy launches Pontefract fashion boutique The Wardrobe

Fashion boutique, The Wardrobe, on Pontefract’s Ropergate which had its opening on Saturday, saw customers queuing through the doors - taking the owner, 17-year-old Lucy Millard by surprise.
Lucy Millard in her newly-opened boutiqueLucy Millard in her newly-opened boutique
Lucy Millard in her newly-opened boutique

Lucy, an A-Level student at New College Pontefract has always been passionate about fashion. From a young age she has accompanied her mum Paula on twice yearly trips to London to check out the latest trends and bring them back to her home town.

Paula, a primary school teacher, is a former model and is the reigning Miss Pontefract and Castleford Express - a title she has held since 1990 when the competition was discontinued.

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Lucy said: “I’ve always loved buying clothes for myself which is where it all started.

Lucy Millard outside The Wardrobe on Ropergate, PontefractLucy Millard outside The Wardrobe on Ropergate, Pontefract
Lucy Millard outside The Wardrobe on Ropergate, Pontefract

“I launched my new business during the March 2020 lockdown and just before I left high school.

“Initially it was all online and I worked from premises above the Conservative Club, delivering orders myself and posting them out to customers.

“Word of mouth spread on social media and the response was amazing.

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“When the business expanded, I wanted something larger and more central and the opportunity came to open up this shop which has taken us many months of hard work to get to this.

“Our opening on Saturday was so busy with customers saying how pleased they were we had opened. It was really overwhelming.

“What was nice was that I had one woman buying a top for her seven-year-old daughter followed by an 85-year-old woman who also found something she liked.

“I just want women to come into the shop and find something to wear - just as if they were looking through their wardrobe at home.”

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Lucy will be working in the shop between her college classes - she is studying media, fashion and English - and when she can’t be there her nana Sandra will help out.

“My family have been so supportive - without my mum Paula and dad Jamie the business wouldn’t have been possible. They helped finance it and believed in what I wanted to do,” said Lucy.

“I sell the sort of clothes I would wear myself and make them accessible to all age groups and at an affordable price.”

Lucy’s long term goal, once she’s finished her A-levels, is to study fashion and design to a higher level and launch her own label for sale in the shop and also to expand into other towns in the north.

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The Wardrobe is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10am-3pm and other times by appointment.

Lucy is also going to launch private event nights where small groups can book the boutique and shop exclusively for a few hours.