[dropcap]W[/dropcap]olf & Badger opened the doors to it’s second London boutique this week with a launch party showcasing their range of independent fashion. Welcomed to Wolf & Badger by perfectly styled but non-intimidating guest-list ladies, we were served Brokers Gin cocktails while we checked out the clobber to a soundtrack of classic disco from miss DJ Goldirocks. Attendees provided style inspiration in bucket loads with ladies in metallics and girly spring pastels, plenty of neat preppy men in chunky specs, and much of the cast of Made In Chelsea. The shop features the best NEWGEN designers of recent years including Lou Dalton, J.JS Lee, Bora Aksu and Jean-Pierre Braganza. From shiny candy coloured Lu Flux rain macs to four figure Mark Fast crochet dresses, there are treats to suit a range of budgets. Down in the basement there were no clothes to be found but instead a clean no-fuss gallery space, available for rent on a daily or weekly basis. The walls were illuminated by Andy Bumpus’s animations and prints of his distinct fashion illustrations.
Wolf & Badger provide ‘serviced retail’ space to new designers, helping to launch and promote up and coming names. The unique concept was created by co-founders, brothers Henry and George Graham, (pictured below) when they realised they could provide a fully serviced space to designers for over a month for the same price as a weekend stall in Portobello Market. George explains “We saw an opportunity to provide a sustainable platform to help develop and grow exciting new designer labels into recognised luxury brands. In doing so, we not only developed a much needed support infrastructure for talented designers, but also created an innovative and constantly evolving retail environment that has become a firm favourite amongst shoppers.”
Henry continues “We wanted to help develop the careers of designers we believe are the faces to watch. We both feel it is incredibly important to support and nurture the most talented brands of tomorrow.”
Wolf & Badger Dover Street’s big brother opened in Notting Hill in 2010. Nicknamed ‘The Lab’, it’s a dynamic space that acts as an incubator for new and semi-established brands including (past and present) Irwin & Jordan, Felder Felder, Jean Pierre Braganza, Jasper Garvida and jewellers Maria Francesca Pepe, Tomasz Donocik and Samuel Gassmann. The interior’s of Wolf & Badger Notting Hill and the new flagship Dover Street space have been designed by Augustus Brown, the interior architect who designed the Porto Montenegro boutiques as well as the Wolf & Badger Selfridges pop-up in 2010.
See street style pics from the event.
Select pieces are available to purchase at www.wolfandbadger.com and the new store is situated at 32 Dover Street, London W1.
Photos Christopher James and Hannah Bodsworth