The 12 Brands of 2020
Usually, my last blog of the year would celebrate the highlights of my busines and where I want to take SBS in the year ahead, but as this year has been so rough for so many, I want to shout about the brands that I truly believe deserve to be celebrated not only for creating beautiful and well-made clothing but for keeping strong and making it through 2020.
It’s been tough for the high street yes, but what about the women behind the brands and boutiques who aren’t as well known (but bloomin’ well should be!) who’s brand isn’t a business to them but a lifestyle and an extension of them!? My gosh it’s been a roller coaster of a ride and you know what? These women deserve SO MUCH credit and my ethos is to support, champion and celebrate, so here it is… my 12 brands of 2020 and thank them for staying consistent and relentlessly showing up throughout 2020.
I will have talked about these 12 brands before, some more than once, but its like when you find the perfect pair of jeans and you never want to wear another pair again, you just keep going back for more because you love the so much… So these brands are the equivalent to my fave pair of jeans.
I also own one or two things from almost all the brands, if I don’t own anything, I have tried them on, and they are on my waiting list! Everything I write or curate is from the heart and from personal experience, so trust me, these are all worth every single penny!
Kitri is a small team of creatives based in London and was started from the frustration of not being able to find well-made, distinctive designs without breaking the bank, they set out to create their dream pieces in the hope that other women will love them too… I can officially say they have nailed their brief! I have a dress and a jumpsuit from Kitri, the fabrics are divine and quality is next level. Go shop till you drop!
Nicola and Sarah are behind Queens of archive, which is an independent brand run by women, for women. Born from vintage influence and female empowerment they create timeless, feminine, easy-to-wear dresses inspired by a bygone era.
They keep their styles current, using bespoke prints and fabrications sourced and designed in-house. They are a big believer in slowing things down. Queens of archive dresses are produced in exclusive, limited runs. They limit their footprint by working to pre-order driven production, constantly working towards our zero waste goals throughout our business. I am absolutely obsessed with Queens of archive, I have seen them IRL when I styled Sara Pascoe, and honestly the fit was incredible, and the colours are out of this world. I currently can’t decide between the gold or the leopard, any thoughts would be most welcome!
Traffic People was born in the heart of London on the Portobello Road and Camden in 2002, looking to bring a contemporary twist for the woman who desires a timeless design with the right amount of naughtiness to reflect her unique inner style. Traffic People was devised out of a love for vintage inspired fashion and beautifully dressed women of eras past; Lauren Bacall, Anita Pallenburg, Ava Gardiner and Bianca Jagger to name a few. I have 3 jumpsuits, a dress, two blouses and three pairs of trousers…. Enough said tbh.
Spirit & Grace was born at Emily Holmes-Naden's kitchen table, fuelled by her passion to create a brand that holds effortless style at its heart. Emily’s vision for Spirit & Grace is to design luxurious, effortlessly feminine yet affordable pieces that are timeless, season-less and embody the beautiful spirit that wears them. Emily successfully fills the gap between the high-street and luxury fashion, her designs are elegant, distinctive and transitional with each style designed with integrity and the versatility to be worn from morning to midnight regardless of the occasion.
As a huge champion of slow-fashion she produces in limited runs to limit my footprint and keep waste to a minimum, whilst also ensuring each piece is special and retains an air of exclusivity for its wearer. So quick, buy before she sells out! I have a dress of Emily’s that I am going to wear on Christmas day and I couldn’t be more excited! I also borrowed some dresses from the gorge Emily to style Sara Pascoe and HOLY MOLY they looked insane, it took all my will power to send them back so head over to treat yourself now!
Wear the Walls was founded by Carrie Brightley, an interiors print protégé with ten years’ experience designing for the iconic Liberty London and super trendy print house, House of Hackney. Wear the Walls silk silhouettes are meticulously developed to compliment the female form and empower their wearer. The relaxed fit allows for comfort and free movement, to aid busy and dynamic lifestyles. Their products aim to stand the test of time and be that dependable go-to wardrobe staple . Wear the Walls joins the slow fashion movement by marrying digitally printed natural silks with timeless tran-seasonal 70's inspired shapes that defy fickle trends. The garments are made-to-order to invite the consumer to consider their purchase and to not ensue wasteful dead stock. I have had the pleasure of trying wear the walls and meeting lovely Carrie and I quite honestly, her pieces are next level, so special and unique and the silk feels sensational on your skin. Sara Pascoe is also a huge fan… hehe
War & Drobe garments are handcrafted in London by founder and creator of the label Nina Kovacevic. As a child Nina came to London fleeing the war from former Yugoslavia in the early 90s. It was during this time that her mother taught her the power of fashion and the strength it can bring. The label was named and born out of a love for reconnecting women with the garments they wear and allowing them to feel fierce yet feminine in their day to day lives. War & Drobe was born from a personal story of defiance and like most women know, we can be strong as well as feminine. As women we are bonded by our need to be resilient in a world that has often labelled us as fragile. The romanticism of being a female is in itself empowering and this is what inspires War & Drobe collections. The contrasting yet complementary attributes of being feminine and fierce are what drives Nina to create pieces that are an extension of who we are as women… I mean WHAT A QUEEN. I have a gold headband and I am complimented by everyone I speak to when I wear it, net on my list is Lilian.
In 2017 Antonia Foyle founded the British Luxury Brand, Verheyen London.
