The retailers emerging designers can still rely on
We asked independent brands which stores have remained loyal, collaborative, and genuinely invested in their work.
By Jorinde Croese
We don’t know about you but, here at 1 Granary, we’ve become a little numb to news of a once-beloved shop going bankrupt. At first it was sad, but now it seems to happen every few months. From Matches to SSENSE, Saks to, word on the street, Not Just a Label (more on this soon) the unpaid invoices for indie designers are only stacking up.
But, while we’re all for looking critically at the fashion industry and its many problems (read our piece on the downfall of e-comm if you need evidence), we also believe celebration matters. So, with the retail drama showing no real signs of slowing down, we wanted to celebrate the stores most beloved by independent designers. We put the question to KNWLS, Puppets & Puppets, Jake Burt (of Stefan Cooke), Yaku, Louis Gabriel Nouchi, Avavav, palmer/harding, Maria Grachvogel, Karoline Vitto, Collina Strada, Bianca Saunders, Ancuta Sarca, Anne Isabella, Ashish, Luke Derrick, Yuhan Wang, Ester Manas, Di Petsa, and Samuel Gui Yang to tell us about their favourite stores. Then we reached out to those stores to ask what they’re all about.
A few stores didn’t get back to us on time, but still deserve an honourable mention: Nip in Tokyo, Opener in Seoul, E()mpty in Seoul, Departmento in Los Angeles, Annie’s in Ibiza, Ikram in Chicago, Assembly in New York, Labelhood in Chengdu, Hug in Chengdu, and Lowlight in Hangzhou.
Without further ado…
BERRIEZ, USA
Karoline Vitto: “My favourite indie store to work with is Berriez in New York. They sell vintage, one off and designer collabs in the plus size space only. Real community, and great sales and [marketing] from the founder. Customers love the store. I’ve only recently started selling a handful of one-off items with them and even though it’s only a few pieces, there’s a lot of care and real interest from the customers and founder.”
How does your store operate day-to-day, and what do you think makes your model workable or sustainable for the designers you work with?
Emma Zack from Berriez: Berriez operates more like a showroom than a traditional retail store. We’re open by appointment during the week, and open to the public every weekend (12:00–5:00), so customers can take their time and try pieces on in a welcoming environment. Because we focus exclusively on plus sizes, I work closely with designers on fit: if they’re new to extended sizing, I offer free consultations to help them develop plus sizes specifically for Berriez. With my background in plus-size grading – and as a plus-size person – this collaboration feels natural, and it’s central to the model. I also place smaller, more frequent orders rather than large one-time buys. It lets me assess fit carefully while giving small brands flexibility in production. Instead of overwhelming a designer with a single large order, we build steady, long-term partnerships.
How would you describe your approach to running a store – particularly in terms of building community and developing relationships with independent brands?
Our customers trust Berriez because we source exceptional independent designers globally, and we’re strict about “true” plus sizing. If a brand jumps from an XL to a 2X, we address that before bringing it in – because that gap often signals the sizing runs small and won’t serve our community. Designers trust us because we handle their work with care and present it thoughtfully. Kindness matters – with customers and with brands – and small gestures, like covering shipping costs, can make a meaningful difference. I do what I can to support both sides, and I think that shows in the shop.
PNG STORE, JAPAN
Yaku: “We’ve really loved working with PNG Store in Shizuoka. They’re a small team and are genuinely invested in the story and the world we’re building. They believe in the brand and wear it themselves. When they come to the showroom, they’re already in our clothes cross-styled from different seasons. We recently did a fun T-shirt collaboration with them, and it was such a free, creative process because they really just believe in our vision and prioritise it over putting commerciality first. We even send each other snacks and little gifts – us British, them Japanese – and then us and the team try everything together at the studio.”
How does your store operate day-to-day, and what makes your model workable or sustainable for the designers you work with?
Abe from PNG Store: We’re currently based in Shizuoka, Japan, and are scheduled to open a second location in Tokyo in March. Even as we grow, we stay closely involved with the store floor, the products, and the people we work with.
Day-to-day, our work goes beyond selling. We put real emphasis on communicating each brand’s worldview, background, and context. Internally, we share information so every staff member understands why we carry each brand, and that understanding shapes how we speak with customers.