Fashion brand PrettyLittleThing has given its HQ in Manchester a huge makeover, creating a pink palace for all its staff to work from.
Glimpses of the colourful space – which includes a huge pink unicorn, a quad bike, a cloud ceiling and big squishy pink sofas – have been shared on social media in recent weeks.
Even Molly-Mae Hague herself, a super-influencer who works as PLT’s creative director, popped in and shared snippets of the new HQ to her 7.5m followers.
So when PLT invited us here at The Manc over for a tour, we were there quicker than you can say ‘Kardashian collaboration’.
The online fashion brand was launched way back in 2012, and has since become a global heavyweight in the retail world.
ADVERTISEMENT
There are now offices in London, Paris and Los Angeles, and celebrity fans have included Miley Cyrus, Kourtney Kardashian, Michelle Keegan, Rita Ora, Jessie J and Nicki Minaj.
So yeah – kind of a big deal.
ADVERTISEMENT
A bar space at PLT HQ. Credit: The Manc GroupPLT HQ. Credit: The Manc GroupThe dining area at PLT HQ. Credit: The Manc Group
Their headquarters are based on an unassuming plot of land just north of Ancoats, a short walk from the Etihad Stadium and Hope Mill Theatre, and neighbouring Pollard Yard.
But once you’re through the industrial gates, it’s like being plunged into a world of pink and shimmer.
There’s a reception space where neon spells out the words ‘dream big, work hard, make it happen’, and a winged unicorn poses on a bed of roses.
ADVERTISEMENT
Then down a short flight of stairs is the staff’s massive new cafe and chill-out space, where plush velvet sofas are arranged beneath a sky-patterned ceiling, complete with pink neon screaming ‘Sky is the limit’.
There’s a sizeable cafe space (complete with pink PLT-branded coffee cups, naturally), and more seating arranged around a huge marble table.
Pendant lights dangle down from a cloud of pink roses overhead.
Throughout the entire HQ are giant screens showing notable PLT campaigns.
Art deco-style arches abound, from a huge neon-outlined mirror behind a breakfast bar (which doubles up as a DJ booth), to the cosy meeting booths lined with pink suede.
ADVERTISEMENT
And then you head through to the main offices, home to hundreds of PLT employees. The desks are fringed by huge palm trees and fairy lights, and a pink blossom tree hangs with words of affirmation.
There’s even a unicorn-splattered quad bike parked up near the desks.
A brand-new Oxfam Vintage store is opening in Manchester – with a treasure hunt to celebrate
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new charity shop showcasing curated vintage clothing is opening in the Northern Quarter this month.
The new concept store comes from Oxfam, promising a more ‘design-led’ approach to pre-loved fashion.
Shoppers will be able to browse hand-picked, quality vintage pieces when the new Oxfam Vintage opens at the end of March.
The new Northern Quarter charity shop will transform the existing Oxfam Originals unit on Oldham Street.
It will feature UK-made fixtures, recycled materials, and large-scale installations using archival Oxfam magazine covers and festival artwork.
To celebrate the launch of Oxfam Vintage, they’ll be hosting a city-wide treasure hunt this weekend.
Giant ‘50% off Oxfam Vintage’ shopping tags will be hidden all over town, inside other Oxfam shops.
Anyone who finds one will be able to redeem the discount in-store once it launches on Friday 27 March.
Matt Burgess-Evans, Head of Store Development at Oxfam, said: “Oxfam Vintage represents a step change in how we present vintage fashion within our retail portfolio.
CGI of how Oxfam Vintage will look
“It was important that the design of the space reflected the approach to the product — creating an environment that supports a more curated offer and highlights the quality and longevity of vintage clothing.
“By presenting pieces in a considered way, the concept encourages customers to see vintage not just as thrift, but as fashion with lasting value.”
Oxfam Vintage opens on Friday 27 March, with the city-wide treasure hunt happening on Saturday 20 March.
Northern Quarter institution announces store closure after almost 20 years
Daisy Jackson
Thunder Egg, a Northern Quarter institution, has announced its sad closure after almost two decades in the neighbourhood.
The boutique gift shop and fashion retailer is known for its colourful, kitsch and quirky products, whether you’re after some bold knitwear or some statement costume jewellery.
Brands stocked here include loads of different British brands, like Daisy Street clothing, Ohh Deer art prints, and Little Moose jewellery.
As the Northern Quarter has changed rapidly on all sides, Thunder Egg has been a constant ever since its launch onto Oldham Street in 2018.
When it opened, its neighbours included Dry Bar, Magma, and a lot of adult-only sex shops – all of which have now closed for good.
And now Thunder Egg will also be bidding farewell to its flagship store in the Northern Quarter (though you’ll still be able to shop their collections inside Afflecks and online).
In a statement shared online, Thunder Egg said that the ‘considerable rise in interest’ from large retail names moving into the Northern Quarter would drive rents so high that the increase would be ‘too big to swallow’.
Thunder Egg will be closing its Northern Quarter flagship store
They also cited ‘rocketing’ business rates, plus ‘relentless’ theft, and increasing online competition from cheap retailers.
Thunder Egg said that with their lease coming to an end this year, the time is right to depart.
They wrote: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank every single person, from customers to past & present staff, for making the last 2 decades in this location so magical!
“We are devastated to be leaving this space, but you can read more about why we’ve made the decision to on the 2nd image. We have nothing but fond memories here.”
Explaining the closure of their flagship store, they added: “It is with great sadness that we are announcing that our current flagship branch of Thunder Egg on Oldham Street will be closing after 20 years.
“Our current lease was coming to an end this year and surviving as a small independent business in the UK is HARD right now.
You can still shop Thunder Egg in Afflecks
“There has been a considerable rise in interest from large national & international retail names for shop spaces in the Northern Quarter in recent years. The proposed rent increase that would come with renewing our lease here was just too big to swallow this time.
“Business rates are rocketing, theft is relentless, competition from cheap online retailers is growing… all of the above combined together to push us into our decision to depart.”
Thunder Egg is set to remain open for at least the next couple of months, with no official closing date announced just yet – so get down to Oldham Street and show them some love.
Daisy Jackson -
28th April 2023 
