Phase Eight

History of Phase Eight

Clothing label Phase Eight began as a small independent womenswear boutique established by young mother Patsy Seddon in South London in 1979. Seddon's aim was to fill a gap that she had found in the market and to design and create stylish and sophisticated pieces that were affordable and practical, so that busy, young family oriented women like herself could dress fashionably. Seddon came up with the name Phase Eight using a combination of her first initial and maiden name and the address of her first boutique.

Over the years since its inception, Phase Eight has seen rapid growth but has continued to focus on developing its in-house womenswear designs to cater for casual, work, day and occasion wear for busy fashion aware women, using unique fabrics and prints and elegant styling. In 2012, Phase Eight launched the Collection 8 range of limited edition eveningwear, based on elegant red carpet glamour and using luxurious fabrics and silhouettes. In 2013 the 8 Bridal collection followed suit, featuring a combination of vintage styling and modern sleek fabrics to create a selection of unique bridal wear.

Phase Eight opened its first overseas store in Zurich in 2012, and since then the business has continued to expand into 17 countries around the world, with further global expansion still ongoing. Today the Phase Eight brand boasts more than 430 stores and concessions worldwide, and it continues to strive to meet Seddon's original vision in providing fashion conscious women with original styles that are as practical and wearable as they are beautiful and exclusive, all at affordable prices.

In recognition of its success as an expanding international brand and its excellence in its global business achievements, in April 2015 Phase Eight was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade, an accolade of which it is very proud. The company attributes its success to its determination to stick as closely as possible to its founder's vision, as well as to the loyalty of its many customers who share that vision.

Brands

Phase Eight offers a wide range of stylish and sophisticated clothing, all under its own Phase Eight brand.

Departments

Phase Eight has a range of online and in-store departments, including:

• New Arrivals
• Dresses
• Clothing
• Accessories
• Wedding Boutique
• Collection 8
• Sale
• Inspiration

Opening Times

Store opening times differ from store to store, with some located within department stores and some opening at later times, such as those in retail parks or late night shopping centres. However, generally Phase Eight stores are open at the following times:

Monday to Saturday: 9.00 - 17.30 Sundays: 10.00 - 16.00

Delivery Information

Phase Eight's UK standard delivery service costs £2.95, with a lead time of 3-5 working days. UK express delivery is available for £5.95 and has a lead time of 1-2 working days. Delivery into store takes 3-5 days and is free of charge.

Deliveries are made by Royal Mail or courier, dependent on destination, and a signature will be required on receipt.

International delivery is also available within mainland Europe. Prices and delivery times vary, depending on the destination and full details of this service are available on the Phase Eight website.

Returns Policy

Unwanted resaleable items can be returned in original packaging for a full refund for up to 28 days after purchase for full-price items, and within 10 days for items bought from the sale. Earrings are excluded from the returns policy for hygiene reasons.

Postal returns can be made using the returns slip including with delivery and refunds will be issued within 14 days. Exchanges can only be made in-store, although it is possible to make a return by post and separately order the replacement or exchange. PayPal purchases cannot be returned in-store and must be returned via the postal returns system.

Security & Reviews

Phase Eight takes online payment security seriously and operates the latest, secure SSL encryption systems throughout the payment process, giving customers peace of mind regarding protection of personal and payment data. Payments may also be made via PayPal, offering an alternative element of payment protection and ease of use for customers with PayPal accounts.

Phase Eight has received negative reviews from customers on TrustPilot (https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.phase-eight.com), with an average review rating of 5.4 out of 10, based on just two online reviews. However, it is worth noting that often people will only leave an online review of a store when they have experienced a problem, while many customers who were very happy with the service they received will not be motivated to leave a positive review. It is also difficult to judge a company's performance based on such a small sample of customer reviews.