Newsletter

Open for business! Some of our favourite small businesses to shop and support

— by Alyson Walsh

Melanie Laslett – Laslett England

 

After months of uncertainty, it’s brilliant to see, retail shops, cafes, pubs and businesses opening to the public today. I met a friend for outdoor coffee this morning and the local high street felt alive once more. While I’m not planning a wild spending spree, I will be doing my bit to support local business by checking out what’s new on the rails at a couple of boutiques, nearby. I do still love to touch, see and try clothes on before buying – don’t you?

To celebrate the re-opening of ‘non-essential’ retail today I wanted to give a shout out to some of That’s Not My Age’s favourite small female-led fashion, homeware, art, book and accessory businesses. The way we shop changed dramatically over the last year and so these are a mixture of bricks and mortar and online retailers. When you purchase from a small business you’re actively supporting the communities they employ and each transaction is a vote for a more exciting and diverse marketplace where your money goes further. Many small creative labels in the UK are founded by women – who together make a huge contribution to the UK economy. Plus, you’re much more likely to leave or checkout with a unique purchase that has a story behind it.

Click through to the seller’s websites using the directory at the bottom of this feature – and don’t forget to bookmark this page for future inspiration:

 

Jo Gordon knitwear – hand-crafted in Scotland. Scarves from £81

M Hulot – chic leather bags and accessories from £15

Kemi Telford – boldly printed dresses, trousers and skirts from £90

Werkhaus Margate – boutique specialising in utility-inspired workwear, womenswear and accessories. Boilersuits, from £95

Lavender Hill – organic jersey tops and basics from £35

The Sevenoaks bookshop – brilliant selection of books here

Quinton Chadwick – high-end knitwear produced in the UK.

Plumo – online shop selling modern womenswear and accessories from £59

Heti’s colours – luxurious pure silk scarves from £100

Drift jewellery – jewellery made from foraged sea glass. Sweetheart Charm Necklace – from £115

Doe Leather – a minimalist leather label selling handbags and accessories. Belt £90

Laslett England – Handmade silk scarves in beautiful prints. Marble Indigo silk neckerchief -£65.00

Molesworth and Bird – Prints of seaweed foraged along the Cornish coastline. Seaweed prints from £19

Sarah O’Keefe – online shop selling kimonos, shirts and accessories – hairband, £37

Young British Designers – An online edit of brilliant British fashion designers. Checkmate Blue Suede Brogues by Rogue Matilda, £189

The Hambledon – Winchester-based boutique selling a chic collection of womenswear, accessories and homeware

Precious Boutique – beautiful shop with an edit of grown-up, contemporary labels including Munthe, Selected Femme and Ottodame

Bookbar – a gorgeous new bookshop, cafe and bar in North London that focusses on female authors and ‘book prescriptions’

Kate Jones Knitwear – sustainable knitwear designed and made in Margate. Cushions from £75

Menage Modern Vintage – an excellent site for modern and retro vintage, which worked with The Crown

Mimi Berry – premium British-made leather brand. Bags from £155 and leather accessories from £15

Kate Sheridan – Leather accessories, handbags and womenswear designed in London. Leather bags from £75

Badgers Velvet – jewellery collection that blends precious metals with antiques. Jewellery from £65

Jam Jar Flowers – Creative studio designing floral concepts and gifts. Flower pressing kit from £150

 

 

 

Shopping directory:

Badgers Velvet – webshop

Bookbar – shop in Islington, North London and webshop

Doe leather – webshop

Drift jewellery – webshop

The Hambledon – store in Winchester and webshop

Heti’s Colours – webshop and available at Liberty and Fortnum and Mason

Jam Jar Flowers – studio and webshop

Jo Gordon – webshop and available on Trouva and at various boutiques across the UK and Europe.

Kate Jones Knitwear – webshop and also available at Werkhaus Margate

Kate Sheridan – webshop and shop in Clapton, East London – also available at Toast, Atterley, Trouva and Hubshop

Kemi Telford – webshop and soon available in John Lewis & Partners

Laslett England – webshop and available at Flot & Jetsam and The Garden Museum.

Lavender Hill – webshop and Atterley

M Hulot – webshop and available at Young British Designers

Menage Modern Vintage – webshop – though get in touch with owner Chiara about appointments

Mimi Berry – webshop and shop (by appointment) in Clapton, East London. Also available at Trouva.

Molesworth and Bird – webshop and shops in Lyme Regis and Lanhydrock

Precious Boutique – two shops in London, Columbia Road and Spitalfields. And webshop.

Plumo – webshop

Quinton Chadwick – webshop and available at various boutiques across the UK.

Sarah O’Keefe – webshop

The Sevenoaks bookshop – shop in Sevenoaks and webshop

Werkhaus Margate – shop in Margate and webshop

Young British Designers – webshop

 

Know any other brilliant brands? Please do give a shout out to your favourite small shops and businesses (we’re hoping to relaunch Boutique of the Week again soon)  in the comments section below.

 

 

Keep Reading

Don’t miss Worn Stories: a show about clothes and the people who wear them

  After months of uncertainty, it’s brilliant to see, retail shops, cafes, pubs and businesses opening to the public today. I met a friend for outdoor coffee this morning and the local high…