Aspden 10.12.

13 Sam Faiers/ 1
Cosmopolitan UK
BRAD Editorial Prole:
The authority on young women in the UK and around the world. Celebrates fun, glamour
and a passion for life and inspires young women to be the best they can be
Target Audience:
Young, upmarket females and independent readership.
STAND FIRST:
The Only Way Is Essex's Sam Faiers is known for her glossy locks, perma-tan and
estuary twang, but behind the cameras theres a strong-minded business woman at
the centre of her empire.
(ENDS)
WORD COUNT: 50

As the crowd queue out of the shop door waiting to meet her at Preston's Fishergate
centre, Sam Faiers looks relaxed and composed amongst the rails of clothes in her pop-up
Minnies Boutique. The star of ITV2s hit reality show The Only Way Is Essex looks
perfectly at home amidst the sea of photographers, but the fame sprung upon her since
the shows launch in 2010 has not taken this 22-year-old's eye off the career ladder.

Sam and her sister Billie opened Minnies Boutique in Brentwood in Essex two years ago
and over the past 12 months have toured the country with their pop-up shop. 'When I rst
started the show I was inundated with tweets and all things on social networks asking Oh!
wheres that from or where this from?' The idea for Minnies came one afternoon in their
mum's front room when they saw the opportunity to stop wearing other people's clothes
and open their own shop.
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Aspden 10.12.13 Sam Faiers/ 2
The boutique is very much a family affair and as Sam and Billie pose for pictures with their
adoring fans their mum rushes around the shop to make sure the rails are full and the tills
are ringing. 'Were all really business minded. For years weve always wanted to do
something as a family. Its me, my sister, my mum, my aunts and my nan; were all really
close.'

Sam shot to fame as the girlfriend of this years Im a Celebrity star Joey Essex but with
such a close family to keep her grounded she has always had an eye for business. 'When
I left school I went straight to work. I didnt really like school, I wanted to earn my own
independence.'

'If I hadnt done this I probably would have wanted to do something where I worked as my
own boss.'

Her career hasnt always been about signing autographs and attending showbiz parties,
Sam began her career with a temp job before working in a bank. 'Working in the bank was
completely different to anything I do now.'

Sam and her sister Billie opened the shop after the television shows rst series was a
huge success. 'None of us had had retail experience before, we thought it would be really
hard but actually it wasnt too bad.'

Minnies Boutique went from plan to opening in a matter of weeks. 'I remember telling the
show we were opening up a shop just before series two was starting and them saying we
want it in the rst episode.''

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Aspden 10.12.13 Sam Faiers/ 3
'So we opened the shop within two weeks. The actual shop t and everything was done...
but the shelves were quite empty because all our stock hadnt come in yet.'

The Only Way Is Essex has just nished its 10th series and Sam explains how beating
Downton Abbey to win the YouTube Audience prize at the BAFTA television awards in
2011 is the highlight of her career. Modest in her achievements this Essex business
woman admits she has the show to thank for the success of her boutique. 'The show is a
massive platform, me and Billie showcase all the clothes from Minnies on the show. When
were lming were wearing all the clothes from the shop; so online it generates so much
business.'

As she mingles amongst the queueing shoppers Sam seems the perfect professional, she
looks genuinely happy to meet the fans who have travelled miles to meet her and see the
shop. 'If youre going to open up your own business youve got to be really passionate
about what youre opening, because it doesnt work otherwise.'

'The reason why Minnies has been doing so well and is getting bigger and bigger is purely
because me and Billie are really passionate about it. We work in the shop every Saturday,
we tour the country meeting our fans, we love doing the buying...youve really got to be
into it to open it successfully.'

Unlike many of her fellow reality stars the newly single Sam looks comfortable posing for
pictures dressed in a comfy knitted cardigan and trainers, whilst her sister models their
own merchandised Minnies onesie. Away from the red carpet Sam admits to preferring her
pyjamas over her party dresses: 'Were quite smart casual and cosy as a brand.'
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Aspden 10.12.13 Sam Faiers/ 4
'We'd like to see our own range of lounge wear eventually like a Victoria Secrets kind of
lounge wear, were getting there... the opportunities are endless.'

Sam proves youre never too young to start building your business empire, all it takes is
passion and a lot of hard work. As soon as the last autograph is signed at the pop-up shop
she is whisked away to make a guest appearance at Clothes Show Live in Birmingham.
This Essex girl is in her prime and as she waves goodbye to her doting fans the gleaming
smile on her face shows she couldnt be happier.
ENDS.
WORD COUNT: 819
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