A camera-shy retailer and catwalks aren’t your classic combination, just as well then that it’s all about the garments at this Oxfam event. Organised by the University of Nottingham, Nottstalgia certainly proved that a slick fashion show can front something very unexpected…

24 garments from Nottingham's Sample were on show from four of Nottingham’s most talented fresh-faced designers. Launching their careers in fashion through the trusty carriage of Sample Clothing are:

Alex Clarke – ApeStar
Steven Attenborough – DirtyLove
Helen Mickelthwaite - PornButterfly 
Wai-yee – Amy.

Sample Clothing is unique in what it stocks and who the garment has been in the hands of before emerging onto the shop floor. The shop’s philosophy is no secret to those long-standing customers who have been exploring the realms of cutting-edge fair-trade design since Sample opened 18 months ago. But classy fashion-shows, squeaky-clean ethics and a unique centre for local designers to showcase their collections… doesn’t this beg the question of who is behind Sample?

Anyone would think that Neil Echo should be used to countless photo shoots through his successful music career, currently in the form of the Koda Collective (whom we all know and love and await their latest album with baited breath).

But getting a shot of the master-mind behind this unique outlet was quite a challenge, no more the anonymity of being in a band now Neil! Perhaps this attitude is very telling of his current business strategies. Although the clothes are being flashed about the catwalk with considerable flair, the man himself feels an urge to shy away from the limelight and ensure opportunities for cross-pollination of local talent before it is diluted by industry. 
“Any good idea has to be fashionable to catch-on, to get that status you have to be careful…" Sample prides itself on quality and looks as much as any good label, but the bonus is how it’s made and where it comes from.. This is just the beginning for Sample’s in-house designers and it’s admirable that they make so much effort not to pimp themselves to the commercial world”.

So I think we’re getting a flavour of what Neil is trying to do with Sample, and it’s no accident that he also runs a printing studio a stone’s throw from the shop.

Next time you come into Sample and like the artwork on this hoody but prefer the shape of that T-shirt, ask Neil very nicely to print it just for you, and you could be the lucky one donning a unique garment designed and manufactured in Nottingham.

Most of the other clothing, jewellery and gifts are in Neil’s shop as samples (hence the name!) and can be purchased for an incredibly fair price. This is just one way of escaping the boring world of commercial consumerism, check out the shop with its ever-changing collections and know where your money is going.

Sample
King John’s Arcade
(opposite Ted Baker)
Bridlesmith Gate
Nottingham

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