As convenient as online shopping may be, you simply can’t beat the joy of browsing through shops in person.
Manchester is home to a colourful variety of adventurous clothing boutiques – many of which have reopened their doors again after yet another quarantine in November.
But with lockdown over and Christmas on the horizon, now’s the perfect time to discover some of the city’s hidden gems and hottest independent boutiques.
Shilpa and Julie, decided to abandon their 9-5 jobs in favour of promoting some fresh, underrated fashion brands – and the result is Kjole.
The owners have dedicated their lives to shopping so that their customers can have an effortless selection of iconic clothing – and their flagship store in Didsbury is home to a curated collection of unique, eclectic pieces you simply won’t find anywhere else.
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Where to find them: 6 Albert Hill Street, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6RF kjole.co.uk
This retro boutique is an absolute must-visit for any lovers of 70s and 80s menswear.
Boasting a brilliant name, Bags of Flavor also has an incredible selection of hand-picked garments in-store – specialising particularly in old-school sportswear.
Whether you’re looking for vintage Berghaus jackets or upcycled Burberry bags, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.
This independent boutique is selling a variety of timeless pieces that you’ll love for years.
Unlike some other stores, Nood isn’t afraid to incorporate wild colours and bold patterns, whilst also sourcing from companies that uphold their eco values.
Owners are bringing something a little bit different to the sustainable fashion scene – with a loyal customer base since their opening in 2004.
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Where to find them: 36 Beech Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9EL nood.co.uk
This vintage and fancy-dress shop is one of Affleck’s hidden gems.
American Graffiti has a quirky and colourful collection of garments available; offering a variety of options whether you’re after an everyday outfit or dressing for an event.
The staff are also incredibly knowledgeable about the fashion of different eras and can help you recreate these styles from their extensive range.
This hub of pre-loved fashion is a go-to for anyone looking to inject some fun into their wardrobe.
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From their crazy colours to retro designs, there is something for everyone amongst Lief’s selection of vintage pieces.
The store is also offering a swap shop every day during the build-up to Christmas, which is a great way to discover some new pieces whilst giving your old garments a second life.
This indie boutique was established by the eponymous Lucy in 2013 – who was eager to bring her fashion-forward visions to the people of Chorlton.
Today, the store now stocks a variety of stylish pieces that are different from what you’d usually see on the high street – from dresses and tops to loungewear and jumpsuits.
Where to find them: 109 Beech Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9EQ lovelucyboutique.co.uk
Style
Manchester City finally release special Year of the Horse collection for Lunar celebrations
Danny Jones
Manchester City have officially launched their new ‘Year of the Horse’ kit, along with several other items in their latest lifestyle range.
The collection, which has been released as part of the Lunar New Year Celebrations, was leaked online in late 2025 before being officially teased earlier this year, but now Man City have fully unveiled the limited edition clothing items.
It follows the commercial success of their previous Chinese New Year-inspired kits and wider fashion lines over the last few seasons.
For anyone not up to speed on their Zodiac calendar knowledge, 2026 is officially (you guessed it) the year of the horse, hence this choice for the new ‘Capsule Collection’.
“Set in earthy, neutral tones, the limited-edition Year of the Horse Capsule Collection captures both the stillness of vintage Chinese portraiture and the motion of a team in full stride.”
Revolving around a grey and almost beige colour palette, the full drop includes a new pre-match ‘Anthem’ jacket, a dark graphic design tee, a baseball cap, as well as a soft horse plushie.
The focal point, however, is obviously the jersey itself – though it remains to be confirmed whether or not the special seasonal strip will be worn in any games this campaign as other one-off/special limited edition shirts have been in the past.
The price points range from £15 for the soft toy to £90 for the adult shirt, with the aforementioned Puma KING Anthem zip-up jacket already available in six colours.
What do you make of the latest lifestyle collection, Blues?
Somewhat fittingly, the Year of the Horse and other items finally debuted on the same day that their local rivals across the other side of town, Manchester United, released some new threads of their own: the second Adidas x The Stone Roses collection.
As for this years Lunar celebrations, the official plans for here in Manchester city centre have now been revealed. You can find out more down below.
Manchester United officially launch second Adidas fashion collab with The Stone Roses
Danny Jones
After several weeks of teasers, the latest fashion collab between Adidas, Manchester United and The Stone Roses has officially revealed.
We have no doubt this one will be lapped up just as quickly as the first.
Following images of the new Stone Roses x Man United kit and the focal point of this new collection being leaked online earlier this month, the second drop by Adidas has now been unveiled in full.
Releasing another stylistic video to the tune of the legendary Manc band’s famous anthem, ‘I Wanna Be Adored’, players both past and present from the men’s and women’s team star in the launch video.
As you can see, not only did the players get involved with the shoot as expected, but the clip also includes a snippet of archive footage featuring a young Ian Brown in a short but profound talking head.
The Stone Roses frontman, and indeed other members of the band, have never made their love of United a secret – none more so than the late, great Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield – and the supporters have also shared plenty of it back.
Be it through ‘This Is The One’ being chosen by Gary Neville as the official walk-out song at Old Trafford and various chants sung to Stone Roses tunes, to the previous collab back in February 2024, the two iconic cultural brands pretty much go hand in hand.
Besides the next multi-coloured paint-splashed shirt, which leaked first, as well as a new bucket hat (again, very era appropriate), there are scarves, a graphic design t-shirt, two sets of shorts and even two different pairs of shoes.
Images of the white Stone Roses trainers also popped up in leaks across various Man United fan accounts on social media, but few had seen the black ZX 600 Adidas trainers until now.
What do you make of the latest batch of lifestyle fashion from the club?
Meanwhile, with just days left in the transfer window, it remains to be seen whether new interim manager Michael Carrick will be rewarded for his first two wins against the top two in the league with any reinforcements before the end of January – but there are some rumblings…
Daisy Bradbury -
8th December 2020 
