Based in Affleck’s, the Trouser Project Collective is a hub for passionate creatives to collaborate and customise secondhand clothing.
Transforming tired garments with unconventional designs, the brand creates graphic pieces that are entirely unique to Manchester’s style scene.
Megan Lewis pioneered this collective group when she started the Trouser Project as a solo venture two years ago.
After buying too many pairs of trousers when charity shopping, she decided to customise them with bleach designs.
Shortly afterwards, she bit the bullet and opened a store to showcase these garments, and the eclectic creativity of Affleck’s felt like a perfect fit.
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“I dropped out of uni and into the life that I really wanted”, says Megan, who was able to pursue her dream of painting as a full-time job.
Trouser Project focus on giving unwanted clothes some well-deserved attention, rather than letting them go to landfill.
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“We buy [old clothing], paint, cut, sew them and hang them in the shop for someone else to walk past and fall in love.”
Megan’s first hurdle arrived as the initial lockdown ended in June, as her motivation levels were low, and money was scarce.
“I was considering closing the shop and just working from home but that felt like a sad option – I wasn’t ready to close,” she said.
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Megan’s solution was to join forces with some fellow creatives in Manchester, reimagining her vision into Trouser Project Collective.
“Between us we sew, paint and print clothes, we make original canvas artwork and do custom pieces,” she tells us.
“We run a shop together in Affleck’s where our different styles work well together.”
Their eclectic range of original pieces is handmade by the six members, giving upcycled clothing a fresh and funky appearance.
Whether it’s patchwork dresses, intricate illustrations or their iconic painted jeans, the six members have completely rocked the boat when it comes to sustainable style.
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Whilst the future is bright for these six Mancunian creatives, their projects are currently on hold due to the nationwide lockdown.
“Ideally, we would all be meeting up and painting on clothes and big canvases together but of course this isn’t possible”, says Megan, who is eager to return to the studio when restrictions ease.
However, they aren’t letting the pandemic prevent their creativity and have found ways to collaborate whilst following Manchester’s strict guidelines.
“[Katy from TrollWear] used recycled denim to make a jacket and we’re going to paint/print onto it one at a time then cycle it to the next person’s house.”
Trouser Project Collective will be reopening their doors in Affleck’s on Wednesday.
Chanel fashion show in Manchester brought a staggering £8m boost to the city
Daisy Jackson
The total value of the massive Chanel fashion show in Manchester has been revealed, along with that the amount it cost in public money.
Early analysis of the global event, which saw Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter shut down and turned into a runway, suggests it generated a whopping £8m impact for the local economy.
And it’s estimated that the value it’s had for the city overall through national and international media coverage will be worth at least £100m.
Chanel’s Metiers d’Art fashion show was held earlier this month and had the city in a flurry of excitement, with celebrities spotted including Hugh Grant, Tilda Swinton and Kristen Stewart.
They, along with names like Aitch, Bugzy Malone and Alexa Chung, were seen leaving fancy hotels and partying at venues like Salford Lad’s Club and Victoria Baths.
And now Marketing Manchester has valued the direct impact of the 600 Chanel guests and staff for the show to be worth £8m in direct income.
That includes staying in hotels for three to four days, spending in the local economy while they were here, and other expenditure like venue hire.
The Chanel show in Manchester is expected to attract even more investment, jobs and opportunities for Mancs too.
A main criticism of the show was how much it was costing the city to shut down one of its busiest streets for the week – the answer is nothing at all.
The council has confirmed that Chanel met all the associated costs, including cleaning, road closures, and recompensing the businesses affected by the event, with no cost to Manchester’s public purse.
In addition to that, 50 fashion students from Manchester Metropolitan University were invited to work backstage at the Chanel show, dressing models and supporting rehearsals.
Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “The Chanel event is one of the highlights in the global fashion calendar and the choice of Manchester as the host city received international acclaim.
“But for us it was never about the glitz and glamour – events such as this help cement Manchester’s reputation on a global stage and come with both direct benefits, through the money spent within our economy while they are here but also indirect benefits by showcasing the city and helping to capture investment, jobs, visitors and attention, all of which open up opportunities for Manchester residents and communities.”
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, said: “The scale of the impact of the Chanel Métiers d’art show in Manchester will be felt for years to come.
“The global media coverage of the event has put a spotlight on Manchester and its rich heritage in textiles and home of iconic music, which will drive conversations about the city and bring new visitors.
“The £8m economic impact is a welcome boost across accommodation, restaurants, and attractions, and demonstrates the importance of global events in the city.”
Sephora to open megastore at Manchester’s Trafford Centre next spring
Daisy Jackson
Beauty fans rejoice – Sephora has finally announced plans to open a store in Manchester, and soon.
The world-famous retailer, which stops luxury skincare and makeup brands as well as cult items, has secured a spot in the Trafford Centre.
This will be the third UK store for Sephora, which currently has two shops down in London.
And after a fair bit of teasing and plenty of rumours, they’ve confirmed that their next megastore will be right here in Greater Manchester.
The brand have shared an image of hoardings inside the Trafford Centre, plastered in Sephora’s black and white branding.
The signs read: “Manchester, you called it. Our first Northern store in 2024.”
Sephora says it will ‘redefine the beauty landscape in the North with an extraordinary product range that caters to the diverse needs of beauty enthusiasts’.
Cult brands stocked at Sephora include Huda Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, The Ordinary, Glossier and Makeup by Mario.
Sephora wrote on Instagram: “You heard correctly — Sephora is coming to the TRAFFORD CENTRE, MANCHESTER.
“Get your shopping baskets ready as we’re on our way up north! More to be revealed soon, see you in 2024…”
The Trafford Centre shared: “You asked, we listened! The wait is over….your @sephorauk opens late Spring 2024.”
Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, said: “We are extremely excited to bring Sephora to Manchester, one of the most vibrant cities for beauty in the UK.
“Expanding our presence beyond London is something that consumers have been screaming out for, and we are listening hard to them when deciding where to go next.
“The Trafford Centre, known for its iconic atmosphere and diverse retail offering, is the perfect location for our third store.”
Russell Loveland, managing director at Pradera Lateral – Trafford Centre’s Asset Managers, said: “This iconic beauty giant already has a cult following, and our own social media has been blowing up with enquiries from excited customers eager for Sephora to open.
“We are very proud Sephora chose the Trafford Centre for its next location, which will be its first store in the North of England, and know it will be a fantastic success and a great addition to our strong international brand lineup.”
One person commented on Sephora’s Instagram post: “This is the best news I’ve heard all year!”
Another said: “OMG ITS HAPPENING, STAY CALM”
And someone wrote on Trafford Centre’s post: “Omg omg can’t wait.”