Every other Thursday, Stephanie Osei asks employees and employers at our favorite shops around the world what their most cherished in-store item is for our column Staff Affections. This week, she caught up with London boutique The Garbstore about the P1941 Mod Utility Jacket by War Field Wear Research. She spoke with Ian Paley, founder of The Garbstore:
You've said in the past that each garment at The Garbstore represents some aspect of your travels around the world. What does this particular selection reflect? The P1941 Mod Utility Jacket by War Field Wear Research reflects the need to actually touch and feel products. I selected it, in particular, because in photos it really looked like it should feel one way, but in reality, if you're up close, it feels much nicer. Assumptions about clothing have become too hasty when viewing images online. You've got to get out and actually see things.
Tell me about the phrase "Unfamiliar Vintage," which has become the Garbstore's motto. It has to look like vintage and have the spirit of vintage. Attention is paid to the cloth and stitch. Quality materials are used, pieces are woven on old looms and stitched with the correct thread on machines that are 100 years old. It means things that look like they could be deadstock, but have never really existed in the past—unfamiliar vintage.
Why is it important for you to house international brands and not just clothes made in England? It's the easiest thing in the world to champion your domestic product. We've spent so much time making the world accessible to all through low cost air travel and diplomacy between nations that it just seems strange to focus only on domestic product. It's possible to bring together a collection of products that have so much more to offer than the "Made in England" tag.
