Edinburgh shop opened by Polish fashion designer Stella Lotycz and her daughter

Mother/ daughter partnership opens new Edinburgh shop

A Polish fashion designer has opened a new shop in Edinburgh with her daughter to sell her unique fashion designs based on photos from all over the world.

Stella Lotycz, 43, and her daughter Klara Lotycz, 22, opened the Stella Lotycz shop at 248 Queensferry Road earlier this month, with the official launch taking place on February 3.

The project involves printing the photographs taken of nature from across the world onto fabric and then designing women’s clothing.

Klara and Stella Lotycz, pictured at their new shop at Queensferry Road.

Stella explained why she moved her family from Tenerife to the Scottish capital to open her first shop.

She said: “After years of working in the fashion industry, I decided to take a leap of faith and move to Edinburgh. The city's vibrant culture and rich history drew me in, and I knew that it was the perfect place to bring my designs to life.

“As soon as I arrived, I started working on establishing my brand and making connections with local artisans and suppliers. It was not an easy journey, but with determination and hard work, I was able to open my own shop and studio in Edinburgh.

“My shop is a reflection of my personal style and aesthetic. It is a space where I can showcase my designs and interact with my customers. I have also set up a studio where I create each piece by hand, ensuring that every garment is unique and of the highest quality.

“One of the most exciting aspects of opening my shop and studio in Edinburgh is the opportunity to collaborate with local artists and designers. I firmly believe that collaboration is key to success in the fashion industry, and I am constantly seeking new ways to work with other creative minds."

The pair have been encouraged since opening and they hope to expand their brand by opening a factory in the city to supply their new shop.

Klara told the Evening News more about what the mother and daughter’s boutique has on offer for customers in Edinburgh.

She said: “It’s a good location. We got the keys on December 1 and it took a month to get it looking good before we opened on January 1. It’s been pretty good so far.

"I also do some tailoring, so people come in to fix clothing and they see our designs and buy items.

"Obviously the fashion market is quite big, so it’s very hard to come up with a new idea. We do all types of clothing, but the whole concept of the company is photography. We work with different photographers from all over the world and we print their photographs on sustainable material and make clothes from that fabric.

"It’s normally microscopic photos, like a spider’s web up close for example, so nobody really knows what they are wearing.”

Klara explained what it’s like working with her mother, and what their hopes are for the future.

She said: "My mum started the company in Tenerife when I was a kid but I have now joined her, it’s working very well. She has always been my best friend. She was a single mother for a long time to my younger brother and I.

"My mum and I have always been very close so it’s nice to see her make her dream come true and I was very honoured when she asked me to join her.

"There is big potential in this and it really works. We want to open more shops. We started in Edinburgh to see how big it can go.

"We also focus on sustainability so we use recycled materials which are all hand-stitched by us. So we also hope to one day open a factory here, with well-paid, highly-skilled workers producing our designs.”