Meet the Business Owner: Ellen Andronicos from StyleMe Co
Born and raised in Albury, and a hairdresser by trade with a love of fashion, styling and design, Ellen – also known as Elle – started StyleMe Co in 2021. Following her passion, she wanted women to look and feel their best and knew there was room in Albury for a service like hers that offered head-to-toe hire for those special occasions.
AlburyCBD: Tell us about StyleMe Co. How did the business start, and where are you now?
Ellen: I’m a hairdresser by trade and had a salon on Kiewa Street and then spent 15 years in interior design. I felt it was time to put all those creative aspects of colour and style into something I love: fashion. I saw the need to dress a complete look with accessories, from bags to hair and jewellery, and do a complete look with all the finishing touches without having to outlay a great deal of money.
It’s a one-stop, really, especially for clients who are going to events in the AlburyCBD. They can collect their dress, and I do their hair and off they go.
AlburyCBD: What’s the process for hiring an outfit?
Ellen: Clients can try on whatever they like when we do a try-on session. It’s a private, one-on-one session, and we note everything they need for upcoming events. It’s about being completely comfortable to try things on with no pressure.
It’s all about the service. Seeing people feel good and happy is important to me. My greatest satisfaction is when a new mum or someone who hasn’t been feeling well comes in and says, “Oh, I can’t wait to go to the event now. I never would have picked this for myself.”
Clients often text me a photo of the shoes they are considering wearing and ask if it will work. It’s the service right through to the event that I love.
AlburyCBD: When you were first setting up, we were in the midst of Covid-19. How are you finding things now that we are getting back to normal?
Ellen: I really had to start again once things began to open up. It’s been satisfying building up return clientele and finding my niche market, which is ladies of all ages – a recent client was 76 years old and left bouncing out of here ready for her event the following week. I cater for sizes 4 to 16; it doesn’t have to be just dresses. I have clients who will message me and ask to hire a specific bag to go with an outfit.
AlburyCBD: What do you most love about fashion and dressing people?
Ellen: I love dressing up to go out. I think every occasion is an occasion to look your best and feel your best. I love the finishing touches. Some ladies get overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, so being able to suggest different things, point them in the right direction, and have them feel amazing is why I love what I do.
A lot of people take it for granted that ladies know how to put everything together, but some people don’t and sometimes a bit of reassurance is all that’s needed to build confidence. For me, that one-on-one is where you listen to what the client needs and find a solution. If I don’t think something looks right, I’m certainly not going to say to them that it does.
AlburyCBD: What do you love about being in Albury CBD?
Ellen: Albury CBD is fantastic. It’s one of the things clients like, being in the middle of one of the busiest blocks in Albury while still being private. I knew I needed to be in the CBD because I wanted to be central and easy to find even though it’s not a shop front.
StyleMe Co stocks everything you need for your look, including booby tape, hair accessories, earrings, handbags and all the final little touches needed to complete an outfit. The studio, tucked away on the second floor of the CML building at 499 Dean Street, offers clients a private, relaxing and welcoming space to feel confident while trying on new outfits and exploring new ways to express themselves with fashion.
You can find StyleMe Co on the second level of the CML building on Dean Street, Albury and on Instagram and Facebook.
