Here I'd like to shout out to all of my favourite businesses, and point you in their direction for the best in vintage and ethical fashion. Happy shopping!
Where would I be today without AVVM? Not here! I love everything they stand for, and have met the majority of my small business friends through their amazing platform. AVVM is an online platform that showcases small sustainable fashion brands through virtual markets. They host two markets a month, and you'll find curated second hand and handmade clothing, jewellery and accessories.
RUBU Vintage
Run by the beautiful Danya, RUBU vintage hand-picks colourful vintage pieces from the 60’s-90’s to create sustainable collections, with a contemporary feel, combining interesting prints, colours and details.
Peony Vintage is a space for sustainable style, joy, beauty and experimenting with colour. It is a space for friendship, and confidence, simplicity and clashing. Peony Vintage opened its Margate doors in 2016, and has grown online ever since. Also the co-founder of A Virtual Vintage Market, Georgie is your gal for sourcing the most amazing vintage designer dupes!
Medley was founded with the principal goal of being the go to place for unique, wearable vintage clothing in the brightest colours and most amazing prints. Emily is also the co-founder of A Virtual Vintage Market, and launched Medley own label in 2020 which is absolutely incredible, I'm so excited to see where it takes her!
The Closet was established in 1980, and then taken over in 2005 by Elane Colville-Arthur. Elane has the mission to encourage people to shop for sustainable clothing and help reduce our impact on the planet. She's also totally gorgeous and the biggest pleasure to be friends with.
Hulahan was created as a solution to sustainability using vintage army wear and fabrics. Garments are recreated into jumpsuits, dresses, blouses and jackets. Each piece features flattering design elements like vintage belt buckles and ruffle collars. I have one of Hannah's jumpsuits and I can honestly say it's the comfiest, most stylish jumpsuit I have ever seen. It is love.
I couldn't not include the gorgeous women behind Manchester Fashion Movement, who work tirelessly to bring together Manchester businesses and raise awareness about the impact of the fashion industry and why sustainability in fashion is oh so important.
The queen of reworked vintage! Funky reworked pieces and handmade items from preloved bedding and curtains. Think the boldest of patterns and amazing vintage cropped reworked blouses!
Vintage clothing for kids who like to be kids - fun, stylish and full of life! For ages 0-14 years, from 50s smock dresses to 80s colour block outfits. Carefully curated, sustainable fashion – deadstock and preloved items discovered to live their next chapter. If you like my sun hats and want a children's version - Mags & Moo is the place to find it! Gorgeous children's sun hats made from vintage and deadstock fabrics.
A beautiful slow fashion brand handcrafted by the founder Fanny in Brussels. This fun, quirky styles that are made to order so no deadstock is created from her collections. TROUSSEAU also offers a bespoke service -" Well fitting clothes are really important to me. I could never fit perfectly in the clothes I owned so making my own clothes made me fall back in love with my body. I used to say that I felt beautiful, except when I wore clothes. I wanted to change this."
Size inclusive slow fashion, hand made by the wonderful Sophia in her home studio in Spain. Timeless clothing which are made to order to ensure no excess stock, meaning you can also request certain fabrics to be made to measure in her signature styles. Just gorgeous.
70s House Manchester is the brain child of Estelle Bilson and specialises in recreating the era that spawned everything from Disco, to Biba, glam rock and Studio 54. Taking influence from mid-century design, more than a dash of 70’s funk and the love of fun, bold, graphic style.