Rags to Bitches - a unique shopping experience
Rescuing beautiful objects, sourcing items locally and providing cupcakes on arrival are just some of the ideas behind Manchester’s most successful independent outlet.
Rags to Bitches, which opened on Tib Street in 2005, is certainly more than the average vintage clothing shop.
Creative duo Simon Buckley and Flic Everett scoured the northwest’s junk shops to find beautiful dressing tables, retro mannequins and a 1950s cash register.
And far from looking like a jumble sale, the pair modelled every inch of their store to make it decorative and boudoir-esque.
Former photographer, Simon, said: “It is more than a shop, it is a lifestyle. We are rescuing beautiful things that might have gone onto the scrap heap. I love that we are keeping something going and creating new memories for it.”
“Customers always chat about where they will wear their purchase and that’s what we want - a friendly shop, where people can be themselves.”
The store’s own label takes personalised customer service even further - customers can have designs custom made, with extra bows here or there. The store also hosts events, from clothing swap shops to discos.
And Rags is just one of a plethora of independent stores in the Northern Quarter, typical of Manchester’s innovative character. With attractive stores like Retro Rehab, selling handmade earrings and expertly displayed vintage clothing, and Magma, the designer’s bookshop of choice, the district is a creative’s dream.
Nearby, Afflecks Palace, may look like a warehouse but it houses over 50 market-style shops ideal for fledgling designers. Downstairs, in Afflecks Parade, Darren Fraser’s clothing store Rocket, started as a clothing rail he paid to rent. It has grown into an attractive boutique, with lines like Yumi recently spotted on Sienna Miller.
Elsewhere, Deansgate, King Street and St Anne’s Square is the upmarket end of town, ideal for designer purchases at Diesel, Armani, Agent Provocateur and DKNY, whilst Exchange Square, New Cathedral Street and The Triangle are similarly glossy, with top-end department stores like Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.
At the city’s epicentre, Market Street and the Manchester Arndale are the busiest shopping districts outside London, housing all of the big-name brands.