I wasn’t expecting to be reviewing any new retail ventures in London for a while seeing as I have friends who are being made redundant and people are quivering their boots over mortgage payments. So to have the pleasure of visiting My Sugarland, not on the annoying pish-poshy bit of Angel, near Kings Cross/Old Street on St John Street and finding something a fantastically wide-ranging, eclectic, intelligent boutique that doesn’t heap disdain on customers nor does it patronise them with gimmicks and has an identity of its own…. gosh that sentance was long wasn’t it… well, it positively made my week.
Zoe Lem is a stylist who has had a 10 year wide-ranging career spanning high fashion editorials, catalogues and also The Clothes Show (!!!). As soon as she uttered the words "You can take something out of context and put it into your own" I was already sold. She always knew she would open up My Sugarland, wanting a shop that reflected her tastes which sounds like a selfish venture but because Lem is so eclectic in her tastes that she has ultimately edited a shop with a potent mix that is not often seen in London.
I was first struck by the shop itself…I wandered around the vast space (rare in London to have SO much space to play with…) and couldn’t help but notice the variety, different composites that I picked up that I identify in myself (my 1001 strands of style continues to grow…). Different nooks and crannies have been created as if on a whim. Whilst it has the look and feel of an upmarket vintage store with the piled up old suitcases and knick knacks, you look in another direction and there’s contradiction. For a start Lem chose up and coming Mumbai-based accessories designer Little Shilpa to do a mini-exhibition. I’m have hopes for great things from her structural headgear…
The selection continues to intrigue, perhaps confuse and delight…Markus Lupfer’s Armand Basi gets some lovin’ here and it’s AW08-9 showpieces which My Sugarland have gotten hold of…
On the rails you will find a mix of Spanish mid-range label Hoss Intropia, Jenny Dyer, PPQ, young graduates, Qasimi, Steve J & Yoni P, C.R.A.F.T. denim, Belle Sauvage and Jacob Kimmie. It’s so wide-ranging for an independent boutique that you almost look feel like you’re glimpsing into someone’s wardrobe as Lem doesn’t buy a large range of sizes or in large quantities. Except that the person in question has questionably eclectic taste… now who does that remind you of…? Then there’s the addition of Lem’s carefully sourced vintage where every piece is special…a quality in vintage stores that I’ve picked up on quite a few times in the past except that I don’t expect to see a Victorian black velvet cape sitting next to a Steve J & Yoni P powder blue cape.
The graduate buying is also a bonus seeing as I rarely I’ve seen FRESH graduates on a rail and they aren’t extortionately priced. Lindsay Connerton from Edinburgh and Rebecca Reeves from Northbrook feature. Add pleasing things like Bebaroque tights, jewellery from a few more grads and predictable Mawi, Terry de Havilland shoes and I just can’t think who would not be catered. Even when Lem is buying from popular/mainstream labels like Mawi, it’s the eyecatching pieces that she picks…she isn’t pressurised by the normal buying appointment cries of "That piece has been selling really well!".
The most important thing is like Shop172, my truly regular London haunt, My Sugarland will keep on evolving and even though Lem could have gone in a completely safe direction in this climate, she has injected a bit of cheer into the London retailscape…
one word: amazingness.
this may sound strange/like some kind of attack but is there anything clothing-wise you don’t like? aah just writing that down makes it come out wrong, its not meant to be an insult, it’s just genuine curiosity!!
wow that is amazing!!! I love the whole design of that shop, and the clothes in the picture you took X.X ! I want them all, especially the racks beside the peacock picture. I wish we have this kind of shop in Canada T.T and haha I wonder if any of those vintage suitcase are for sale in that My Sugarland, cause I will really like to get my hands on one of those!
and sorry for my double posting, the one before got cut off~
Oooh does look like a shop to get absorbed and lose time in – will have a peek!
That store is amazing. I love how it’s merchandised. Beautiful.
Looks like a genuine treasure trove!
Looks really wonderful…the place, the clothes…very eclectic.
Wow, it’s so cool. I’m sure they will read these comments so may I suggest they organise a bloggers event there asap? Thanks for taking all the photos…
this place looks lovely!
you are so lucky youre living in london..
I shall check it out soon! my school is near old street 😀
your sugarland give me goose bumps 🙂
The shop has a nice layout, and a very nice presentation.
such an amazing place!
Nothing tops the “arse” sign.
arse!!!!! that is brilliant. the setup of the store is amazing, you could lose yourself there!
I’m intrigued.
I’m with Angela. Great merchandising!! It seems like a fun place just to hang out.
wow that looks like so much fun!
Eclectic! there’s really no other word to describe this shop. I’m so visiting that store when I go to London.
Its awesome photographs, setup of store looks terrific.
Thanks 🙂
looks incredible! and it’s big too? i’m really going to have to check this out next weekend.
ps is your bf is obsessing over bespoke suits at the moment then i am slightly to blame. was my boyfriend who emailed him about it. he’s had bespoke on the brain for a while. interested to see what they both find…
As a shop owner I find this incredibly inspiring! I know you are already so pinched for time, but if you ever get the inkling to do more shop reviews I would love, love, love it, there are just so many inspiring shops in your lovely town!
Wow – great line-up of brands there. I must check it out. xx
Also… at this amazing shop is the British brand EVIE BELLE as per previous blog…
http://stylebubble.typepad.com/style_bubble/2008/05/where-is-my-fri.html
It is such an amazing space!
What a uniquely lovely place…I’ll definitely have to pay it a visit!
That place looks great, a real treasure trove! Thanks for alerting me to it!
i LOVE rag rugs and yours looks stunning Amanda..might just give it a go myself! x
Though garbage cans have been set under trees, people throw garbage everywhere
Does anyone know where the store has moved to?