FOUND BY CREATE

where shopping makes sense

The coolest retail development in Leeds for years

Laurie Barton-Wright (Chair City Centre Retail Association)

FOUND by CREATE, the innovative new quality used clothing boutique, was exclusively opened by the Lord Mayor in the St Johns Centre in Leeds on Thursday 1st October at 1pm and has already received some amazing reviews.

FOUND by CREATE offers Leeds shopper’s top quality donated clothing from the high street, designer labels and one-off vintage pieces, and is the enterprising new concept from the St Johns Centre and local Community Interest Company, CREATE. The shop also features a dress agency service so designer addicts can sell their sought after items with 50% of the money raised supporting CREATE.

Designers Jenny Dixon and Laura Butler have both lent their creativity to the cause by designing and reworking original pieces to be sold in FOUND. Jenny who has struggled to get her designs into local retail outlets said “I’m so excited to get my pieces into such an innovative retail outlet in Leeds.”

Laura’s 80’s inspired exclusive collection can also be found in store. Laura said, “I focus on reworking vintage pieces and reusing cast-offs. I love what CREATE have done by creating a shop where customers can buy, sell and donate great quality vintage clothes.”

St Johns Centre Manager, Laurie Barton Wright, approached CREATE in July with the aim of supporting the local community and using a vacant retail unit. CREATE, a Leeds based not-for-profit social enterprise, were keen to develop the idea to provide an innovative store for both bargain hunters and fashionistas alike. It took the FOUND team just 5 weeks to create the shop and it wouldn’t have been possible without the generous donations from local Leeds citizens.

At the opening of the exclusive boutique the Lord Mayor said, “CREATE is one of my charities so I’m really delighted to be opening this wholly innovative new shop. I’m so impressed at the speed they have managed to move into this new venture which offers even more people the opportunity to move away from the stigmas associated with homelessness and into work here in Leeds.”

The idea was inspired by the recent BBC2 programme ‘Mary - Queen of Charity Shops’ which featured fashion expert Mary Portas revamping a traditional charity shop to offer better quality fashionable clothes. FOUND aims to encourage fashion lovers and shoppers to donate unworn or ‘gently used’ quality items for resale at a fraction of the retail cost.

The store opening will also signal the start of a whole host of exciting activities to support the Leeds Loves Shopping event from 15 – 25 October.

So don’t miss out on this exciting opening and get in there early to grab yourselves some quality garments at affordable prices!

Come and visit us at the St John's Centre in Leeds or at www.foundbycreate.co.uk or check out the buy now and boutique tab to see our great stock...