ABOUT THE SHORTLIST

Long story short.

Don’t get us wrong – being short has its perks. We live longer*, there’s plenty of legroom on flights, and we have pretty good odds on getting our own way when we want it.

But petite fashion? That’s not fun – it’s frustrating.

Born of the short woman struggle, The Shortlist is the exclusively petite clothing label that’s long overdue.

We create the sort of clothes you want to wear to breakfast, lunch AND dinner. For the women who want to wear things not every other 5'1" woman has, buy less but better, and yes, maybe you do enjoy a compliment or two.

All our clothing is made in small quantities by a small team of talented seamstresses, in our signature classic styles and original prints. We think the devil’s in the detail, so each piece is designed with an emphasis on fit (let’s face it, when you’re 5’1”, every inch counts).

We hope you’ll love our collection. Beware of average-heighter envy (but enjoy not being the one saying ‘they don’t make it in my size’ for once).

*We’re not doctors, but all that climbing on the kitchen counters has got to factor into it.

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The face behind the brand

Meet Laura

In May 2020 I was frustrated by a couple of things: my job (I was unhappily working for myself in recruitment) and the lack of petite fashion options for 30-somethings.

Nothing might have come of this had it not been for a chance comment from my fiancé, who, after listening to my lamentations, suggested I create my own petite fashion brand.

Intrigued, I decided to research it for a week. Seven days later I had a catalogue of spreadsheets and was hooked.

I worked on my new project in secret for eight months. With no relevant background whatsoever, I had to learn everything from scratch as I went, from manufacture to branding to marketing.

In February 2021 I quit my job, and my post about it on LinkedIn went unexpectedly viral. I gained 4,000 Instagram followers overnight, and when I launched my first collection four months later, it all but sold out in days.

Since then I’ve shared the honest ups-and-downs of starting and growing a new business on Instagram, from having to model the clothes myself, and moving my manufacture to Poland, to improving my profit margins and having bigger launches every season.

Starting The Shortlist has been a real labour of love. I hope my pieces make you feel knockout, and that you enjoy watching my journey to success in real time.

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