April Lovelace of Lovelace Atelier has been a bridal alterations specialist for a while now, offering bespoke dresses and tailoring of suits along with general repairs and alterations of other clothing. Speaking to April, she said something that stuck in her mind was her own brother’s wedding and how he really struggled to get the suit that he wanted. So she wanted to have a place that not only caters for Brides but for Grooms too.
April’s talents aren’t limited to Bridal design as she also loves to design and produce costumes for stage, screen, and events. Having worked extensively for the West End and the big screen, this expertise shows in her portfolio and in her approach to working with clients.
The new premises called Lovelace Atelier sits on Albert Road, where Home Coffee used to be. I am not going to lie, I have missed popping in to have a coffee with Andrew but knowing that this well-loved place is going to provide a fresh, new opportunity to an independent on Albert Road makes me smile.
Having already seen some of the changes to the premises, it really does make you realise how brilliant April’s attention to detail really is. Lots of quirky elements and there’s going to be some great space for workshops – so keep a look out for that in the future!
What I love most about April is even in a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic she really shows great strength of character. Having signed for the shop she missed out on getting government help by one day – can you believe it?!
Being creative comes naturally to April and so she decided to get to work on how she could survive the pandemic and still manage to open after the whole thing blows over. Setting up a Crowdfund was her next step and she didn’t make that decision lightly. Knowing what a tough time everyone was having at the moment, she really struggled with asking people for help and wanted to offer something in return for their support. On April’s Crowdfund she has a rewards scheme where you can buy 2 of her self designed t-shirts AND get an A4 print for £25.00. The designs are really fab with April’s illustration work featuring. As well as being a brilliant offer, this crowdfund is going to keep an indie alive for years and provide a service that Southsea needs.
So pop along down Albert Road and take a sneak peek at the new shop whilst out on your daily exercise, perhaps think about ordering a T-shirt to help towards April’s goal – and with only £590 to go, she’s so close. Supporting Lovelace Atelier now means that April can open and offer specialist alterations, bridal design, made to measure suits, or help you get a new glamorous frock for that post-lockdown party!
You can check out the Crowdfund and rewards scheme here
Apart from raising funds and reconstructing the new shop premises, April has been kindly making uniform bags for nurses and doctors in what little time she has. She’s truly part of the community and a generally lovely person, dedicating time to helping others where she can whilst trying her best to secure the future of her brand new store.
I can’t wait to see the shop open soon and wish April all the best for the future of Lovelace Atelier.
Find out more about Lovelace Atelier here
By Louise O’Brien
