Cheshire Street: East London’s Evolving Vintage Heartland

A stone’s throw away from Brick Lane, at the Bethnal Green Road end, lives charming Cheshire Street. Today, the address, which has become best known for its distinctive cluster of vintage clothing boutiques, forms part of Brick Lane Market on Sundays, accommodating various bric-a-brac stalls. Prior to the area becoming popular amongst east London’s creative communities, the street was well-known as a go-to for essential items amongst locals, selling tyres and discount leather goods. Nowadays, the small and rather unassuming street is packed with independent eateries, copious purveyors of vintage and rare garments and antiques, as well as more unusual offerings, including London’s only ukulele specialist and a number of tattoo parlours. Something Curated takes a look at the most interesting establishments that call Cheshire Street home, and the people behind them.

 

Levisons || Michael Levison (No. 1)

Levisons stocks a distinctive selection of rare and vintage clothing, encompassing workwear, military, tailoring and knitwear for both men and women. The shop, founded by Michael Levison and run by shopkeeper Ricardo, features new items added on a weekly basis, and constantly endeavours to track down that elusive one-off piece which defines its ethos. Crammed full of extraordinary menswear from the 1920’s to the 70’s, including tonic suits, tweeds and Barbour jackets, the store’s rails are a delight to discover. There’s also an interesting edit of womenswear, comprising 50’s summer dresses or 60’s dress suits amongst other pieces.

 

The Society Book Club || Michael Selzer (No. 3)

Established in Soho in 1967 by Michael Selzer as a members club, The Society Club recently opened its latest outpost in Shoreditch. The Cheshire Street branch is a specialist bookshop, its striking panelled bookcases packed with rare first editions of literature, art and photography books, and stacks of rare books including volumes of poetry. Specialising in twentieth century literature, modern first editions, photography books, and artists monographs, the shop offers a remarkable selection of out-of-print editions. The Cheshire Street venue also hosts regular events and parties, and is available for private hire.

 

House of Vintage || Marcia Cooper & Dennis Adamidis (No. 4)

House of Vintage, which was first launched in Toronto, Canada in 2003 by Marcia Cooper and Dennis Adamidis, specialises in uncommon and exceptional vintage clothing and accessories for men and women. Their east London store opened in 2010, stocking a beautifully edited collection of menswear and womenswear from the 1920’s through to the 1980’s, with particular emphasis on the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. In February 2014 the company launched their first Vintage Bridal Showroom. Also located in the heart of Shoreditch, visits to the showroom are by appointment-only.

 

Porcelain & Red || Danielle & Natalie Kendry (No. 5)

East London boutique Porcelain & Red offers a thoughtful selection of carefully hand selected vintage gems from the elegant 1920’s to the vibrant 1980’s. The store is run by duo Danielle and Natalie Kendry, who travel the world to find luxury vintage pieces, putting together an eclectic edit of womenswear. Priding themselves on quality, the Cheshire Street shop even offers an alteration and tailoring service that ensures vintage garments fit correctly.

 

Vintage Basement || Thinley & Tserin Shakya (No. 7)

Vintage Basement, unmissable thanks to its highlighter green shop front, embodies style and sentiment through retro trends in vintage clothing. Tibetan-born owners Thinley and Tserin Shakya are both passionate in discovering beautiful and exclusive one-off garments from all over the globe. With the shop and basement floor ever changing, items are lovingly hand picked for those who appreciate true vintage and take pride in wearing unique pieces.

 

Vintage Bean Cafe || Lenka Trojakova (No. 8)

With chef-proprietor Lenka Trojakova creating homemade soups and baking delicious cakes and biscuits, Vintage Bean Cafe & Bar is the perfect respite from shopping. This cosy venue is a true oasis in the heart of Shoreditch and is the first business to wake on Cheshire Street and last to sleep at night. Trojakova has gained a reputation for being a bastion of the community, passionate about the historical street and her neighbours, having worked closely on a number of local fundraising projects.

 

Jimbobart || James Ward (No. 24)

London-based designer James Ward, popularly known as Jimbobart, creates whimsical illustrations which comically bring animals and settings together, giving the creatures new life and purpose. Ward works from his studio on Cheshire Street, which is open to the public. His products and artwork are available to purchase from his east London studio shop, as well as stores in the UK and internationally, including London’s Liberty and Southbank Centre. As a commercial illustrator, Jimbobart has been commissioned by Lacoste, Moleskine and Etsy, amongst others.

 

Cloak and Dagger Tattoo Parlour || Al Boy, Hugh Sheldon, Jack Goks, Jethro Wood, Myles Vear & Davide Di Cintio (No. 34)

Cloak and Dagger opened its doors in east London back in September 2013, and has built a reputation for reliable work since. Catering for all tattoo needs, covering styles from traditional to tribal, black ink to Japanese, and everything in between, the Cloak and Dagger team is on hand to offer advice and tattooing in a friendly environment. The team, currently comprising Al Boy, Hugh Sheldon, Jack Goks and Davide Di Cintio, to name a selection, have backgrounds in various disciplines, from fine art to illustration. The studio offers a creative environment where artists can share ideas and learn from one another. From seasoned veterans to first timers, Cloak and Dagger aims to accommodate all.

 

Paxton Chocolate || Caitlin Paxton (No. 38)

Paxton Chocolate was set up in 2012 by Caitlin Paxton upon graduating as a Pastry Chef from the Cordon Bleu. After feeding samples to friends and family, who always wanted more, the chocolatier-proprietor realised that she could turn this into a business. Paxton sources the chocolate couverture from a company in Belgium that produces the finest chocolate from sustainably grown cocoa beans. The dried flours and extracts come from Scotland, where they are selected for their province and quality, and perishable ingredients are sourced locally to ensure maximum freshness. Notably, Paxton’s unique chocolates are handmade in small batches in store.

 

Blackmans || Phil Knight (Nos. 42-44)

Having established itself as somewhat of an east London institution over the decades, father-and-son shoe shop Blackmans has long been a fixture of Cheshire Street. The black building on the cobbled corner of Grimsby Street, run by Phil Knight, displays a painted board with the name of the shop rests vertically against a pillar, alongside a board stating, “We do not sell online”. A miscellaneous collection of 20th century shelving units is lined up along the pavement, supporting a number of sturdy shoes, and bulging cardboard boxes that hold more. Well-known for their £5 plimsoles, a sign above the doorway proclaims, “The Devil wears Prada but the people wear plimsoles.”

 

Duke of Uke || Matthew Reynolds (No. 88)

Established in 2005 by the charismatic Matthew Reynolds, the self-styled Duke of Uke, the Cheshire Street shop is London’s only ukulele emporium, stocking a wide range of new and vintage ukuleles in all shapes and sizes. The store’s team have an extensive knowledge of the musical instrument and are forthcoming with advice. Passionate about the instrument, Duke of Uke is a true community hub, full of musicians coming and going, creating music and giving lessons too – as well as a wonderful friendly place to drop in and admire the impressive display.

 

Beyond Retro || Steven Bethell (Nos. 110-112)

The first Beyond Retro store, opened back in 2002 inside a disused dairy warehouse, is located at the end of Cheshire Street. Nine stores and nearly 20 years later, the brand, founded by Steven Bethell, has expanded across the UK and Sweden with no signs of slowing down. The original east London outpost has established itself as a key location for collectors of vintage clothing. Speaking to Something Curated, Bethell says, “It’s been the people, rather than the moments, that have kept the brand growing in the way it has. The vision behind Beyond Retro is about digging through the mass of clothes and finding relevant product to offer to our customers in an innovative way.”

 

Photography by Anne Vaandrager