Meet Sarah Jane Lavery, the Irish designer behind Atelier by Charlotte & Tess
A woman with a strong background in the fashion industry, Sarah-Jayne launched Charlotte & Tess in 2020 while on maternity leave from her career as a business studies teacher. Her vision was to create a destination for elevated, wearable fashion curating pieces that feel timeless, effortless, and empowering. Having recently launched her second Atelier collection, she shares with us her brand story so far.
I’m Sarah Jayne Lavery, founder of Charlotte & Tess, a boutique based in The Linen Green in Moy, Co. Tyrone. I’m also a mum of three, and the business really grew from a lifelong love of fashion and beautiful design.
Charlotte & Tess began as a small online boutique and has evolved into a carefully curated multi-brand destination alongside our own label, Atelier by Charlotte & Tess. While I love discovering and bringing in incredible brands from across Europe and beyond, designing our own collections has become my biggest passion. There’s something really special about creating pieces from the ground up and seeing women connect with them in such a personal way.
Everything we do is rooted in femininity, confidence and making women feel their very best.
The ethos
My design philosophy has always been centred around creating pieces that feel timeless, feminine and special, but still wearable in real life.
I’m very inspired by beautiful fabrics, flattering silhouettes and thoughtful details that make a piece feel unique without overpowering the woman wearing it. I never want someone to feel like they have to wait for a special occasion to wear something beautiful.
Having worked so closely with our customers over the years, I’ve learned so much about how women want to feel in their clothes – confident, comfortable, elevated and still themselves. That understanding really shapes every Atelier collection.
I’ve always been drawn to fashion, creativity and design from a very young age. I’ve always loved styling pieces in my own way and had this dream of one day creating my own label.
When I opened the boutique, I learned so much about what our customers were searching for and what they felt was missing. That really gave me the confidence to begin designing our own collections. Atelier was born from wanting to create a truly feminine brand with beautiful fabrics, elevated details and pieces that felt both unique and timeless.
Atelier has a strong focus on feminine occasionwear and elevated everyday dressing. We’re known for luxurious fabrics, soft tailoring and thoughtful details that make each piece feel special.
Alongside more statement dresses and occasion pieces, we also design versatile wardrobe staples such as blazers, shirts and separates, but always with distinctive details, whether that’s the cut, fabric, trims or silhouette. I want every piece to feel refined and beautifully made, while still being easy to wear.
At Charlotte & Tess more broadly, we also curate a mix of contemporary designers and lifestyle brands that complement that same aesthetic.
The logistics
Definitely. Charlotte & Tess started very modestly with personal savings while I was on maternity leave. There was no outside investment or big business plan behind it, just a genuine passion and a belief that I could build something meaningful over time.
I started very small online, reinvesting back into the business bit by bit and trying to run things as leanly as possible in the early days. I think because of that, I’ve always been very mindful and hands-on with every part of the business.
Looking back now, I’m proud that we’ve grown organically from such small beginnings into what Charlotte & Tess is today.
One piece of advice that has always stayed with me is: “Know what you don’t know.”
I think being open to learning is one of the most important qualities you can have as a business owner. Fashion, retail and business are constantly evolving, and I’m always trying to learn more, improve and surround myself with people who know more than I do in certain areas.
Another piece of advice I live by is to truly understand your customer and serve them well. Building a loyal community comes from listening to people, understanding what they want and making them feel valued.
One of the biggest lessons for me has been the importance of really knowing your customer and staying true to your brand identity.
It’s easy to get distracted by trends or what everyone else is doing, but I’ve learned that the strongest businesses are the ones that have a very clear understanding of who they are and who they’re creating for.
I’ve also learned how important it is to know your numbers and understand every part of your business, even the less glamorous side of things. Creativity is such a huge part of what I love, but having a strong understanding of the business side is equally important.
The brands to know
I’m always discovering beautiful brands, particularly within denim and elevated everyday dressing, and there are definitely a few I would love to bring to Charlotte & Tess in the future.
For Atelier, we’re currently working on a really exciting winter collection with a strong focus on heritage-inspired fabrics, feminine tailoring and rich textures. It feels like a very elevated next chapter for the brand and I can’t wait to share more soon.
I’m completely obsessed with Jonathan Anderson and everything he’s achieved. As someone from Northern Ireland, it’s incredibly inspiring to see what he has done on a global level, and I’ve loved seeing his work for Dior this season.
I also love Cecilie Bahnsen for her femininity and silhouettes, Simone Rocha for her creativity and detail, and Victoria Beckham, who always manages to make tailoring feel modern and effortless.
My Chanel Wallet on Chain is probably my favourite fashion purchase ever. I’ve had it for years now and it’s one of those timeless pieces that instantly elevates everything, whether you’re dressing up or keeping things very simple.
More recently, I bought a pair of vintage Chanel earrings from ReSelfridges that I absolutely love. I’m very drawn to pieces that feel classic but still have personality and a story behind them.
Jonathan Anderson is such an incredible talent and I’m always inspired by what he’s doing through JW Anderson. I also love Kindred of Ireland — their craftsmanship, natural fabrics and slower approach to fashion are so beautifully done.
Another brand I really admire is The Landskein. I love their modern interpretation of Irish heritage fabrics and craftsmanship, and the way they make tweed feel directional and luxurious in such a contemporary way.
Ireland has such an exciting creative community and I think there’s a real confidence and individuality emerging within Irish fashion and design right now.
The legacy
Being featured in British Vogue was definitely a huge moment for me. Even though it was a small feature, it felt incredibly special to see Atelier recognised by such an iconic publication.
When you start something from very humble beginnings, moments like that really mean so much because they remind you how far the brand has come.
I would love Atelier by Charlotte & Tess to be remembered for distinctive design, beautiful craftsmanship and thoughtful attention to detail.
For me, it’s always about creating pieces that feel feminine, elevated and timeless, but still unique in their own way. I want women to feel special when they wear our designs and to keep coming back to those pieces in their wardrobe for years to come.
If I could have anyone wear my designs it would be Claire Rose Cliteur. She is the epitome of classic, timeless but contemporary styling to me. I love the way she wears clothes with such ease and effortless elegance. Everything always feels beautifully considered without ever looking overdone, and her approach to tailoring and elevated everyday dressing aligns so naturally with the aesthetic of Atelier.
Catherine, Princess of Wales would also be a dream. I really admire the way she champions timeless fashion and rewears beautifully tailored pieces year after year. Her style feels polished and feminine while still remaining incredibly wearable, which is something I always try to capture within our collections.
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