The story of how Anne Neil traded the high street of Norwich, England, for an innovative business hub in Lagos, quite fittingly, begins with a bit of weather.
While visiting northern Portugal to source textiles, Anne grew weary of the persistent rain. Seeking a brief reprieve, she headed south for what was intended to be a three-night stay in Praia da Luz. But charmed by the area’s beauty and weather, the quick break became a permanent relocation. Today, that serendipitous detour has evolved into a global fashion operation based in the western Algarve, where Anne has found a new home for her soul and her business.
For those of us who appreciate the story behind the brand, Anne’s journey is one of remarkable intuition. It started in 1990 with a physical boutique on Norwich high street. While many traditional retailers eventually shuttered their doors, Anne’s business, Walkers Style, didn’t just survive – it flourished. The secret was a bold digital pivot long before well-known stores like Selfridges and Liberty went online with their fashion clothing. At the time, the industry believed that high-end clothing had to be seen in the flesh and tried on by customers rather than purchased online.
Anne didn’t agree and instructed a professional coder to create a website for her fashion business and on his advice she began experimenting with Google AdWords. It turned out that Anne knew her tribe better than the experts did. Her very first international order arrived from the United States, proving that stylish, mature women were not only online but were hungry for the quality and individuality she offered.
At the heart of Walkers Style lies a philosophy Anne describes as “understated cool”. Having spent 35 years as a fashion stylist, she isn’t interested in the frantic, disposable nature of modern trends. Instead, she pursues what she calls “the alchemy”. She revels in the delicate, almost magical balance of getting colour, proportion and shape just right. It is a formula that creates timelessness; a Walkers Style piece feels as relevant today as it will in five years.
This unconventional eye for style has naturally attracted those who march to the beat of their own drum. Anne has styled high-profile actresses and members of the Harry Potter production team – women who celebrate the eclectic and the authentic. Her customer demographic tends to be over 30: professionals who earn their own money, are free-thinking, and are not herd followers. Her goal is to offer something “different but not cheap different”, ensuring that women of every age, size and shape can walk out the door draped in confidence.
“It is never simply about the clothes themselves, but about how they work together and how they make a woman feel,” says Anne.
The move to Portugal also marked a significant evolution in the brand’s craftsmanship. Anne began investigating new suppliers in the valleys north of Porto, where some of the world’s most prestigious clothing factories quietly work for the biggest names in luxury fashion. Anne remembers, “I was captivated by the understated excellence and the profound depth of Portuguese skill paired with a refreshing lack of ego.”
This move has allowed her to elevate her signature knitwear, as she has discovered that the local cashmere is of a superior grade to anything she had sourced previously. For those of us living through the Algarve’s mild winter, Anne advocates for cashmere as the ultimate smart choice; it is lighter than a heavy woolly jumper and far more sophisticated than a sweatshirt for a cool evening on the terrace.
Today, the heart of the business beats at the Laco Hub in Lagos. This collaborative co-working space has become Anne’s creative sanctuary. Inside the hub, the team styles, photographs and ships an eclectic mix of independent fashion to a loyal following in London, New York, and far beyond. Anne admits that walking into this vibrant, shared space every morning, where she creatively feeds off other artisans, brings her immense joy – a feeling that translates into the beauty of her collections.
For those who wish to experience Anne’s “understated cool” in person, the Walkers Style showroom and warehouse at the Laco Hub are open to the public by appointment. It is a wonderful opportunity to seek expert styling advice and browse the latest collections in an atmosphere that is as warm and welcoming as the Algarve.
Sizing or styling advice: WhatsApp +351 920 729 741
