News

Glitter boobs, film deals and festivals: How Manchester-based Shrine took the world by storm

Set up just a few miles outside of Manchester city centre near the Etihad, the Shrine team is 11-strong - all female, and all below the age of 28.

The Manc The Manc - 13th August 2020

The secret to going viral is a bit of good fortune. At least, that’s what many believe. 

But when you look at Shrine, a company that continues to return to the trending section again and again, you start to think there might be a knack to going viral after all. 

This Manchester cosmetic business blew up right at the beginning for launching the now-famous glitter boob and bum trend; went viral again when they shared their success story; and even managed to make headlines when the world went into lockdown for at-home hair dying products. 

“We’ve always tried to be trendsetters,” Shrine’s Niamh Gillan tells The Manc.

“For us, it’s about being disruptive. We try to be original – and we communicate that across social media.

“It’s what makes us different.”

Shrine is like the anti-corporation. Almost everything they do goes against the traditional business bible; and it’s worked a dream. 

Set up just a few miles outside of Manchester city centre near the Etihad, the Shrine team is 11-strong – all female, and all below the age of 28. 

Each member of staff essentially runs their own little department, with key messages and updates communicated not via letters or emails – but through Instagram Live and TikTok.

Today, more than half a million loyal followers are sharing Shrine style ideas, ordering products and signing up for masterclasses.

Even in this complicated climate, the company is generating millions. 

“Everyone really gets along, it’s like a family here,” Niamh beams. 

“We love working here, we love the products and the people we work with. 

“We want people to know that.”

Back in 2016, MMU student Jenna Meek decided to invest her life savings on a business idea – setting up what was then known as ‘The Gypsy Shrine’ from her bedroom. 

She chose glitter and stick-on jewels as fashion statements, and these images struck a chord with students before being picked up by The Daily Mail and The Sun. 

That summer, you couldn’t go to any live music event without seeing someone sporting the glitter boob trend. It was suddenly a fixture of festival fashion; like sunglasses, hats or hair dye.

Pre-festival popup stores in the likes of London and Los Angeles attracted enormous crowds – and within a matter of months the brand was collaborating with film studios and music giants. 

World-renowned studio Warner Brothers selected The Gypsy Shrine to host a stand in support of their Wonderwoman film; recognising the brand’s focus on female empowerment. 

Another collaboration for a Halloween and social collection followed, before the brand teamed up with festival Coachella to throw a Palm Springs party in 2018. 

Within two years of setting up, The Gyspy Shrine was synonymous with festival dress. 

But the brand had ideas that went beyond fashion for wild weekends.

Dropping a couple of words from their moniker, Shrine began to broaden its offering to focus on more areas of lifestyle – moving into creative cosmetics and hair care. 

It was good timing. The festival scene has temporarily collapsed due to COVID-19, but even when quarantine began, Shrine was as in-demand as ever.

“Over the past few months, there’s been lots of people ordering our at-home hair dye,” Niamh explains. 

“We launched it in February and it took off as we went into lockdown.

“From there, demand went up as people couldn’t go to hairdressers. 

“We’re getting lots of inquiries about our hair dye dropping – it’s where you can drop the pigment into conditioner and use that to cover your hair. 

“It’s semi-permanent and you can create your own shape.” 

Founder Jenna still features heavily on Shrine’s social channels – hosting Q&As about particular products and even taking part in Instagram Live sessions with hair salons. 

The brand audience is bigger than ever before. And there’s plans in the pipeline to reach this ever-growing base of fans.

Shrine has dipped its toe in international waters before, but now it’s preparing to take the plunge and dive head first into the American market. 

“We’re looking to launch in the US – that’s all in the works right now,” Niamh explains. 

“We’re hoping to grow into being a key brand over there. That’s the plan for the next year – but the big aim is worldwide.

“Hopefully, we can keep this going and start to trade with retailers all over the globe.”

