ANGEL FASHION MARKET
HAPPENINGText: Sari Uchida
On 7th May, a new fashion market opened in Angel, northwest London. It is open every Friday from noon to 8pm and showcase designs by independent designers and makers.
Angel Fashion Market is the brainchild of Barbara Stewart, who as a hat designer and maker herself has experienced how few of the established markets afford access to the right shopper. With the increasing number of cheap imports, mass produced items and miscellaneous gifts being sold in the main general craft markets, she understands how difficulty it is for ‘proper’ fashion designers and makers to find their footing in these environments.
From daytime to evening wear, Lisa and Nicole of Macson- present very wearable ponchos, coats and accessories.
Angel Fashion Market is held every Friday, at the Camden Passage/Georgian Village antique site that holds antique markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It started off with a monthly market until last December, and with the positive response from many customers convinced Barbara of the market’s potential, and became a weekly presence.
The Angel area was a rough and run down area only until ten years ago, but since then has been developed into a very trendy area with cool cafes, bars and shops lining the long stretch of road that is Upper Street. Design and fashion conscious people gather here, and Angel Fashion Market is in just the perfect location if you want to find a snazzy little number just before you go to the pub to meet your friends.
The organisers are intent on emphasising the originality of each designer. In the beginning, no one was aware that there were so many buried gems of talent and quality.
Rebecca Jay already has a successful fashion label, but at Angel Fashion Market she sells clothes that are accessible to girls and independent women alike. Her collection includes ‘fifties’ strapless dresses, A line skirts and polka dot bags.
Julie Ellis specialises in semi-precious stones such as jade, quartz and lapis lazuli, Stephanie Sutton works exclusively in Scottish processed double ply cashmere and Mary Morris makes corsets from funky fabrics, denim, brocade and leather – these are just a selection of the twenty or so designers selling their work. Many of the designers make to order.
Angel Fashion Market concentrates on independent designers and makers only, unlike other markets in London. It is interesting to observe how the market and its concept are going to evolve in the future in such a competitive
market.
Angel Fashion Market
Open: Evey Friday 12:00 – 20:00
Address: Unit 1, 51 Calthorpe Street, London
(at the Camden Passage/Georgian Village antique market site)
Tel: +44 (0)20 7278 8306
Text: Sari Uchida
Photos: Sari Uchida