Scarlet Velvet

Step into a gothic sanctuary filled with elegance, charm and peculiarity; because life is too short to dress like everybody else. We all deserve to feel confident and comfortable in our own skin and fashion has a way of reflecting your personality. It has been proven that when we wear clothes that compliment our personalities and enhance our features, we feel more confident which boosts self-esteem. Scarlet Velvet, located in Ivybridge, offers a safe space to explore the rails and travel back in time with vintage garments and accessories.

6 months ago, owners Pablo Munoz and Clair Iles had just met for the very first time and it was at their first encounter that their shop idea spiralled into action. Cast your minds back to New Year’s Eve, 2021, when Pablo had organised a Steampunk-themed party to celebrate the end of the year but little did he know it would be the beginning of a whole new adventure. Clair had been invited to this party as they both shared similar interests in gothic and steampunk fashion and culture. Early on into the evening, Clair thanked her acquaintance, Pablo, for this wonderful party and began talking about their similarities. ‘It was as if we had been friends for years, we just clicked!’ – Clair added. A few moments later and they found themselves discussing the fundamentals of opening up a shop together.

The next morning came with hundreds of messages back and forth to each other with ideas and plans afoot. That same day, Pablo was ordering stock and Clair had chosen a colour scheme. It had been a dream for both of them to share their unique style and culture with the people of Devon and opening up a dress shop in the unassuming town of Ivybridge felt like a gentle welcome into their community.

‘Ivybridge needs it.’ – Said a customer during our interview

On February 14th, Pablo found the property and after viewing it, he said it was perfect. When Clair came to visit, she didn’t have as much love for the property at first, the walls were covered in white paint and it had blue carpet running throughout the property which left Clair feeling uninspired. After a second visit, Clair fell in love with the fireplace towards the back of the building which sparked her creativity for the rest of the property. In a matter of weeks, Clair and Pablo transformed the blank canvas into a gorgeous sanctuary of Gothic, Victorian, Steampunk and Vintage clothing and décor.

Pablo and Clair never had a doubt in their minds that the idea wouldn’t work, everything seemed to click from the moment they met at that party 6 months ago. The two make a great pair for business with Pablo bringing the ideas and Clair transforming them to life and executing them perfectly.

As you walk into the shop, the decor automatically transports you into their world which holds the amazing power of feeling like an experience rather than simply a clothes shop. They proceeded to tell us that customers would leave the shop and thank them for the experience. With scarlet-coloured velvet draped ceilings, elegant black wallpaper and vintage chandeliers, the boutique feels enchanting and magical.

They believe this to be the only true Gothic dress shop in Devon which brings them a huge amount of pride as they are able to open the eyes of the public to a different kind of fashion which should be more accepted.

“This shop has provided a safe space for individuals that may not have felt comfortable or able to express themselves otherwise.” – Said Clair

Scarlet Velvet stocks a huge range of unique clothing including; dresses, skirts, basques, corsets, blouses, stockings, bags and hats in a variety of different styles and colours. Their stock is listed on their e-commerce website available for you to browse and purchase online 24/7. If a particular item you liked is out of stock, they will happily order it in for you. They currently have clothing from brands such as Voodoo, Vixen and Kill Star as well as high street brands like River Island, Lipsy, Laura Ashley and Warehouse. In the future, they would love to create their own brand of clothing by collaborating with a fashion design student from the Plymouth College of Art.

Pablo has been a Goth all of his life which means he has a keen eye for Gothic and Steampunk items. The quality of the clothing is a top priority for Pablo and Clair, they will never sell something that they don’t think reflects the price tag.

With a mission to make ‘anyone feel sexy’, they have a diverse range of corsets and basques in sizes up to 6XL with other items of clothing ranging in size.

As Halloween is fast approaching, this is the perfect shop to find authentic alternative clothing at affordable prices to complete your costume. Halloween at Scarlet Velvet promises to be a unique experience.

‘We don’t dress up for Halloween, we’re already dressed up!’ – Said Pablo laughing.

Pablo and Clair enjoy getting involved in the local community and helping other local creators, authors and designers share their work in the shop. They are currently a stockist for Avalon Legal’s, Colin Wells’ book, ‘The Sky Angels’ as well as a local necklace maker from Ivybridge. In September, they played host to a book event for South Hams Authors, due to their unusual and inspiring location. They would love to host more of these types of events in future.

On top of this, Clair offers meditation classes and massages in the second room towards the back of the shop to give people some serenity in this unsettling world. With candles, incense and calming music, Clair creates a soothing atmosphere to relax and unwind.

A question we always ask at the end of these interviews is ‘Where do you see the business in 5 years?’ to which they both replied ‘As you see it now’. It is clear to us that this business isn’t about money to Pablo and Clair, they feel blessed to be able to share a snippet of their culture with Devon and provide a safe space for people to discover who they are. The only progression they would love to welcome is more involvement with the community and potentially having their own label of clothing. The foundations of the business will forever stay the same as it has been built from a timeless passion that they would like to reignite in the local area.

Whether you’re interested in Gothic and Steampunk fashion or just after a unique Halloween outfit, Pablo and Clair will welcome you with a genuine smile and make sure you are well looked after. Have a browse on their website or head to their store in Ivybridge and pick yourself up a new addition to your wardrobe.