The Perfect Fit

When it comes to car boot sales, seasoned seller and fashion aficionado Lewis Thorpe somewhat bucks the trend.

In contrast to those on a drive to declutter their homes or arriving in hope of unloading unwanted wardrobe items, the entrepreneur attends the popular weekend markets with the aim of replenishing the rails and shelves of his expansive self storage unit.

It is a habit, combined with a proven eye for classic clothing and appealing apparel, that has seen the 23-year-old grow The Perfect Fit from a source of extra pocket money into a business with international customers and a six-figure annual turnover.

“I started selling some of my own stuff on eBay when I was 15,” Lewis said, recalling how his first strides into the world of online commerce began with the sale of a pair of Adidas trainers. “Within the space of a week I’d sold five or six pieces and made around £100 and that’s when the penny dropped that if I could make money from selling my own clothes, I could make more if I bought items from car boot sales and charity shops.

“Before I knew it, I was turning over around £500 a week at the age of 16 and it was during COVID that I decided to start selling professionally,” he added. “I’ve not looked back since, and I now get orders from all over the world.”

With rapid growth came a need for space to store The Perfect Fit’s stock – an array of jackets, coats, trainers and other items of clothing that range in price from £25 to upwards of £1,000 – and led, in 2020, to Lewis adding a big splash of yellow to his fashion business.

And while conceding that his initial attraction to Big Yellow’s store was based on its proximity – “a minute’s walk” – from his home, Lewis was quick to stress that the self storage company’s offering of a ‘tailored fit’ was key to the ongoing relationship. 

 “When I moved in, I rented the smallest room available, which I used to store a single rail of clothing and some trainers, but it was easy to scale up and I’ve got a much bigger space now,” he continued. “I can do all the packing, posting and admin from Big Yellow and the access is great – I can pop backwards and forwards whenever I need to throughout the day.”

Lewis, whose eBay listings are perused by more than 1,400 followers and provide a veritable ‘catwalk’ through the decades, including everything from 1940s’ Burberry jackets to present day attire, also praised the metaphorical ‘security tags’ Big Yellow attaches to his stock. 

 “I always tell people my stuff in is the most secure place – it’s like a fortress,” he concluded, referring to the store’s electronic gates and perimeter fencing, around-the-clock CCTV monitoring and how Big Yellow’s units are individually alarmed and protected by PIN code access. “It’s lovely to know my stock is safe.”

 You can find Lewis’ shop on eBay at theperfectfit1