TOWIE's Gemma Collins seen loading clothes into her car after visit to wholesaler

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Former TOWIE star seen at wholesale shops on Commercial Road, London
The 34-year-old pictured putting plastic bags and boxes into Land Rover
She reportedly made a £120,000 profit from clothes range last year

By Sarah Barns For Mailonline and Jo Tweedy For Mailonline

Published: 13:40 EST, 22 October 2015 | Updated: 14:43 EST, 22 October 2015

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Gemma Collins has been photographed outside a cut-price London wholesaler where she was loading bags and boxes of clothes into the back of her silver Land Rover.

Appearing in high spirits, reality star Gemma looked laid back in a long camel-coloured cardigan, a white T-shirt with an 'in sequins we trust' slogan on the front and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans as she was seen on Commercial Road in east London.

The pictures were taken on October 6 - just weeks before she was accused of buying cheap garments and marking up the price by up to 300 per cent in her Brentwood-based boutique - but it is not known if the items being placed in her car were later sold in her shop.

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Gemma Collins has been photographed at a cut-price London wholesaler - just weeks before she was accused of buying cheap garments and marking up the price by 300 per cent in her Brentwood-based boutique

The 34-year-old former The Only Way Is Essex star was seen on Commercial Road in east London putting large green plastic bags and cardboard boxes into the back of her Land Rover

On her visit to the east London wholesaler, joyful Gemma was joined by a blonde haired friend

Gemma was given a helping hand by a man who was spotted putting piles of - what appeared to be - long grey cardigans with fur trim decoration into her jeep.

During her visit to the low-price merchant, Gemma was joined by a blonde haired friend who looked smart in a white shirt, navy faux fur gilet and blue jeans.

The pictures emerged after The Sun newspaper claimed Gemma was buying cheap goods, which were then being sold for a significant mark-up in her shop Gemma Collins Boutique in Brentwood, Essex - - but have no association with her collection, her website or her Evans range.

When asked if Gemma sold cheap clothes at a much higher price in her shop, a spokesperson told FEMAIL: 'Gemma's boutique stocks everything from candles to fake tan as well as clothing items.

'Gemma's selection of products caters for the customers that visit her boutique and the mark-up on those items are very fairly priced when compared to the other boutiques in Brentwood.'

Gemma is seen walking towards her silver Land Rover during her trip to the cut-price wholesaler

Gemma was given a helping hand by a man who was spotted putting piles of, what appeared to be, long grey cardigans with fur trim decoration into her jeep

A man is photographed putting piles of cardigans and coats into the back of Gemma's car as her friend watches on

Appearing in high spirits, reality star Gemma looked casual in a long camel-coloured cardigan, a white t-shirt with an 'in sequins we trust' slogan on the front and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans

Gemma is spotted chatting to her pal as she makes her way to the wholesale store in east London

The former TOWIE star is pictured piling cardboard boxes of clothes into the back of her Land Rover

The Sun reported that Gemma was picking up clothes at wholesalers in London and then inflating the price dramatically before selling them alongside her own designs.

For example, a jumper for just £11 sells in the shop for £50.

The investigation found that many of the items bought to pad out her own designer range were not particularly fitted, something which she has frequently spoken out against.

When her store opened in 2012, she said: 'You can't design something for a size 10 and then scale it up to a size 18.'

The former TOWIE star is behind the Gemma Collins' Collection which is designed for women sized 16 to 26 and currently sells with online retailers including Evans and Littlewoods.

The label was born, Gemma says, after she struggled to find 'flattering and fashionable' clothing and last year her company turned around a profit of £120,000 in its first full year of trading.

Gemma is said to be picking up clothes at wholesalers in London and then inflating the price dramatically before selling them alongside her own designs

Gemma, a former car saleswoman, first featured on The Only Way Is Essex during the show's second series in 2011

Two women are spotted surrounded by green plastic bags and cardboard boxes close to Gemma's car

Gemma's pal holds open the car door as a man unloads cardboard boxes on the back seat

After taking off her cardigan, Gemma appears to be rearranging the goods in the back of her car

Gemma quit TOWIE last year to star on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here, but returned after a disastrous stint in the Aussie jungle which saw her leave after just three days

But a spokesman for Gemma previously defended the mark-up, telling The Sun that it didn't apply to her own collection, but to the other clothes available in her shop: 'Anything with a Gemma Collins label she has designed herself.

'Her boutique attracts TOWIE fans and they are not necessarily the plus size customers. The mark up is the same as other retailers.'

It's been a dramatic year for the former TOWIE star, who quit the show that launched her career in the summer.

The bubbly blonde quit the ITVBe series to concentrate on new ventures.

Gemma, a former car saleswoman, first featured on The Only Way Is Essex during the show's second series in 2011.

She previously quit the show last year to star on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here, but returned after a disastrous stint in the Aussie jungle which saw her leave after just three days.

It's been revealed that former TOWIE star Gemma Collins is selling clothes in her Brentwood boutique which are marked up by up to 300 per cent

The plus-sized star, who designs her own collection of clothes in sizes 16 to 26, reportedly snaps up clothes at East London fashion wholesalers and then sells them alongside her own items

The bubbly blonde opened her Brentwood store in 2012 and last year made £120,000 in profit. She has deals with Evans and Littlewoods to sell her clothes

The boutique has featured in the hit ITV show, which Collins left in August this year. (Pictured Collins, far right, and Chloe Lewis while filming in March)