I stepped onto the platform in my metallic red Marc Jacobs shoes (Wizard of Oz/Dorothy style), with the white bow (jewel encrusted) and looked around.
The space and distinctive lack of stressed and busy people was the first clue I wasn't in London.
My preceding Foursquare (get my bearings), check-in citing, "Cutting a dash - in charming Chester" was the living proof.
I was in the country. Well, what this city girl classifies as country anyway. If you pass cows and sheep on the way to somewhere outside of London; you're a few English Breakfast teas away from becoming an honorary Brit.
I'm calling it. Chester is the country. What was I doing in Chester?
I'd jumped a Virgin (the train I should point out), to meet with Adam Williams and Annabel Mount-Kirk, joint partners and founders of new online shopping, clothing and accessories boutique The editeur.
Needless to say that as a bona fide city-styled Londoner, I was perplexed as to why I needed to hop a 2 hour long train journey (my attention span is on par with that of a child's) to learn more about an e-commerce store.
Why can't I just Google stuff?
"You must come and see our set-up", cooed Adam with polite enthusiasm on the phone the previous day. "It will really give you a sense of what we do and what we're all about. You can meet the team!" - who knew there were teams behind the machines?
Okay, okay. I conceded. A ticket was dutifully purchased.
A morning battle at Bank Station and a last minute dash to the loo at Euston (damn my new lifestyle; Mission Hydrate) - I was in a London state of mind (annoyed and slightly apathetic) before finally grabbing my coffee, my City A.M. and settling into my journey. It took a good hour to sit still and just do nothing.
The minute I met Adam I knew I'd done the right thing in coming. The morning battle was an instant and distant memory. Creatively was the order of the day from this point forward.
Bursting with ideas and drive, it's easy to see how The editeur, having only launched in February of 2011, had, in its first year, reached the finals of the Drapers lingerie retailer of the year, only to be defeated in the end to powerhouse John Lewis.
Due to the immediate success of their lingerie trade, they took the next step and have now expanded into clothing, footwear and accessories.
The editeur is now an edited selection from the world's most covetable designers, marketing themselves as providing pieces that are classically timeless and effortlessly on trend; underpinned by fabulous craftsmanship, each piece in turn, earning itself a treasured place in your wardrobe.
The site's design and ease of browsing is great, so I wrongly assumed that this is where the bulk amount of their working time was going.
But not only do they have the functionality for online sales with designer names such as Stella McCartney, Elle Macpherson, Calvin Klein, Acne, J Brand, Pinko, MW Matthew Williamson and many many more; but they have a beautiful boutique with an extremely generous changing room space and a separate lingerie room - all housed within a Tudor style building, cleverly combining the online experience with those who prefer to visit the store, browse the racks and try things on.
Above the store is the small yet dedicated team working behind the scenes on the marketing, design and promotional aspects of the relatively new site. A mass distraction is present in gorgeous Scotty dog Henry; who I managed to leave alone just long enough to also meet Laura Apsit livens, the resident Milliner who's worked with the likes of Philp Treacy and most recently, on quite a few of the Royal Wedding hats. When we met she was busily creating her collection which will soon be stocked exclusively with The editeur.
If you want to stay upto date with the latest news, events, designers, features and interviews and/or fancy a sneak peek of Laura's exclusive collection, then do stay with me. I'm now the contributing London editor for The editeur so please feel free to join me over on their newly launched blog section for a little fashion fix.
See you in style.