LAST year was a tough year for clothes retailers, with some notable High Street failures during the recession.

Headline: Ipswich boutique expands into a second store

By Dave Vincent

IPSWICH: Last year was a tough year for clothes retailers, with some notable High Street failures during the recession.

But it's not all bad news in the fashion world.

For Ipswich entrepreneur Dan Le Sauvage's offer of exclusive designer labels in the town, in Urban Vintage, is proving a success.

So much so he opened a second Queen Street boutique, just before Christmas, so there are now men's and women's fashions stores next door to each other.

A new interactive website reaches to customers across this country and in to Europe.

Mr Le Sauvage launched Urban Vintage in 2006 in a bid to offer the sort of up-market store he had seen when travelling in the USA and Canada.

The former Ferrari salesman also travelled to India and worked in Australia before returning home to Ipswich and launching his business.

He said: “I liked what I saw in places like Boston in the USA and in Canada. There are really stylish shops, with a really good atmosphere. I wanted to bring something like that to Ipswich. It has evolved since then, and is constantly changing.

Mr Le Sauvage, who comes from the Castle Hill area, went to Westbourne and Northgate schools and his previous jobs included selling Ferrari's for Lancaster Ferrari.

He has personally designed the style and look of the two stores, which include dark wood, chandeliers and a 1959 Danish vintage louvre lamp (in the men's shop).

Designer labels stocked include Nudie and G-Star, Farah Vintage Mills, Diesel, Original Penguin, Fred Perry and H by Hudson, Lipsy, Mina and Rare.

Designer Paul Smith has agreed to have his products stocked at Urban Vintage later this year and other new lines include Sperry boat shoes, PRPS jeans from Japan, Edwin, Franklin Marshall, Superdry and Pepe Jeans London.

There are dresses for women now, as well as other accessories and watches.

Urban Vintage is open seven days a week and the Urban Vintage New Year sale starts today. >>