After the turbulent year of 2020, we don’t blame you if you’re ready to reinvent your style and feel happier within yourself for the year ahead.
But doing so can be a challenge in itself, especially with the shops being closed yet again due to the country’s third national lockdown.
But on the plus side, there are some hidden gems within Manchester’s fashion scene that are offering the hottest new styles to take on 2021.
It’s more important now than ever to support our local businesses, and these up-and-coming clothing boutiques are definitely ones to keep on your radar this year.
The Norah Store
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We’ll definitely be seeing more slow fashion and eco-conscious alternatives make their way to the forefront in 2021, and one of the brands pioneering this in Manchester is The Norah Store.
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The team at The Norah Store moved into a new studio space between Christmas and New Year, promising lots of exciting launches including a new collection that we can expect to see in March.
From whimsical patterned socks to elegant dresses, this boutique is Manchester’s one-stop-shop for all of the latest styles that will be lifelong treasures in your wardrobe.
With many retail venues closed, finding outfits to fit your rapidly growing toddlers and children can be harder than ever.
But Be Diddy is a Manchester-based brand transforming the idea of old, tired hand-me-downs by curating an adorable collection of vintage garments for babies. You’d never be able to guess that these clothes are pre-loved!
All of their items are incredibly cute and cosy, leaving your toddler on top of the trends in a pair of Carhartt dungarees or a vintage jacket.
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They also offer a buy-back scheme which is a great way to return garments that your children have outgrown and try out some of their latest pieces and styles.
Their first clothing drop of 2021 is on January 15, so make sure you stay tuned on their Instagram page for a chance to bag some of these adorable creations.
While their boisterous and quirky clothing was a massive hit in Manchester, this year will see Hoyden get a complete makeover.
After deciding to leave their Afflecks store in favour of a home studio and discontinuing the previous product range, it’s clear that the brand will be completely reinvented in 2021.
Olivia Denny, the creator of Hoyden, is promising bigger and better things for this funky feminist boutique, but we will have to keep an eye out during 2021 as her vision is still completely under wraps.
If you want to inject some simplicity and serenity into your home and wardrobe this year, look no further than Nordic Muse.
The brand has recently closed their doors and are moving into a new space on Tib Street in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter – when the pandemic permits, that is.
This change in location is just one of many exciting things to come for Nordic Muse in 2021, so if you are in the market for some Scandi-inspired homeware or elegant jewellery, this is one to remember.
A splash of colour and brightness is definitely something we could use in our lives and wardrobes right now.
Jeneral Store is home to a decadent selection of vintage finds and handcrafted accessories in a cheerful colour palette that is perfect for the transition into spring (maybe it’s a bit early, but we’re certainly ready for some sunshine).
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After the difficult decision to close down their Depop and Asos Marketplace platforms due to their overwhelming popularity, Jen is now dedicated fully to growing the Jeneral Store website and creating some gorgeous items for our wardrobes.
If you’re like us and not ready to part with the scrunchies trend, this is an absolute must-see!
Style
Drama Call opening first-ever flagship shop in Manchester
Danny Jones
Streetwear superstars Drama Call are opening their new flagship store and first-ever permanent site in Manchester city centre this weekend.
Expect massive queues and lots turning up wearing the increasingly recognisable starry logo.
Already a much-loved brand not just here in 0161 but across the nation at large, the native independent business turned street-style favourites and UK fashion phenomenon are no strangers to HUGE pop-ups in their hometown.
However, they’ve never had a mainstay location anywhere in the country, let alone Greater Manchester – well, until now, that is…
Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Debuting in the Northern Quarter this Sunday, the venue located on Tib Street will effectively serve as Drama Call‘s new HQ.
The local label has done everything from popping up vans with Manc rapper Aitch to collaborating with Man United for multiple limited edition collections, so it only felt like a matter of time before they’d make a big brick-and-mortar splash in our fair city.
Most notably, they’re also taking over the same unit as the Sheep Shop, a former skate shop and legendary urban clothing tastemaker of the 90s; they were one of the first places in Britain to stock famous names like Stüssy, Supreme, Carhartt, The North Face and many more.
With that in mind, it feels only fitting that they carry on the trendsetting tradition from the same premises, and just spitting distance from the likes of Note, as well.
And that’s not all, either: before the full launch, they’ll also be holding an exclusive cash-only shirt swap event, where a limited number of certain collector’s items will be sold for as little as £10.
Other things to note are the additions of signed vinyls by homegrown artists such as the aforementioned Aitch and even The Smiths.
In fact, the store will also feature strictly Mancunian exclusives, too.
Everything from polo shirts and tees to branded mugs, matchboxes and other accessories will be available in-store only.
NQ is bound to be buzzing across launch weekend, with doors officially opening to the public on Sunday, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see people camping outside the front well ahead of time.
What a moment the Manc shopping scene is having right now.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Pear)
Style
Keo play Projekts: garage and grunge revivalists crush Manchester skatepark for new music video
Danny Jones
This past Thursday evening, fast-rising rock band Keo took over Projekts MCR skatepark for a special pop-up gig and to film a brand-new music video for their latest single, ‘Pistol’, starring some of their biggest fans here in Manchester.
In fact, it didn’t take long for us to suss out that plenty of them had flocked from far and wide to be there, and let’s say we’re sure they’ll say it was worth the journey.
We caught Keo’s well-attended festival set inside the Woodlands at Kendal Calling 2025, not to mention their completely sold-out show at the O2 Ritz back in March – their biggest headline date up to that point – and we’re more certain than ever that they’re going to be absolutely massive.
And if they keep up doing more memorable stuff like this, it’s just a matter of how soon…
Packing out Projekts to the point that people were literally hanging off fences and standing on electrical boxes at the side of the street to try and get a peek at the post-punk, grunge and garage rockers, some of their most enthusiastic young fans had been waiting outside the location as early as noon.
For context, doors opened six hours later, and the boys didn’t come on until 7:30pm.
Those who signed up to Keo‘s mailing list were sent information regarding securing a spot at the one-off performance earlier this month.
While you would have seen the place fill up even if they were just standard concert tickets, the fact that the band were taping the whole thing to use as the visuals for their newest single, as mentioned, meant that Keo’s avid followers were literally clamouring AND clambering to get the best view position possible.
Turning the popular skaters’ hub’s central bowl into a makeshift stage, with lights, camera, booms and various crew surrounding the entire venue, it was a surreal experience to say the least.
And, of course, they were absolutely brilliant – just as they were at the Ritz at the start of the year and Kendal before that, playing a short but sweet set that left everyone wanting more and choruses of punters chanting Keo long after the final song.
We can’t wait to see how the video itself turns out, especially seeing how much the people who wrapped around them and the skatepark were lost in the moment, and we’re also looking forward to them headlining Neighbourhood Fest in Manchester city centre this October.
You can grab a ticket to see them and the rest of the NBHD lineup right HERE, but until then, give the full studio version of ‘Pistol’ a play and get ready for their debut album.
Daisy Bradbury -
8th January 2021 
