For years Victoria Mutch struggled to shop on the high street and find clothes to fit her body shape.

Taking inspiration from her own personal experiences, the full-time oil and gas worker decided she wanted to do something about it – so she launched her own womenswear business.

Style for your Shape started in the spare bedroom of her Old Aberdeen home in July 2020.

The 31-year-old has now opened her first shop in Aberdeen’s Schoolhill area and is hoping to launch her own clothing line later this year. The “size inclusive” womenswear boutique carries a range of stock covering sizes 8-28.

‘Always been a challenge’

Victoria, who works as a compliance lead for Repsol Sinopec Resources UK, said: “I’ve always been a curvy person and struggled personally to shop on the high street, all through late teens in to my 20s.

“Even though my shape has fluctuated over time I’ve still always found it a real challenge.

“People used to comment on how nicely dressed I was and able to put an outfit together.

“I spent a lot of time searching online for different styles and shapes I knew would suit my body shape.

“I thought why don’t I try and turn this in to a business? It’s something I’d personally experienced and understand the emotions that come with it.”

Style for your Shape city centre location

During her first couple of years she held pop-up events at various locations across the north-east and was a regular at Curated market, held in Bon Accord Shopping Centre, in aid of Charlie House.

But with the business continuing to grow Victoria, who has four staff, knew it was time to think about expanding and set about finding a new home for Style for your Shape.

The former Banff Academy pupil said: “We were getting busier and busier with footfall increasing all the time and our reputation was growing.

“I knew there was a need for it and I needed to be open more days.

“I was looking at a few different properties and always had my sight set on the unit we are in now.”

Victoria revealed she is also days away from signing a new lease for another year.

New clothing line coming

Style for your Shape also offers a personal shopping service, with all members of staff trained to help customers pick the perfect fit.

Victoria said: “That is where we add real value to people – helping them choose things they wouldn’t (normally) think about. We are trying to make them not look at themselves in a negative way in the mirror.

“It’s what makes it different.

“I wanted to do size inclusive. It doesn’t matter what size you are and it was important to get that message across.”

Victoria also revealed she is working with UK design teams and manufacturers to  design her own clothing line which she hopes to launch this autumn.

She said: “I’m going to bring a small collection to start with and build on it in the future.

“Now we know exactly what people are looking for.”