The brand epitomises the romantic and ethereal silhouettes of the bohemian 1970’s and the Edwardian era with a bold modern edge that remains feminine and effortless. The brand has identified a need for high quality outerwear at less expensive prices than the luxury world has to offer. Antonia designs luxurious coats offering women a chance to collect investment pieces, instead of succumbing to the world of “throw away” fashion. All styles are produced in a limited quantity on pre-order only, ensuring that we work on a carefully curated and small-scale production so there is little waste. Working with a number of London based artisans for both sampling and materials, we manage to maintain a low shipping impact and carbon footprint, whilst supporting local businesses in London. I have been to Antonias show room and I became incredibly high pitched when I tried each and every coat on, I cant wait to show you how I would style them next year so keep an eye out!
Designed by Carla to make women feel utterly beguiling, her Swimwear is comprised of printed bikinis and one-piece swimwear, cut around an elegant 1950s hourglass shape with cut-out details, contrasting luxe velour and adorned with 24kt gold plated hard-wear, the pieces work stylishly with both slender frames and fuller figures - complimenting beautiful curves wanting to show-off. The look however is anything but retro, as bold statement prints are the hallmark of this timelessly vibrant and visually exciting collection. I have three bikinis, two pairs of leggings and a one piece of Carlas and even when I’m feeling hormonal and gross, her pieces still make me feel confident and gorgeous, she is a MIRACLE woman!!
Always wanted a SATC style shoe-drobe? Look no further than contemporary British brand Yull. Boasting city chic mid-heels, cocktail bar ready stilettos, weekend getaway boots, high, long and short.Started by Sarah in 2011, Yull is unique classic designs with a twist and stands out from the crowd but also stands the test of time. Our motto is 'Style over Fashion.'They stay faithful to the brand's DNA and produce beautiful, colourful ranges that you won’t see anywhere else. I can totally vouch for this, I have a pair of sandals and two pairs of heels that I absolutely adore. Sarah uses doble padding in the souls which makes them SO DAMN COMFY.
Starting with Rajvi’s motto behind Kastur - ‘Be Kind, Be Honest, Be Authentic, Humanity’ which not only perfectly describes Kastur but also Rajvi as a woman. I would not be doing Kastur any favours if I left out the magnificent story behind it. Something that stood out to me most when Rajvi talked me through Kastur was that Indian jewellery was at its very finest in design between the 15th and 16th century which I found truly fascinating. Rajvi mixes traditional Indian heritage pieces with contemporary jewellery design to create the most wearable and magnificent accessories.
Kastur works with select master craftsmen who have been creating master pieces for generations. Nothing is mass produced or churned out in factory numbers, meaning you’ll never see someone in the same pair of earrings as you! Plus, a percentage of sales go towards supporting humanitarian initiatives. @kastursocialresponsibility with is something they have been doing since the beginning over 8 years ago. I have 2 pairs of earrings and cant wait to get a third in the new year!
Anna at One Man’s Trash uses ONLY scrap & offcuts to create funky, unique, statement accessories with a happy healthy life ahead of them. Onemanstrash has been created with the planet in mind. They use only offcuts of the finest leather, which are then transformed into funky original earrings with a happy healthy life ahead of them. Because the leather is recycled, the earrings are priced at a low cost to cover the time taken to make them. A bargain, original, and doing your bit for the planet. Happy Earrings, Happy You. The gorgeous Anna has kindly sent me two pairs this year, a gorge gold cheese plant as well as a stunning gold statement pair and they go with everything. I cherish them and will be wearing my statement pair on Christmas day. Make sure you check her out!
Josie and Jordan began upon working side by side in the hospitality industry when we were 16 and 17 years old. From the off our dynamic has been one that just clicks into place. We manage to share the same ideals and challenge one another in equal measures. We really just bring out the best in one another and this makes our partnership natural and easy.
They share a studio space in an out building behind Josie and her partner’s home in in Swansea, a 5 minute walk from where Jordan lives with her husband and daughter. All of our pieces are created in this space from the forging to the polishing. It really is our sanctuary. A creative hub where we have fits of laughter and moments of frustration. Packaging our pieces is a task we take great pleasure in, we wrap each piece by hand and often do so having a glass of wine in one of our houses. We find it therapeutic and it’s important to us to add the finishing touches with care away from the roughness of the studio. I own a ring of theirs and never take it off, I truly love it and it sparks conversations wherever I go, I urge you to check the girls out, they are a force of nature .
As a Personal Stylist in London, my goals for 2021 are to continue to support independent and female founded businesses and create a community where we all support, help and lift each other up. Ill start this by introducing you and my clients to amazing brands, I’d like to start hosting events (hopefully IRL) if not via zoom as well as starting some style videos to inspire aaaaaaand a Podcast with my girl Rachel
This is the time to really focus on what we have learnt this year and for me, that is that us humans are jaw-droppingly amazing at adapting, adjusting, being patient as well as bloomin' resilient.
Let yourself feel everything, the good, the bad or even the ugly but know that it will pass and try to look at this bizarre time as a time to reflect, reset and refocus, ready for whatever 2021 may throw at us.
This is my last blog of 2020, thank you for supporting my business this year, its not just a business, its my dream and an extension of me and with your support SBS becomes more of a reality for me each and every day. It makes the late nights, early mornings, and everything in between worth it, I am here for you all and I can’t wait to grow for you in 2021.
HUGE BIG STYLISH HUGS xxx