Upper School and Sixth Form girls always enjoy an opportunity to chat to a former Downe House girl about her career and life after School. Organised as part of the DH LINKS programme of careers guidance events, DH Alumna, Caroline Dallas (Mainwaring DH 1997) returned to School to talk about her successful retail business, Luna Boutiques, and her career path to give the girls an insight into the fashion retail world.

After studying politics at Newcastle University, Caroline’s first job was in recruitment in London but she soon decided it wasn’t for her and set off on holiday to Cape Town. She ended up staying for four years, at first working in a beach bar before moving on to a job in the South African film industry where she worked in the Art Department. Eventually she moved back to London, met her husband and they decided to move to Wiltshire. Luna Boutiques was born when Caroline and a friend decided to open a clothes shop in Marlborough. Boutiques in Hungerford, Newbury and Devizes followed and she is now the proud owner of four successful fashion boutiques. Caroline said, “I love my job so much – it really is my passion and each of my shops has its own personality. Of course it is really hard work steering your own ship but ultimately very rewarding.”