Meet the radical Manchester boutique fighting for change through fashion
Hoyden celebrates its Mancunian roots through the quirky and hilariously accurate series of ‘Mancisms’ prints, which include classic Manc phrases like ‘It’ll Be Reet’ and ‘You’re Well Mint’.
This feminist boutique, whose name means ‘boisterous girl’, sells clothing that turns head for two reasons.
One, it’s fashionable. And two, it’s rebellious.
Spreading a mixture of serious and funny messages via t-shirts, berets, bags and jewellery, Hoyden manages to stand out among its quirky neighbours – with the store having settled comfortably in the mazy confines of Afflecks.
23-year-old Olivia Denny created Hoyden by combining her love of fashion, culture and activism – building a brand that was both boisterous and rebellious.
“Hoyden was born from my bedroom out of sheer desperation”, says Olivia, who previously worked in a call centre.
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“I’d always known that I wanted to work for myself, so I taught myself how to illustrate, screenprint, vinyl print, and make clothes from scratch, and now I’m learning what goes into running a business in real time.”
All the designs are made by Olivia herself, with each garment taking upwards of an hour to make.
These include bestsellers such as the ‘Women Don’t Owe You Sh*t’ tote bag and the ‘*eye-roll*’ t-shirt, which speak to the brand’s feminist, tongue-in-cheek messages.
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“A splash of radicalism is what it takes to wake people up sometimes,” Olivia adds.
“I can’t just sit back and let the injustices of the world happen, I [want to] speak out and I want to use my growing platform to influence and encourage others to do the same.”
Given the city’s rebellious spirit, Manchester was the perfect home for Hoyden in Olivia’s eyes.
“I […] get such an overwhelming sense of solidarity here,” she tells us.
“Most people are open to anything.”
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Hoyden celebrates its Mancunian roots through the quirky and hilariously accurate series of ‘Mancisms’ prints, which include classic Manc phrases like ‘It’ll Be Reet’ and ‘You’re Well Mint’.
They also stock some other independent creatives, including Clay Crap – an assortment of sassy clay earrings – and A Typical Stitch, who create hand-embroidered and prints of vaginas to dismiss the taboo surrounding women’s bodies.
The brand is still growing, with plans to launch a collection of unique, customised vintage pieces and Olivia’s own handmade clothing in the near future.
You can shop Hoyden’s collection on the third floor of Afflecks.
Manchester United home kit for 2026/27 ‘leaked’ online in unboxing video
Danny Jones
Manchester United’s new home kit for the 2026/27 campaign has reportedly been leaked online in a YouTuber’s unboxing video ahead of next season.
We know fake shirts and dupes can be pretty accurate these days, but it looks very much like this could be the real deal.
Shared by dedicated football kit reviewer, ‘Retro Man‘, who has seemingly revealed the latest Man United jersey, this unveiling lines up with the previously rumoured designs circulated on social media.
A Red Devil himself, the creator has teased previous releases that turned out to be true in the past, so we’ll leave it up to all of you to decide how bona fide you think this supposed home strip is. Ever-reliable footy fashion peers, Footy Headlines, have also shared these images:
Uploaded to the channel on 25 April, Retro Man did a full overview of the United 26/27 home shirt, highlighting key features such as a red-forward collar with black and white accents.
That same trim is repeated on the ends of the sleeves – reminiscent of the 2011/12 iteration, only differing in the more crew neck style – and the back of the neck now simply reads “UNITED”.
It is worth noting that this is specifically the replica shirt that most fans will purchase.
Should it prove to be the genuine article, this will be the 11th Manchester United kit by adidas since they returned as manufacturers over a decade ago, a.k.a. the start of the Louis van Gaal era.
Retro Man has since posted another video showing off what he claims to be the ‘authentic’ version, too; you can check it out in more detail down below.
Looks pretty legit…
As you can see, the official player edition that will be worn on the pitch by actual United squad members (though they are still available to purchase by the public) appears to hold some key distinctions.
Besides some differences around the panelling and stitching, there is also a noticeable textured section along large sections of the interwoven fabric as part of the brand’s breathable and trademark ‘Climacool’ technology.
Elsewhere, the badge itself also looks to have a more embossed/raised finish. If this is the real deal, what do you make of it?
This isn’t the only United kit that’s caught some attention of late, either:
Featured Images — Retro Man (screenshots via YouTube)
Style
Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
Daisy Bradbury -
23rd September 2020 
