• By Stephanie Bateman Sweet •
Rockett St George is an online emporium showcasing unique and quirky home accessories. Based in the UK, and founded in 2007 by Jane Rockett and Lucy St George – hence the name Rockett St George – it is renowned for being a treasure-trove packed full of homewares, art, lighting, furniture, garden accessories, wallpapers, and decorative curiosities, all with a cool and eclectic aesthetic. The shop has evolved over time, and now buying trips take Jane and Lucy to designers and makers both in the UK, and overseas, as well as artisans in India where they have designed their own bespoke collection. Rockett St George likes to create a community around its loyal customers, and a monthly magazine has just been launched to be included with all orders, together with a digital ‘Hot List’ (a monthly guide on what to see, eat and do) for their blog. They also create bi-annual lookbooks with stylish lifestyle photography, updated boards on Pinterest, an Instagram feed to inspire and delight, competitions, customer events, and pop-up shops!
The Shopkeepers
With their career backgrounds covering PR, retail and photography, and being busy working Mother’s with three children each, Jane and Lucy started dipping their toes into the retail arena by sourcing unique items for friends. “We decided to pool our skills, resources, funds and time to create a unique online shopping experience we thought would appeal to customers.” They describe their early days as a “very steep learning curve”, and taught themselves everything, including SEO, web design, operational systems, and accountancy. Describing their roles as “our dream jobs”, it is the sourcing and curating of their eclectic collections they most love, and the bonus of being able to travel helps provide the inspiration for each season. They share a mutual love for antique fairs and car boot sales, with Brooklyn Flea Market their current favourite.
On the Future of Retail
“For us, the future of retail is not only to continue to source beautiful products and offer great customer service, but also to add value to the customer online buying experience through both a multi-channel approach. We now offer inspiration through both printed and online media, together with face-to-face events and pop-up shops.”
Stephanie Bateman Sweet is a writer, stylist & blogger at The Lifestyle Editor
