Sophie Ackers said it has been a crazy journey but her brand is “stronger than ever”

08:39, 18 Apr 2025Updated 09:29, 18 Apr 2025

Sophie Ackers started her fashion business in 2017
Sophie Ackers started her fashion business in 2017(Image: Colin Lane)

A Liverpool woman who launched her business with only a few hundred pounds is now “dressing absolutely everyone at Glastonbury”. Sophie Ackers, from Walton, started bohemian brand Secret Garden back in 2017 after borrowing £300 off her mum.

Initially, the 34-year-old’s company sold accessories only, but it quickly developed into an all-rounder to keep up with customer demand. Over the last eight years, thanks to Sophie’s hard work and determination, the business has established itself as a go-to for many, particularly during festival season.

Secret Garden now sells everything from bags, scarves, co-ords, jumpsuits, and maxi dresses from its first store in Ormskirk. Sophie, who also lives in the market town, believes the story behind each stocked item separates her from the mainstream.

The brand’s designs are all hand-made, even down to the stitching of individual sequins, meaning no two pieces are the same and are, in fact, unique. Suppliers and artisans come from Bali, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and Thailand, and the methods used have been around for hundreds of years.

The first shop of Sophie Ackers' Secret Garden can be found in Ormskirk.
The first shop of Sophie Ackers’ Secret Garden can be found in Ormskirk.(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
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The entrepreneur told the ECHO: “Secret Garden was born out of my love of travelling and learning about different cultures. I used to go to every market I could in every country I was in and pick up little trinkets and business cards.

“We started with five bags in 2017, and now we are selling over 200 products. I was going to South America, Africa, Europe and India with my partner, and I wanted to bring a piece of each country back with us to Liverpool.

“I met with artisans in India and Thailand, and I’ve visited them every year since. We spent the time co-creating the designs for the business. We work with a lot of independent designers who are often families.

Sophie Ackers hopes it is the first of many stores for Secret Garden
Sophie Ackers hopes it is the first of many stores for Secret Garden(Image: Liverpool ECHO)

“The ladies who work on our items live in remote villages and can’t work because they lack transportation access. So my artisan drops the materials to them, and they then hand-sew every single sequence onto the item.

“Each item can take up to two weeks to complete, but seeing the finished product, you wouldn’t mind because they are absolutely dripping in colour.”

Sophie’s first physical shop has only been open for a few weeks, but she said it is perfect timing, with summer just around the corner. She said it is something she has been dreaming of for a few years now, but due to the rise in high street rental prices, it was unattainable financially.

She said: “The store came out of nowhere. We came across this really good let in a really cute street in Ormskirk, in Church Walks. So just before I travelled to India again at the start of February, we signed the lease, and it has been full-steam ahead since.

Secret Garden's Sophie Ackers in India
Secret Garden’s Sophie Ackers in India(Image: Secret Garden)

“We’ve been trying to get everything all prepped and ready for Glastonbury. We’re famous for dressing every single person at the festival

“It’s so surreal to see everyone enjoying themselves while wearing some of my pieces. It’s a very blessed position to be in. To be able to do, to dress and represent so many girls, is something I am very fortunate to do. The fact that everyone trusts me is crazy.”

Although Sophie and her team have become synonymous with festivals, in the last three years, she has shifted the focus to becoming an all-year-round brand. Her best seller is the Frida Maxi Skirt, but she said you shouldn’t count out the tapestry winter coats.

Sophie Ackers' Secret Garden began as an accessory brand but it such much more than that now
Sophie Ackers’ Secret Garden began as an accessory brand but it such much more than that now(Image: Colin Lane)

She added: “Not all of our collections are festival pieces. We style bohemian girls all year round, not just in the summer.

“We have returning customers who keep coming back because they realise you can wear this style no matter the time of year. This is a store for anyone who loves something different, something unique, and lots of colour.

“I started with just £300 off my mum, but the store has only cost £2,000. We got lots from the Facebook marketplace. The reception table was only a couple of quid, we stripped it and painted it ourselves.”

Secret Garden's Sophie Ackers in India
Secret Garden’s Sophie Ackers in India(Image: Secret Garden)

For now, Sophie is focusing on establishing the store as a physical outlet, but she’s still determined to go global.

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She said: “We want to become one of the most visited stores in the UK and worldwide, especially in America and Australia.

“It’s been an incredible journey. It hasn’t been easy, and it’s a very difficult industry to be in. When you work with artisans in the likes of India, Afghanistan and Bali, communication can be very hard. But I’ve persevered, had resilience, and it’s all paid off. We are stronger than ever.”