What started as a side hustle selling clothes at local markets has grown into a thriving independent boutique for Wavertree mum-of-four Emma Watson. Just two years after opening Wardrobe Liverpool in a tucked-away unit on Mospp Lane, Emma has relocated to a larger shop on Smithdown Road after outgrowing her original premises.
The move is the latest milestone in an unexpected career change that began after health problems forced Emma to leave behind the cleaning business she had spent almost a decade building. Emma, 51, had run Pretty Clean for years before Graves' disease, an autoimmune condition that causes an overactive thyroid, made the job's physical demands impossible to ignore.
From Cleaning to Fashion
The Liverpool Hope University graduate told the ECHO: "Eventually, my body just started saying 'no' to the physicality of the cleaning job. I knew I needed to find something else. Sometimes, for weeks on end, I can't do anything. My body just gives up. I didn't want to have to rely on other people."
Searching for a different way to earn a living, Emma began selling Italian womenswear at markets while she was still cleaning. The business steadily grew, and she originally looked for a small unit purely to store her stock between pop-up events. Instead, viewing the premises sparked a much bigger idea.
She added: "I was approaching the age of 50 and I thought, 'If I don't do it now, I'll never do it'. I wanted to turn a passion project into an income."
Taking the Leap
Taking that chance paid off. Wardrobe Liverpool quickly built a loyal customer base thanks to its handpicked Italian fashion and inclusive range of sizes, with demand soon exceeding what the original boutique could accommodate. Now, after two successful years in Wavertree, Emma has opened the doors to a bigger, upgraded home for the business on Smithdown Road as she looks ahead to the next chapter.
