Fashion: The NI firms using pop-ups to sell High Street style

At the Jamie Online Christmas pop-up in Belfast, the firm’s marketing manager Mia Gregory said the temporary move gives them the chance to “interact with customers”.

The firm, which has sold to influencers and online personalities like Madelyn Cline and Molly Mae, is learning the best way to approach the art of the pop-up.

“We’ve realised in the past that a three-day pop-up has been really good for us but, at this time of year, a Saturday is always our busiest day,” said operations manager Mary Gormley.

She added that organising a pop-up is not straightforward: “There’s a lot more that goes into it than you would think, but it’s good fun getting it organised and it’s good fun being here.”

Jamie Harkin’s journey from legal hopeful to online fashion began after he completed his A-levels at Drumragh College in Omagh and headed to London for university.

But after hating the experience he decided to leave. Starting to sell clothes led him, almost by luck, to seeing “a gap in the market” – and he went for it.

His business, started from a £500 investment, sources products from over 30 countries across the world, with the aim of “streamlining the process of second-hand thrifting”.