Inspired by Heritage

For Sophie, a love for beautiful design and family business is simply in the blood. Her mother, the famous milliner Simone Mirman, created beautiful hats for Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, Princess of Wales, while her father helped bring the wonderful world of Christian Dior to the UK in the1950s.

Steeped in this creative heritage, Sophie set out to create her own path. After starting her career at Marks & Spencer and co-founding the iconic Sock Shop, she and her husband, Richard Ross, had a simple but lovely idea in 1990. They wanted to open a unique, welcoming space just for families.

That idea became Trotters.

Making Childhood Memories

From that first shop in Kings Road, Chelsea, Sophie’s vision was always to look at the world through a child's eyes. She knew that buying school shoes or getting a haircut shouldn't feel like a chore; it should be a happy memory.

Over the past 36 years, that focus on quality and care has never changed. While we have grown to include beautiful concessions in Harrods, Liberty and Selfridges—and we are looking forward to opening our newest home in St Pancras International Station this July—we are still the same family-run business at heart.

Whether we are sourcing our favourite classic Liberty prints, working with our brilliant family-run manufacturers in Portugal, or hand-finishing the tiny details on a classic smocked dress, Sophie’s dedication to excellence guides everything we do.

Giving Back to Little Ones

Beyond her love for retail, Sophie has always believed that a successful business should be a force for good. She has spent decades quietly supporting charities that protect and nurture children, both close to home and far away.

• Supporting Families: Through Trotters, Sophie has worked closely with fantastic UK charities like The Brompton Fountain and Place2Be, helping look after the mental and physical wellbeing of children.
• Building Brighter Futures: Together with the Cairn Trust, she helped fund the building of two schools in rural Nepal, giving local children a safe space to learn, play and reach their full potential.

A Note from Our CEO

Our CEO, Bruce Langlands, captured the mood of the whole team perfectly:
"Sophie's vision, entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering commitment to excellence have shaped not only our business, but also the lives of so many colleagues, customers and families over the past four decades. Her generosity, dedication to charitable causes and genuine care for people have always been at the heart of everything she does."

As Sophie herself says, this wonderful honour is something she shares with her husband Richard, our hardworking team, and every single family who has walked through our doors over the years.

Thank you for being such a wonderful part of our journey, and please join all of us at Trotters in saying a huge congratulations to Sophie!