Good Morning Rock Boutique fans and followers!
Its been a while, thought I would get you updated on the goings on here at RB hq. Speaking of RB hq, you may have noticed we have closed the Camden shop. On this note we would love to thank Camden Stables Market for jacking the rent up so high that no one except importers can make a living from the place. I don’t mean to moan, I really don’t but its such a shame that the place I used to pilgrimage to as a kid has lost all its attraction.
Camden used to be the home of vintage chic and edgy cool, as well as being a haven for punks and rockers. It was up there with Carnaby street and the kings road. I can remember getting the train from East Croydon to Camden when I was 15, spending hours hunting round the arches and the lock market. The arches used to be a massive tunnel packed with real original vintage stores and punk clothing, at one end was all the handmade furniture and antique stores, at the other was cute little fashion stalls selling stuff by young designers and students. The whole place had a buzz about it that has simply been stamped out now. You could lose hours of your day just wandering around the place.
It was those trips to North London that made me want to work in fashion in the first place, Camden was so inspirational. Years later I rented a tiny market stall in the Lock market for £30 a day and The rock boutique was born.
Nowadays I’m afraid Camden is a very different story, its so sad that what was once such an inspirational place has been turned into a cheap generic market with the same tat on sale as every other market in the UK. the reason is simple as far as I can tell, the rents have been raised so high that only certain traders can survive, as well as this the vetting system that used to be in place for newcomers has been done away with. When I took my first shop in the Stables I had to join a waiting list, I was prioratised because I designed my own clothing, made everything in England and sold a product completely different to everyone else. At the time I could only afford a tiny shop, but once I was in I built the business up and eventually took a shop 4 times the size. Back then I was one of a few hundred shops, now there is around 600 and a whole other market built by the same people just over the road.
Many a drunken discussion in the pubs around the market has taken place about the demise of camden market and all my good friends and fellow traders agree that’s there is no living to be made from what was once one of Londons main attractions any more.
As always there are a few gems to be found if you know where to look, ill name a few for you to check out when your next in NW1
Possibly the best stocked and most stylish army surplus store is still going strong in Camden stables, Soul-Ja is located in the main part of the stables just before the horse hospital. Then head through the archway straight ahead and you will find a small indoor oasis called the horse hospital. Here you will find stunning vintage furniture stalls, right at the back of the room are 2 shops that should not be missed, tucked away in the very far corner is a cool retro toy shop selling everything from tin robots to yo yos and next to this is Marks antique shop, everything is hand picked by the owner who will be happy to tell you anything you might want to know about the stock. (the Rock Boutique look book was also photographed in this shop)
About 15 doors down from the old RB shop you will find Urban Graffiti, selling hand printed T-shirt designs and well worth a look. For actual, real, authentic Vintage where the staff no what they are talking about and the rails feature quality items get down to What goes around comes around, on the left as you enter the basement. Just above them you will find the best Italian cafe in the world (not including Italy) ask for a jack special and you will not be disappointed with the pannini the girl makes in front of you.
Opposite the old rb store is a massive vintage haven called St Cyre, owned by possibly the most help full girl you will ever meet, Jess. She stocks mainly real vintage dresses and one off pieces as well as fashion books, shoes, furs and leathers!
These few shops and a hand full of others represent what used to be the edgiest place in London, while Camden is still a wicked day out, it is nothing like the fashion mecca it once was, but it is still home to some brilliant characters and lovely people, next time your down there say hi for me.
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