I've teamed up with writer Emily Sneyd and photographer Beckie White to bring you this post on new Brighton boutique Our Daily Edit ---
Interview by Emily Sneyd
ODE
is the baby of Ella Wells and her partner Marc Lewis. Both have a background in
television, but Ella had previously worked in fashion, and moved down to
Brighton to be with Marc two years ago with the dream of owning a clothing
store together. And they managed to score an absolute gem of a location, on the
very desirable Ship Street in the heart of the South Lanes.
Since the boutique opened in February I
was keen to find out more of ODE’s story, so I grabbed a few minutes with Ella
to chat. She says:
“We both felt there was a need for a
shop that brought emerging and exciting new designers down to Brighton. A place
where people could feel inspired and discover brands they hadn’t seen before.”
And
it’s evident that the actual shop interior is very important to them, to make
it a relaxed but fun space to shop in. From super-cool, colourful clothing
hooks by HAY in the changing rooms to mini cactuses that adorn the surfaces -
the store is bright, airy and inviting.
So
with the fashion world saturated with incredibly talented designers, how on
earth do you pick the right stock? Well it wasn’t easy, Ella explains:
“It took months of research and planning! We wanted to offer
a variety of brands that sat well together. We visited trade shows, attended
fashion weeks, knocked on agency doors and scoured social media to find the
most exciting, original and wearable designers out there.”
ODE has worked very hard to bring you the best edited
collection of brands from all over the globe. So which designers are her favourites?
“For womenswear we really love Marina,
especially her one size Alphabet tees - and we’re pretty obsessed with Sophia
Webster shoes - my favourite are the red satin coco heels - flamingo heaven!”
And
menswear? “We think Christopher Raeburn
has created some really covetable outerwear from Spring/Summer and Hartford
swimwear is a must!”
When
I ask whether Ella and Marc’s personal styles influence what they decide to
stock, Ella says:
“We
try to buy with lots of people in mind rather than just ourselves but of course
our aesthetic does come through – I think we have tried to have a real mix of
basic, simple and clean cut styles but also some more vibrant patterns, bright
colours & classic styles as well.”
So with all the trends out there fighting for our attention (and our pennies!),
what is Ella coveting for Spring/Summer ‘14?
“We’re seeing a lot of sheer fabrics at
the moment, brilliant for layering & giving a whimsical look to an outfit.
Won Hundred & Dress Gallery have some great basics for this look. And we’re
also loving pastel shades, especially our new in LF Markey sleeveless shirts in
baby pink, light blue & yellow & mint green – workwear style dressing
for modern women. Sweats have been really popular this season and our
favourites come from Wood Wood – we love their streetwear inspired shapes and
bold statement logos.”
Finally I ask Ella to give me three must-have picks from
ODE this season.
“
The Draw in Light cloud print silk swing
dress would be on my list – it’s the perfect dress for summer to wear on the
beach with flats, over skinny jeans for the day or with an oversized sweatshirt
for beautiful summer evenings.
Also on my list would be the
Christopher Raeburn quilted raglan bomber – the bomber jacket is one of this
season’s key looks and Christopher Raeburn has nailed it with this contrasting
sleeve and shimmer blue body bomber.
And finally, the Moxham OTTO cuff in
silver – every wrist should be adorned with one of Moxham’s cuffs and we’re
loving the new silver colourway of the popular otto cuff.”
Having already snapped up a Moxham cuff and a gorgeous leather Sandqvist bag, and currently lusting over a pair of Sol Sana sandals for Summer, I can confirm
that ODE is indeed the place to go for all of your sartorial needs. Get down
there people.
Shirt: WoodWood, Sunglasses: Finlay & Co, XENO Cuff: Moxham, (Jeans & mules my own)
Dress: LF Markey, Leather shopper: Sandqvist, Espadrilles: Armorlux, Sunglasses my own)
Leather biker jacket: WoodWood, Dress: Draw In Light, Sunglasses: Finlay & Co, Leather clutch: Sanqvist
Photography: Beckie White
Styling: Me
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