Jo and Brogan - Founders of Anela, new boutique wedding experience
Founded by Jo Stott and Brogan Owen, Anela is a luxury North Shields boutique dedicated to mothers of the bride and groom. Based in The Exchange 1856, the brand offers modern, stylish occasionwear and a deeply personal shopping experience designed to make women feel celebrated, confident and truly seen.
We spoke to Jo and Brogan about what their first few months in business have been like, and why they are passionate about putting mams at the heart of the wedding experience.
Anela opened its doors earlier this year – what has the reaction been like so far?
Jo: Honestly, it has blown my mind. We officially launched at the end of March and the response has been phenomenal, it has just blown us away. We opened our doors mid-February as a soft launch due to demand – which was such a lovely start. Since then, we’ve learned so much, so quickly. We talk sometimes as if we’ve been open for five years, not just a few months, because we’re already so clear on what works, what our customers need and how special this experience is for them.
Brogan: It has felt fast-paced, but in the best possible way. We’re constantly listening, learning and refining and I think that comes from both of us having vast experience in the wedding industry and really understanding these milestone moments. We know how much they matter.
Tell us more about the idea behind Anela. Why is it important?
Jo: At its core, ?nela is about women. It’s about mothers, yes, but also women who have lived, raised families, built careers, supported others and now deserve to feel incredible in their own right.
For so long, mother of the bride and groom outfits have felt like an afterthought. They’re often tucked away in bridal shops or treated as secondary to the main wedding experience and we wanted to create a dedicated space where mams could come in, relax, be cared for and feel completely and utterly celebrated.
Brogan: There were two gaps that were really clear to us from working in the industry. The first was style, so we want to offer something more modern, fashionable and elegant for mothers who don’t want to feel dated or put into a box. The second was experience so all of our appointments to feel personal, unhurried and special – it’s not just about buying an outfit, but about marking a really meaningful moment.
How did your paths lead to you launching Anela?
Jo: The idea had been bubbling away for around three years. Through my work in the bridal industry and as a celebrant, I kept seeing mothers of the bride and groom struggling to find something that felt like them. Being so close to weddings, you see every part of that journey and this was the one area that consistently felt overlooked.
Then 2025 became a big year personally. My daughter Abbie got married in Kielder, and Brogan got married in Las Vegas. Both experiences showed us just how real that gap was and that finding the right look wasn’t easy. It confirmed what I already felt, that Anela needed to exist.
Brogan: Jo had mentioned the idea before, and then in January 2025 it started to feel very real. With my background in fashion and design, I could immediately see the potential in creating something bespoke and more flexible for women, pieces that could be adapted to suit them, rather than the other way around.
I brought a few designs to Jo’s house, almost as a starting point, and we began exploring what the ?nela collection could be. By June, after my wedding, we shook hands over brunch and said, “Right, we’re doing this.”
From there, it was a full year of creating the brand, the designs, the space and the experience.
Your home is in The Exchange in North Shields – why the North East?
Jo: The North East is home. My ‘very large’ family roots are here, and there is such a strong sense of community. We’ve felt so much support, not just from the wedding industry, but from local people who genuinely want us to do well and love the concept of ?nela. It is so unique and we deserve to celebrate these moments authentically and honestly for our Mam’s. The North East has a natural warmth and ?nela emulates this utterly.
The Exchange is perfect for us. It’s beautiful, full of atmosphere and has that sense of heritage and occasion. It feels glamorous but welcoming, which is exactly what ?nela is.
Brogan: I’m originally from Yorkshire, but I’ve felt that community too. People want to support something local and special. We also love the idea that ?nela can become a destination. People have already travelled here for an appointment, they can then stay for lunch, have a drink, explore North Shields or the wider coast. That’s exciting for us and for the local economy.
What is an experience like Anela bringing to the region?
Jo: It brings a space that hasn’t really existed here before. We call it a sacred shopping experience because that’s what it feels like. Women come in with their daughters, sons, husbands, sisters, friends, even future in-laws, and they have time that is completely about them. The North East is such a welcoming and special place and we know that having a shopping destination like ?nela here is going to have a benefit for local hospitality businesses too.
Brogan: So many women tell us they want to make their son or daughter proud. That has really stayed with me. We often think of children wanting to make their parents proud, but here it’s the other way around too. These women want to feel confident, stylish and like themselves on one of the biggest days in their family’s life.
What’s next for Anela?
Jo: We’re still a baby, but we have big ambitions. We’ll continue developing our own ?nela collection alongside very carefully chosen designers, always with our customers in mind.
Brogan: The goal is to keep growing without losing the heart of it. Beautiful clothes matter, but the feeling matters most – we want every woman who walks through our door to leave feeling marvellous.
anela.co.uk