Indie Folk: The Independent Stores That Are Hot Right Now

NRBY, brainchild of Jo Hooper, is all about the Japanese concept of one-mile wear: that which takes you from home to… somewhere nearby. No fuss nor frills, clean lines and comfort are the hallmarks of this perfect casualwear.

Marielle Wyse wasn’t a fashion designer when she first spotted a woman wearing a plain knit with a small rainbow motif. But, having struggled to find woollens she loved, it excited her. That chance encounter let to Wyse, the go-to knitwear brand for the cognoscenti.

Cefinn was founded by Samantha Cameron in 2017 following her long tenure as creative director of accessories at Smythson of London. The clothes are effortlessly elegant and yet there isn’t a whiff of stiff formality about them. They are, in short, a blueprint for how to dress for the busy modern women – as they say or their pieces, ‘step into it in the morning and you’re good to go 24/7, from a day in the office to a dinner date with friends.’

Camilla Ridley founded her eponymous label in 2016 with an abiding mission to make clothes to fit and flatter women and thus make them feel wonderful. How? By making each garment to order and, upon request, making to measure. Ridley London has had a 30-year genesis, during which Camilla has been an accessories designer, opened a boutique on the Fulham Road, and launched a children’s wear label. Ridley London’s dresses are not only pure elegance and glamour, but demonstrably empower the women who wear them.

A former stylist and vintage collector, Lisou’s creative director Rene MacDonald moved to London from Tanzania as a child. She has travelled back and forth regularly ever since, both to see family and to be inspired by her vibrantly beautiful motherland. Such sensibilities show in her knock-out designs, which turn the preconception of classic silk clothing on its head, and joyfully so.

Founded by Victoria Stapleton, Brora is beloved for its seasonal collections of timeless clothes in high-quality British-sourced natural fibres, from wool and linen to tweed and silk. We especially love its regular collaborations with guest designers – recent examples include Willow Crossley and Alexandra Tolstoy – which keep its pieces fresh.

An Australian living in London, Susan Corsini’s founding mission was to launch a whole world of relaxed beauty to get lost in. From homewares to clothes, simplicity and craftsmanship is at the core of everything she creates.

Ethical luxury womenswear label Beulah London is the result of a 2009 volunteer trip to India during which founders Natasha and Lavinia taught women who had been victims of trafficking how to sew and thus empower them with a useful life skill to generate an income. They say, ‘Compelled to fight modern slavery and inspired by the fine fabrics and beautiful designs of the east, we founded Beulah, an ethical luxury womenswear brand with a social mandate: to empower vulnerable women through the business of fashion. Incorporating crafts such as hand-weaving and embroidery into Beulah’s collections provides sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable and previously trafficked women who either already possess the skills, or to whom we provide the training and tools to develop new skills… Beulah customers feel beautiful and empowered, knowing that their choice of clothing has changed lives.’ Amen to that.

Founded in 2000, the much-adored late Christina Strutt founded a whimsical floral business around her kitchen that would go on to become globally beloved. Faded roses, sweet Peter Pan collars, and the most exquisitely cut coats have characterised this romantic brand, whose future collections are now in the talented hands of Christina’s long-time protegee, Violet Dent.

Johanna Kociejowski and Edwina Gieve met at antenatal classes when they were pregnant with their first children and both lamented the demise in 1970s and 80s style maternity wear. Once their babies arrived, they set to changing the maternity wear landscape, which they have done with their pretty, British-made fabrics and soft, feminine cuts which are designed to flatter – bump and beyond.