A business owner who built a £12 million fashion brand from her kitchen table has announced plans to close the company for good. Mollie-May Rossi launched Caramella in 2017 while studying Psychology at university and working part-time. The fashion brand grew from a small venture into a recognised label with a loyal customer base, attracting support from celebrities including stars from The Real Housewives of Cheshire, Love Island, and The Only Way Is Essex.
Today, the company operates from Prenton on the Wirral and employs a number of team members. However, despite its achievements, Mollie revealed that she began reassessing the future of the business last year, concluding that significant changes were needed to move forward. After running the company independently for nine years, she made the decision to bring in a second person for the first time, appointing Emma Page as director and partner. Emma, 38, said the pair started working together after she "literally slid into her DMs," according to the Liverpool Echo.
But according to a statement released on June 1, the company's recent rebrand had its ups and downs in what is now a "challenging and forever changing landscape" compared to when Mollie launched Caramella. Mollie-May said: "This is without doubt the hardest thing I have ever had to write. For almost a decade, Caramella has been such a huge part of my life. So many of you have followed the journey of our small family business with huge ambitions through every high and every low. What started on my mum's kitchen table went on to achieve almost £12 million in sales and serve over 250,000 customers - numbers that a teenager from a council estate could only dream of.
"What people often don't see behind a business is the weight of responsibility that comes with it. There were times I took out personal loans to ensure wages were paid because giving up was never something I was willing to do lightly. For many years, I put the business ahead of my own mental health and wellbeing, and the truth is, I eventually burnt out. I explored every possible avenue to continue the business, including our rebrand in January, which received an incredible response from our community. However, while we experienced many successful years, more recently we suffered devastating losses, and unfortunately, those losses have now reached a point where continuing is no longer possible.
"Coming to terms with that reality has been heartbreaking. After dedicating almost a decade of my life to this company with everything I had, accepting the end of this chapter is something I never imagined I would face. The weight of feeling like I have let people down is not something I have carried lightly. To have had to let go of the most amazing team of people including my family has been heartbreaking. Navigating this during such a precious chapter of becoming a new mum has been incredibly difficult and has consumed me since the day my baby entered the world. I have reached a point where I must put myself and my baby first.
"To our incredibly loyal community, and every single person who supported Caramella - whether you placed an order, followed our journey, wore our pieces, or simply believed in the brand - thank you. No matter what happens next, I will always be proud of what we built together and forever grateful to anyone who was part of the journey. I will reflect on all we have achieved and find peace in knowing that I truly gave this everything I had. For now, it's goodbye."
