Introducing Georgie Le Roux, Co-Founder of Gigi & Olive, the Bachelorette & Bridal boutique
Georgie Le Roux
Meet Georgie, co-founder of Gigi & Olive. A bridal and bachelorette boutique with a host of curated bridal party gifts, based on the principles of sisterhood, friendship and kindness. Their mission is to make women feel invited, excited and supported; whether you are leading the organisation for your friend’s special event and make the experience unforgettable, or you are the bride and want to thank your important people, they offer a tailored platform for all bridal party occasions.
Here she shares her inspiration, how to look after your time and the importance of value for money.
Website: GIGI AND OLIVE
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“My name is Georgie, I am a Londoner and founder of Gigi & Olive, the Bachelorette & Bridal boutique. I love travelling, photography, books, film, people and my favourite drink is a margarita. I launched Gigi & Olive nearly a year ago; I wanted to remove the sometimes negative stigma that surrounded 'Hen Parties' and create an exciting opportunity for friends to celebrate the preparations for marriage with chic and thoughtful merchandise that will last past the party. It grew from there, and it is now a beautiful online shopping destination, from Hen to Honeymoon, as well as many other gifting occasions.”
Gigi & Olive
You’ve created a beautiful edit of luxury, classic bridal focused pieces. Which are your most popular choices?
Thank you, that's very kind of you. Popular pieces at the moment - The Build Your Own Bride Box - it gives the customer an entirely personal experience. I've loved seeing all the thoughtful, kind, loving notes that friends have written to Brides that have had to cancel/postpone their weddings due to Covid-19. Our Veil Collection has also been very popular for brides to wear on their 'Would-be-wedding day' or 'would-be-hen-party.' The Lily Linen PJs and Blue Atlanta Dress too, both from Sleeper, a fantastic brand we stock, have been very popular.
What was your motivation to start Gigi & Olive?
When my sister got engaged, I was so excited to organise her Hen Party, and as her maid of honour, I really wanted to make the lead up to her wedding super special. However, I couldn't find what I wanted especially not all in one place. I spent hours trawling online, ordering 1 item from somewhere and taking it to get embroidered at another. As more of my friends started to get engaged and married, they told me how difficult and time consuming it was, to source tasteful and thoughtful gifts for bridal occasions.
What would you say is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt since setting up?
So many! One of the biggest lessons I have learnt is to know your supply chain and look after those relationships.
What do you wish you had known before you started?
You don’t have to take every meeting and every call. Value your time and put boundaries in place to make sure you complete whatever you need to be prioritising.
Gigi & Olive
You champion sisterhood, and your products are handmade in London by a female production line, how important is this to you as a business?
Yes, we do. Female friendships, figures, role models, my mother, my sister, have played such a crucial role in who I am, and I want to champion women wherever we can. In terms of production, we work with a fantastic team to create our Gigi and Olive items here in London. Anything I'm creating must be ethically made, and I have found that being local has also given me transparency and visibility on production.
What are your top financial tips for planning a bachelorette party?
The least fun topic for any event! But to ensure the best Bachelorette Party, this is, of course, a crucial factor. Everyone has different budgets, they earn different salaries, have different expenses and ultimately everyone has a different opinion on what a weekend like this should cost. The answer to how much to spend depends entirely on your relationship with the Bride. If the Bride is your sister or best friend, often no expense is spared, but if you're invited to a friend's Hen do who you haven't seen in 5 years that budget is immediately halved and then halved again. If you're the person organising be upfront with the group with how much you are estimating it will all cost so that people can opt-in or out at the beginning. Value for money is the most important thing. Having everyone in a good mood and excited for the event is so much better than having people annoyed or uncomfortable from the beginning. It's also absolutely fine to have a few optional add ons that people can partake or not.
Gigi & Olive
Describe your relationship with money and personal finance
It gets better with age, but could certainly be better. I’m learning to save, which is something I really struggled with in my 20s - I wish I hadn’t! I feel more relaxed when I have something in the bank, but I don’t suffer from anxiety. I’m generous with friends and family, and I think that is reciprocated with people I am close with so it balances out.
What does financial independence mean to you?
I think to be able to stand on your own two feet and make monetary decisions without having to consult someone else.
How do you define wealth?
Being healthy and not having to worry about purely financial decisions.
What’s your desert island object?
Suncream!
What did you learn about finance and money when you were growing up?
Lots - my Dad is very entrepreneurial, and my Mother has worked for the same company for 20 years. They both have different experiences in business and finance and offer up excellent sound advice. Always file your taxes, always have something in the bank.
How do you make choices on how you spend your money?
I mainly spend my money on food, drink and travel. I think my choices come down to experiences over the material. I also love beauty treatments.
Gigi & Olive
Which area of finance do you wish you knew more about?
VAT - I’m learning a lot now though.
What are your top productivity tips?
Everyone has a particular time of day that is more productive than another, and this can be different for everyone. But whatever it is for you make sure you are using that time on things that are important and urgent to you. I think that is especially important if you are a freelancer or have a side hustle - Prioritise your stuff in your most productive time. I also love a good list and prefer writing it out manually so I can cross it off once completed.
Who is your role model and why?
My mother. She is the most positive person I’ve ever met! She works incredibly hard, and her job requires her to travel a huge amount and work long hours, but she loves it and would never complain about anything. Every single one of my girlfriends has sat down with her at some point and asked for career advice; she’s done amazing things. She is also loving, warm, funny, smart and kind, and I feel incredibly lucky she is my mother.
What inspires or motivates you?
Inspiration - finding amazing brands on Instagram, searching through imagery Pinterest, listening to entrepreneurial podcasts, reading, photography, film, my family.
Motivation - my passion and ambition, a desire to make Gigi & Olive a success, to make people around me proud, the Shopify notification of getting a sale, coffee.
Do you have a routine or rituals that help keep you grounded?
I walk to my local coffee shop first thing in the morning, it’s something that started in lockdown, and I love it. Trying to put down my phone an hour before I go to sleep / stop looking at screens. I have a much better night sleep if I read instead. Speaking to my sister, Olivia - she always keeps me grounded and makes me feel happy.
Gigi & Olive
Recommended reading and listening?
In lockdown I have read these books and have honestly loved them all:
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (I’m currently reading this one!)
Podcasts - ‘How I built this’ by Guy Raz and ‘How to Fail’ by Elizabeth Day