Fashion: See inside Saffron Walden’s new preloved and rental store

Neon Leo, the Saffron Walden-based rental and preloved fashion brand, has just cut the ribbon on its first bricks-and-mortar boutique. Velvet goes shopping

Visiting Neon Leo is, say friends and founders Mandy Weetch and Abi North, “like going out with your besties for sparkles and champers”. Born from a shared “longing for local, sustainable fashion rentals and exceptional preloved clothing”, their brand launched online and by appointment in 2022 - and has just opened its first bricks-and-mortar boutique on Saffron Walden’s Market Row.

Enter the store and you'll be greeted by a beautiful selection of trend-led clothing, spanning daily basics through to standout event-wear, not to mention sequins, glitter balls, a curated art collection and much more. . .

Customers can rent clothing - from brands including Rixo, Queens Of Archive, Kitri, Sleeper and It’s 9pm - for a one-off event or sign up for an ongoing monthly membership. Unlike other platforms, Neon Leo is starting as an Essex and Cambridgeshire communal wardrobe, allowing customers to try on items at the store before renting them.

Mandy and Abi also provide a curated edit of preloved clothing, shoes and accessories in an inclusive size range (4-22) available for purchase. They also offer one-to-one styling advice and support in a welcoming and positive environment.

Explain Mandy and Abi: “Neon Leo is a place where fashion is fun. It's a safe space for women of all shapes and sizes, where they can feel welcomed and find incredible treasures, from Gucci belts and Me + Em wardrobe staples to Ganni vests, Christian Louboutin heels or beautiful jewellery."

“We wanted to build a community that encourages female empowerment through slow fashion,” they add. “Most importantly, Neon Leo is about driving people to make sustainable fashion choices.

“Buying an outfit for a party or wedding that you only wear once generates carbon emissions equal to driving to Manchester and back in a diesel car. Fast fashion can not continue as it is, and we are passionate about being part of the solution not the problem.

“We want people to realise that you can be just as fabulous shopping slow and sustainably. We're encouraging women to invest in the idea that you can borrow, buy and share fabulous clothes at an affordable price.”

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30am to 4.30pm, Neon Leo’s boutique is at No 7, Market Row, Saffron Walden CB10 1HB. For more information and to shop online, go to neonleo.co.uk