JUDITH ZIMELSTERN. OWNER. JUDITH OF WANSTEAD

EST. 1977. WANSTEAD.

My father ran away from home when he was eleven years old, fended for himself, and later made a good life for himself, so he decided that formal further education was unnecessary. So, there I was, born into this Jewish family in Goodmayes just after the end of the 2nd World War. I absolutely loved school. I was very academic, in the top stream and also loved sport, playing netball for Essex. I was Head Girl at William Talbot, moved on to Beale County High, and then Dad pulled the carpet from under my feet by taking me out of education at fifteen to work in his dress manufacturing business. I was absolutely devastated.

Despite my protestations, he trained me to manage his factory, but I hated it. I was doing some sketching and designing, and had an eye for that part of the work, and I wanted to study Design at Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design, but again, Dad refused. In many other ways, he was wonderful to me, so I stuck at the work for fourteen years. By then I had been married, had two children, got divorced, and was struggling to make ends meet so I worked part time for my Dad's close friend Laurie Schramm and his wonderful wife, Arlene.

I was taking sample ranges to retailers, and I brought in a lot of new business, and even had dealings with the chief buyer from Iran, which was a massive coup. One day in 1977, Laurie told me that he would back me if I wanted to go into business on my own. That was an offer I couldn't refuse, so the very next morning, I went out and found some available premises in Wanstead High Street.

Laurie came down and told me that my first choice, which was part of what is now Nicole's, the card shop, was too small, and told me to take on these larger premises instead. It wasn't a good time for small shops, and everyone said I was mad to even think about it, but I reckoned that I could bring customers in, as long as I was selling the right product.

On the evening before the formal opening, there I was in the window, doing some last minute alterations to the mannequins, and there was a tap on the window. "Have you got that skirt in a size 8? I want to be your first customer." I did have that size, and Valerie Delin became my first customer, and she still buys her clothes here, thirty six years later! I was new to retail, and because of my background of scrimping and saving as a single Mum, I was amazed that someone was prepared to spend £27 on a skirt. It was a lot of money in those days.

It was a tough start, with little stock, but Laurie Schramm helped smooth the way, and word spread very effectively, eventually as far afield as Australia, Hong Kong, Africa and the Middle East. As well as women of all backgrounds from all over the UK wanting to look their best for weddings, parties and other ceremonies, customers from all over the world will come to me while they are visiting London. We help Greek, African, Jewish and Arab women look spectacular for their very glamorous functions. We have a number of celebrity customers, including radio presenters who are kind enough to have mentioned our name on the BBC.

When necessary, we make alterations to the dresses that the customers are buying, as they want to look their pristine best. So I take on board all the worry from the customer, which makes this a very high pressure job, but that's the sort of service they are paying for. Fortunately, I have had a wonderful partner for thirty seven years, Ron, who is my peace of mind at home at the end of the day. His support in all ways has been such that without him, I couldn't possibly have been successful. I've also been so lucky to have such a loyal, considerate staff and an outstanding business partner, Arlene Schramm, who all bring their own character to the business, and who have all become good friends.

We cater for sizes 8 to 26, and for women from the youthful to the elderly. I don't know of any other shops of this ilk anywhere near here, but we try to compete with the likes of Harrods and Fenwicks.

I wonder how those shops would have dealt with a well heeled customer of ours who came in regularly with her beautiful, treasured Afghan Hound. She would try a dress on and ask her dog if she liked it! If the dog barked, she would buy the dress, and if she looked disinterested, the dress went back on the hanger. We would try to keep the dog happy by feeding her chocolate treats, to encourage more barks when her owner emerged from the changing room! We must have been doing something right, because the dog and her owner returned to us again and again!