In this wide-ranging and inspirational interview with Colin Young for North East Times, Gillian Ridley Whittle shares her journey from high street fashion executive to founder of Peachaus, her own brand, which she launched whilst living in Australia in 2022.
Focused on sustainability and ethical practices, Peachaus offers luxurious loungewear, underwear, and activewear that combine feminine design with high-quality materials. With the support of industry leaders such as Cedric Wilmotte, chief executive of Michael Kors, Gillian has quickly made Peachaus a standout in the fashion industry.
Originally from Newcastle, Gillian is deeply proud of her North East roots. After attending Newcastle High School for Girls and studying fashion at Northumbria University, her career has taken her around the globe, working for major brands including M&S and Topshop. Earlier this year, she returned to the region to host a successful pop-up shop at Fenwick, marking a significant moment in her personal and professional journey. As Gillian tells us, her dream would one day be to open a store in Newcastle, expanding on what she has already achieved with her first Peachaus boutique in Covent Garden, which opened earlier this year.
For Gillian, Peachaus is about more than just fashion - it’s about creating experiences. She envisions building immersive spaces where customers can enjoy personalised shopping and wellness activities, all while focusing on ethical and sustainable practices.
Committed to transforming the fashion industry, her vision is to offer beautiful and comfortable designs that reflect her values of sustainability and responsibility. As she puts it, “There’s a big shift that needs to happen, to put the quality back into products, pay the right price at the factories and source it ethically, so people get fair value through the whole chain.
“That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing.
“I want to be part of the change that has to happen in the industry, not part of the problem.”
Read the full interview here: https://netimesmagazine.co.uk/magazine/lifes-a-peachaus/