Thousands of brands out there are still attempting to go viral. For many, it’ll be a case of good fortune. 

But with Shrine, it just feels like a matter of time before that name starts trending again.

“We know our audience and they know us,” Niamh says. 

Building this kind of special relationship is a rare thing. But Shrine has done it. And it sounds like there’s much more to come. 

See what Shrine is offering right now by visiting the official website. 

Facebook: @thegypsyshrine

Instagram: @shrine

News

Manchester is working to make residents with terminal illnesses exempt from paying council tax

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Patient in a hospital bed

Manchester is aiming to become one of the UK’s major cities to exempt its residents with terminal illnesses from paying council tax.

After Marie Curie’s recent ‘Dying in Poverty’ report found that around 42% of working age and 30% of pension-age residents in Manchester die while living in financial hardship, Manchester City Council has announced that it’ll be working together with the UK’s leading end of life charity to ensure that those with terminal illnesses become exempt from paying council tax.

The Council says addressing this ‘profoundly important issue’ is at the heart of a larger plan to support the most vulnerable residents in Manchester.

New proposals set out a plan for the Council to change its Discretionary Council Tax Policy (DCTP) to explicitly include a commitment to support people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

To become exempt, clinicians will need to fill out a form to confirm that a person has a progressive disease, and consequently is expected to pass away within a 12-month period.

Council Tax
Manchester is working to make residents with terminal illnesses exempt from paying council tax / Credit: gov.uk

Using DCTP, the Council will then make up the difference of any shortfall in council tax, so that in any situation where a member of the household qualifies – whether an adult, child or non-dependant – the household will have nothing to pay.

The support will then apply to the household’s council tax bill until the date of the persons death.

The Council will also be working to ensure that a ‘tell us once’ protocol is in place so that, in the event of a claimant’s passing, no undue burden will fall upon their family, and steps will also be in place to retain the discount for the remainder of the financial year to provide additional support for the passed person’s family.

Once delivered, it’s estimated that this scheme could support around 175 residents in Manchester – the majority of which would be of working age.

“The moment when you or your family member gets the devastating news of terminal illness is heartbreaking,” commented Manchester City Council leader, Cllr Bev Craig, as the plans were announced this week.

“The last thing you need to worry about is money and bills, but we know for too many people it takes up too much time and stress.

“Too many people are living in poverty in our city… and that’s why we are exempting people with a terminal illness from council tax, alongside a wider package of support with the cost of living, doing everything in our power to ensure families have one less thing to worry about during such a difficult time.

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“We want to thank Marie Curie for their vital work, and as a Council want to do all we can to ease the burden at the end of someone’s life.”

Featured Image – Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)

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Hotspur Press to be part-demolished following catastrophic fire

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Hotspur Press to be part-demolished following catastrophic fire

Manchester’s historic Hotspur Press will be partially demolished following the fire that tore through the building earlier this week.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said that part of the centuries-old mill would need to be pulled down to enable safe firefighting.

The Hotspur Press building stands just off Whitworth Street West behind Oxford Road train station, and previously operated as a printing press.

It later became a home for artist studios and creative spaces until officially becoming derelict in the late 2010s.

Despite standing empty, the magnificent old mill has been an iconic and oft-photographed landmark in Manchester, and one of only a handful left in the city centre.

But that huge fire on Monday evening has gutted the Hotspur Press, and now it will be ‘partially’ demolished.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Firefighters continue to work hard to bring the fire at Hotspur Press to a safe conclusion. Alongside Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Police and partners, a decision has now been made to partially demolish the Hotspur Press building over the coming days.

“This is to enable safe firefighting and excavation in areas that are currently inaccessible, mitigating any risk to life. This will also allow safe internal investigations to begin.”

Plans have been in place to turn The Hotspur Press into a student accommodation tower block, which had included a 35-storey student tower built out of the original mill facade.

The Manc has contacted property developers Manner, who own the Hotspur Press site, to see what will happen to the space following the blaze.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

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