What does a typical day in the life of Zoe look like?
Honestly, no two days are ever the same, which is one of the things I love about my role. I lead the design and product strategy, so I can be working on an AW campaign with the marketing team one minute, while also designing and building collections for SS a year ahead.
There’s always a real mix of trading, range building, sourcing, developing and fitting across lingerie, nightwear, swimwear and accessories. We might start the day reviewing sales and performance, then move into looking at newness and competitor activity, range reviews, supplier meetings or fitting and selecting samples.
A big focus for me is making sure everything has that recognisable Boux handwriting and that all of our collections work together. I also travel to places like Paris and New York for inspiration and love visiting exhibitions whenever I can.
Then there’s the director side of my role, with weekly leadership meetings and monthly board meetings, but whenever I’m in the office, I’m very much on the floor with the team. I like being close to the product and involved in what everyone is working on.
Who or what inspires you?
Absolutely everything around me! My family and friends, my home, art, exhibitions, travel, people, culture and everyday life. I’m naturally very receptive to my surroundings, so when I’m in a creative headspace, inspiration can genuinely come from anywhere. Sometimes it’s the most unexpected thing that sparks an idea.
What advice would you give to other female designers?
Trust your creative instincts and have confidence in your ideas. If you believe in something, present it with conviction and let your work speak for itself; great taste really matters.
I also think it’s so important to understand the business and, most importantly, your customer. The strongest designers are able to connect creativity with commercial results.
And never stop learning. Stay curious, keep looking around you and always be open to new ideas.
Talk us through your creative process…
It always starts with an idea and then it’s about building the story around it. We research trends, colours, exhibitions, competitors and what’s happening culturally, while always thinking about our customer and what she wants from us.
From there, we develop the concept through moodboards, sketches, shapes, fabrics and colour palettes before the team creates the design CADs. We then move into suppliers, costings, margins and first samples, followed by lots of reviewing, fitting and refining.
I love seeing that initial idea become a finished collection in store. Then there’s another creative layer when I work with our Marketing Director to bring the collection to life through the campaign. The whole process is really collaborative and is always about finding that balance between creativity and commercial thinking.
I’m a huge fan of your pieces and I’m amazed at the price point of your products. It’s clear that accessibility is important to your brand – was this a conscious decision?
Absolutely! Boux Avenue is about accessible luxury. We want women to have beautiful, considered lingerie and nightwear with great fit, quality and design, but at a price point that feels attainable.
For me, that never means compromising on the detail. We put so much thought into the fabrics, fit, finishes and construction, so the challenge is always to create something that feels special while remaining accessible to our customer.
As a stylist, I’m a huge advocate of wearing pieces that make you feel good and would argue that it starts with great underwear – would you agree?
Completely. Underwear is your foundation; it’s the first thing you put on, and it can really change how you feel in everything you wear over it.
Great lingerie should make you feel comfortable, supported and confident. Even if nobody else sees it, you know you’re wearing it, and I think there’s something really empowering about that.
From the Rococo collection, do you have a favourite lingerie and nightwear piece?
It has to be the Zoe set for lingerie, of course! I love the detailing and femininity of it, and it really captures the romantic feel of the collection.
For nightwear, definitely the PJ’s in a bag. I love the selection of storytelling prints, there really is something for everyone. They’re such an easy, gorgeous piece and something I’d genuinely wear myself.
What are your hopes, dreams & aspirations for the future?
I’m actually someone who really tries to live in the moment and enjoy what we’re doing now rather than always thinking too far ahead.
From a Boux perspective, I want us to keep building on the momentum we have, keep creating product our customers love, and, ultimately, keep building on our successful sales! For me, it’s about continuing to drive a really strong and successful product strategy while still having fun creatively along the way.