Behind the Scenes: My Pop-Up at John Lewis with IND!E Pop-Up
At the beginning of March 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to host a pop-up at my local John Lewis in the Trafford Centre with Ind!e Pop Up. It was a week of bringing my products to life in a real retail setting—showcasing new designs, meeting customers face-to-face, and seeing months of preparation pay off!
Mum and I set up on Monday 3rd March, settling in for a full week on the second floor near the gifting, lighting, and frame department—a prime spot! I quickly learned just how much visual merchandising matters; multiple people told me they were drawn to my stand because of the vivid colours and bold patterns. That was such encouraging feedback and reinforced how important a strong first impression is, especially when selling luxury embroidered goods.
I also realized that with higher-end pieces like my embroidered bags, less is more when it comes to display. Giving each product space to stand out made a difference in how they were perceived and appreciated.
One of the best parts of the pop-up was meeting so many lovely customers and fellow creatives. Some were people I’ve known for years through Instagram but had never met in person—so it was really special to finally connect! I also saw lots of familiar faces, as friends and family came by throughout the week to support me (thank you all!).
I was really pleased with the mix of products that resonated with customers. My prints and smaller velvet bags were the top sellers, closely followed by my Bargello needlepoint kits. It was great to see people engaging with the products in person—textiles are such a tactile art form, and no matter how good a photo or video is, nothing compares to seeing and feeling the textures up close.
A major learning experience was the sheer stamina required for a pop-up like this. Weekend Market stalls are one thing but with the first six days 10 AM - 10 PM shifts, by the end, I was exhausted! There’s absolutely no way I could have managed it without my mum—having her there was a lifesaver. If I do a similar event in the future, I definitely can’t do this on my own!
I was really happy with the amount of stock I brought, but I did have a mid-week sell-out moment with my cushions, which led to a bit of a stressful last-minute restock. It all worked out, but it was a good reminder to always have a backup plan when coordinating stock and deliveries for a physical retail space!
What’s Next?
If you missed the pop-up, don’t worry—I’ve updated my website with all the products that were on display at John Lewis, and I’ve restocked some of the bestsellers!
Next up, I’ll be at markets in May, with more dates to be announced soon. If you want to be the first to know, sign up for my newsletter for updates!
INDIE Pop-Up (@popupindie) • Instagram photos and videos