Member Article

Founder of Leeds Fashion Retailer, The Style Attic, Celebrated With ‘Mumpreneur Of The Year’ Award

A night which celebrated women across the North West of England at The Simply Ladies Awards 2022 saw Leeds local and founder of independent fashion retailer The Style Attic, Leigh Unwin, awarded the sought after, ‘Mumpreneur Of The Year’ Award.

Leigh Unwin was overwhelmed when her name was announced as the winner in this competitive category at the annual Simply Ladies Awards which was hosted at The Leeds Dock Hall. The empowering evening, which was postponed last year due to Covid-19, came back with a boom and showcased the many talented and inspiring women in our region.

Leigh said: ‘I’m so lucky to win this award, as all of the nominees were amazing. To be awarded for being a mum in business makes it extra special as without my daughter Edie, my business wouldn’t exist. She is my inspiration and shining light, so this award is really for her.’

Leigh, mum of two, launched The Style Attic back in 2016 after welcoming her baby girl Edie at just 25 weeks. The early arrival of Edie, and the medical help she has needed following her cerebral palsy diagnosis, flipped Leigh’s life upside down and saw her unable to continue her full time work in the fashion industry.

She needed to set her own business hours to fit around Edie’s hectic schedule of appointments, thus The Style Attic was born.

When the shop was launched 6 years ago, customers were led through Leigh’s home upstairs to her very own attic where they could browse the brands on trend pieces. But following the birth of her second child, Bodhi, Leigh saw an opportunity to open The Style Attic’s first shop in Swillington. Whenthe pandemic hit, The Style Attic, saw the opportunity to expand their reach further by going digital so launched their online shop.

“When I look back on those early days where I was juggling being a first time mum to Edie as well as running a business in my own home, I wonder just how I managed it all! But I’m so thankful that I kept pushing because The Style Attic is more than a shop, it’s provided me with an incredible community of supportive and inspirational women, particularly on social media, who I am incredibly grateful for.”

It’s Leigh’s inspiring story, and the warm nature of herself and her family run team, that seems to have captured the attention of women of Leeds and far beyond. The Style Attic’s weekly live streams where they connect with social media followers and showcase new products consistently garner over 20,000 from their loyal community of customers.

It’s this community of women that Leigh credits this award to as she said, “Without the support of all of our incredible customers and online followers, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to do what we love day in and day out and I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the support they’ve shown me, and myfamily, from day one.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Georgia Stead .