New Laois boutique opened by London fashion buyer coming home to Portlaoise

A professional fashion buyer from Portlaoise has made the brave move to leave her job in Hobbs London and return home, to open a boutique in a vacated retail unit in Portlaoise town centre.

The welcome has been warm for Róisín Delaney’s pretty new pink and black store, filled with unique, stylish fashion items, in Hynds Square off the Portlaoise Main Street. She took over immediately after the closure by Sheila McCabe of her longstanding boutique last January, spending some months to redecorate.

Primrose Boutique opened this June, with plans to add online sales before the end of 2026.

Róisín told the Leinster Express / Laois Live more.

“I always had a dream of having my own business one day, way back to when I was in secondary school. I did transition year and that really gave me a wide scope of experience in building confidence and figuring out a possible career path.

“I did work experience during this year and although I enjoyed the accountancy office and pharmacist setting, I just knew it wasn’t for me.

“I was very creative and really adored the idea of having a variation to my role and the working day, so I took it on myself to reach out to the Laois fashion designer Heidi Higgins based in Portlaoise, to gain a little experience into the life of a fashion designer & the industry itself, after a talk she completed in our school about her career journey.

“I got the opportunity to observe and assist in little ways at a photoshoot experience for one of Heidi’s Autumn Winter Collections at Carton House in Kildare. This was the initial lightbulb moment for me and my career.

“I knew I didn’t see myself exactly becoming a fashion designer, yet I had tapped into the correct industry. So, I became very eager in completing further research into the variety of different roles, there are lots. It wasn’t until my second year in college that I figured out exactly the role I would see myself working in, a Fashion Buyer.

Read next: 'I am very excited' meet the chef reopening Dunamaise Arts Centre's bistro in Laois

Róisín describes her interesting education path.

“I was born and raised in Portlaoise, so I am a local girl and very familiar with the area. I attended both primary and secondary schools in Portlaoise, then on to Kildare, Dublin and London. I completed an Undergraduate Degree in BBS Business & Management (Level 8) at Maynooth University as I knew a degree in Business would act as a strong foundation for my career path.

“I next secured a place in my absolute dream course,a Postgraduate Degree in Fashion Buying & Management (Level 9) at DIT.

“I worked in fashion retail sales while completing my studies and loved it. It motivated me, excited me and was an income of course while getting myself through college. Being out on the shop floor, talking to customers, educating myself on product during quieter moments and observing more senior team members to pick up tricks of the trade was a stepping stone.

“Those memories of working on the shop floor in large fashion retailer stores in Dublin during my weekends, to working my way up in more premium luxury retail stores at Kildare Village, from sales to supervisory and managerial, are times I will always remember. The excitement, the passion, the team bonds built and the total love for one’s work,” Róisín said.

She handled various high profile brands included Joules, Magee’s of Donegal and Hobbs London.

Read next: Famous American fast food restaurant coming to Laois as part of Irish rollout

“A shop sales floor is somewhere you cannot hide, but there is also a skill in getting the technique right. To me it is a fantastic place to build one’s confidence at a young age, gain insight into the industry itself and to know how to deal with the public and be a people person. In my eyes, it is essential to have this expertise when moving into a ‘Fashion Buyers’ role,” she advises.

After graduation, Róisín worked in Ireland and London, both on the supplier side of buying, to high-volume textile buying, to more premium luxury product buying.

She went on to focus in luxury product buying with Hobbs London, a contemporary, quintessential British brand known for its quality product, fabrics, in-house designs and feminine cuts.

“An absolute fantastic brand and people to work with as I gained so much knowledge while working here. I worked alongside many departments, teams and suppliers to bring a product to the market from raw material to production. It was my favourite area of working within the industry and 100% took some time to get there, a lot of dedication, sacrifices & commitment.

“London is a brilliant place to be based as there is so much to see, do, experience and of course is one of the top cities to be located when working in this industry.

“But I did decide to make a decision once I hit a certain age - where I see myself long-term, where I see myself settling down and where I want to take my career next.

“I always knew from way back in secondary school I wanted and would have my own business one day. It was a bittersweet moment handing in my notice at Hobbs London HQ, but they knew I had a dream to set up my own business back home.”

Primrose Boutique offers clothing and accessories from a variety of European and Irish labels.

“The product is very much veered towards a more contemporary, dressy casual look. Gone is the day of a very formal or overly dressy outfit, unless of course for a very specialised occasion or specific role.

“Location is a key aspect to the products, brands and pricing we select. What might work in other parts of Ireland or England, will not also work in Portlaoise. So, we have diligently reviewed what we feel will work and will continue to monitor, review and update this.

“We most certainly are not a store that follows a trend. Timeless, versatile pieces are the foundation of our brand that are of a realistic price point, of high quality yet have that spark of class and uniqueness,” Róisín said.

She is getting a warm welcome back in Portlaoise.

“The welcome has been phenomenal. So many people have taken the time to pop in, purchase, send cards and flowers and genuine best wishes. It’s been fantastic. For anyone locally based, it means so much that we are a new store now opened in Portlaoise and are filling a commercial unit in the town.

“I can recall many a person over the past few days, coming into the store and simply saying ‘you are so welcome to Portlaoise & that we need more unique independents opening up on & around the Main Street areas’.

“I believe it offers the customer who is shopping for some clothing a new option, and more choice in Portlaoise. I would hope when one walks into Primrose Boutique they feel that rare sense of uniqueness that our product, our store environment and our shopping experience provides. After all, who doesn’t like to see a new independent business setting up in their area and someone local too.”

An online presence is necessary too she knows.

“There is no question about it, but as a brand new fully renovated and refurbished store we have taken the physical brick and mortar store as our prime stage, being phase one of the business. To me it is vital to build on the physical store experience first and our brand image. This approach also allows us some time to trial new brands in the area.

“The human connection, the service/expertise provided, the ambience of a store environment and the feel, the fit, the touch and trying on of the product is important to us and to customers. I do truly feel it is very important to continue to bring people together in the extremely digitalised world we are live in, as at the end of the day we are human.

“We’ve all been there where we see a fabulous piece online, order and receive it in the post and end up disappointed some way or another, not to talk about the returns process.

“We are presently on social media platforms: Instagram & Facebook @primrose_boutique1. Our aim is to have our online trading e-commerce platform up and running this Autumn Winter.