West London Boutique

Less than one thousand square feet, every piece in West London Boutique could fit into five clothing racks. The small space is brought to life with bright colors, exotic patterns, and dramatic cuts. Whether it is a dress, blouse, necklace, scarf, or bag, each piece has to make a statement. “Because the store is so tiny, every item must be perfect. We don’t have room for anything boring,” said owner Mariah Walton Benick. Every detail is accounted for from the black and white matching details to the handwritten thank you notes written to every customer. Mimicking its name, the elegant and dramatic aesthetic of the boutique elicits a British feel while simultaneously being a staple of the New Orleans fashion community.

Mariah started West London with one clothing rack out of her own office in Las Vegas, her Facebook friends serving as her clientele. Mariah always told me she stumbled on New Orleans by accident always maintaining the mentality of, “you don’t know what you don’t know.” In 2017, putting blind faith in the city of New Orleans, Mariah opened West London boutique on Magazine Street. In true serendipitous fashion, the city of New Orleans became the perfect home for Mariah’s brand. Bold and bright as the city itself, the vibrant nature of the pieces Mariah so carefully curated meshed seamlessly with New Orleans’s eclectic and unique culture. Rather than letting the small space limit West London, Mariah uses it to her advantage; her store is home to her clients. West London is an extension of their home wardrobe; filled with clothes personally curated by their trusted friend Mariah. When new items arrive, from London, Paris, Copenhagen, or Brazil, Mariah understands what cut, color, or pattern will best suit each of her clients. Almost daily, she whips out her phone, starts recording “Hello! Hello! Look what we just got that is perfect for you…” The most important part of this exchange for both Mariah and the West London client is its genuine nature. On my first day of working there, Mariah told me, “West London is not about the sale. When a customer walks in your goal is not to sell them a dress or perfume, it is to make a connection with them. The key is turning a customer into a client, and a client into a friend.” Very quickly, I realized the importance of this mantra. Every day clients would come in, not only to see the beautiful and unique pieces but often to catch up with Mariah. Just as common, was tourists who remembered the store from a brief visit a year ago, or whose friends told them “if you are in New Orleans you have to go to West London Boutique,” hence equating the little boutique to a landmark as iconic as the French Quarter or Cafe du Monde. 

Mariah Walton Benick wearing West London
Photo By: Grace Johnson

Pieces from Fall Collection
Photo By: Mariah Walton Benick

Each client, whether it is their first time in the store, or they shop at West London weekly, is greeted by the smell of the store’s most popular fragrance “Oud and Rose.” In the background, Spotify’s “Made in London” playlist ranges from Queen’s “Somebody to Love” to Dua Lipa’s “Levitating.” It is no secret that emotional motivators have a significant impact on consumer purchasing. Harvard Business Review launched their study on “The New Science of Customer Emotions” which defined customers on a spectrum from being unconnected to fully connected. Their survey concluded that customers who were considered fully connected are on average 52% more valuable than customers who are considered unconnected or just satisfied with the brand (Schulman). Mariah has recognized the importance of these emotional motivators, her mission is to turn customers into her inner circle, a stylish group of West Londoners. After striking up a conversation with Mariah herself or one of her trusted employees, the client is then offered champagne or water as they peruse the perfectly organized clothing racks. 

The level of comfort the “West London Way” creates mimics a study on consumer ideology by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, “How Social Ties Influence Consumer: Evidence from Event-Related Potentials.” The researchers analyzed participants purchasing choices and monitored participants’ brain activity based on influence from either a stranger or friend. The study found that “ Compared to friends who are prone to trigger more positive emotions such as comfort, happiness, and trust, strangers are more likely to evoke negative bias affections such as uneasiness, repulsion, and distrust (Luan).” No one wants to feel pressured into making a purchase or like a stranger is forcing you into a choice. It is something that happens to everyone, being followed around a store and being all but dragged to the register by a sales associate. Mariah has ensured that will never be a client’s experience at West London. Instead, customers can kick off their shoes, relax, and enjoy champagne as they appreciate pieces that are sold nowhere else in the United States. 

Now years after West London boutique first opened its doors in 2017, the store graces highlights in magazines such as Southern Living and The Scout Guide. Mariah herself is recognized as an incredible businesswoman, attending events such as the “Enterprising Women of Color CEO retreat.” This summer, I worked at West London boutique nearly every day. Every day customers would tell me, “there really is no place like this store.” They would gasp in excitement over new arrivals, rushing to get their hands on the exclusive styles. Their faces were full of smiles as they explored each rack, captivated by patterns, colors, necklines, ruffles, and buttons. I could recognize the sheer happiness in customers’ eyes, West London was a place of pure enjoyment for them, an escape of sorts. The positive power that shopping and enjoying fashion has on customers is often overlooked. The concept of “retail therapy” is often dismissed as materialism: however, studies suggest how shopping can lead to positive emotions and a decrease in stress. The University of Michigan conducted the study, “The Benefits of Retail Therapy: Making Purchase Decisions Reduces Residual Sadness” in which they analyzed whether and why shopping actually decreases an individual’s sadness. Through a series of experiments, they concluded that shopping helps an individual feel a sense of control over their personal environment, resulting in a correlation with positive emotions. Retail or shopping is not just a superficial practice, but rather a way for one to explore and find ways to express themselves. This is why at West London, the utmost focus is the client. Through the care for the clients, a customer simultaneously experiences both luxury and comfort. It is a place where a client has the potential to take risks through their fashion or find comfortable pieces that remain a staple of their closet.

No matter your personal style, amongst the hand-curated feminine and dramatic pieces, there is a delightful experience waiting for you at West London. The boutique is more than just shopping, in my time that I worked there I learned how every choice Mariah made contributed to curating the perfect aesthetic. At 3952 Magazine Street, every customer can experience the luxurious and dramatic elements of European fashion, seamlessly mixed with local southern hospitality and charm. Within the tiny store’s walls is an experience for all, a place for women to feel as comfortable as they would in their own closet, yet as glamorous as they would at the Oscars. From eleven to five every day, the boutique is open for guests to explore the romantic and extravagant pieces and experience unique to West London itself.