On IWD we wanted to celebrate some of the ladies that make our city tick
To celebrate International Women's Day we've brought together just some of the ladies who bring the soul into Darby street
With International Women’s Day happening this Friday 8th March we thought it was the perfect time to celebrate some of Newcastle’s, more specifically, Darby Street's most incredible business women.
Synonymous for its fashion a lot has changed in the retail world from when Darby St first kicked off. With challenges now coming from all kinds of corners, it’s refreshing to see that many of the faces who have made Darby St what it is today, still trading and continuing to do their own individual thing, despite the internet and social media onslaught.
Here’s an interesting Darby St fact. Combined together there are more than 100 years of retail experience between these eight and just as many stories. Keen to tap into just a few of them and get some interesting insights we caught up with each of them.
Michelle
Shop: Ramjet Assortments
"I love the community vibe of Darby Street. My shop is diverse and so is my clientele, it's a great mix of business people and local residents. The crazy energy works for me!
"The traders on Darby Street complement and support each other as opposed to competing with each other."
Ang & Rowena
Shop: High Tea With Mrs Woo
"We started in business on Darby Street in 2001. Initially, we ran a second-hand clothing store here called Spareparts Industries. We were upcycling pre-loved garments, sourcing vintage fabrics and using deadstock fabrics from a remnant warehouse to make and sell alongside a wide range of second-hand clothes. Gosh, that really was a lifetime ago! Here we are, 18 years on and we are still here. How good is that!" - Ang
"Our business exists to counterpoint fast fashion. As designer-makers too, we feel its part of our job to educate our customers and inspire them to make better clothing decisions. Sustainability is a way of living - it's a practice and a culture. That's how we approach it - in our day to day work and life. We just have to keep at it to keep getting better at it!
“In our ideal slow-wearing future, the traditional model of fashion retail will be turned on its head. Bricks and mortar retail will not only be places for buying and selling goods, but they will also serve as learning spaces for workshops, information and styling sessions. They may become collection locations for re-selling or up-cycling. They may include rental clothing service as part of their business. It's an exciting time with interesting possibilities." - Rowena
Nici
Shop: Blackbird Corner
"I've been on the street 19 years in total as a business owner but involved here much longer! I love Darby Street. It is in my blood...We love the personal, face to face interaction with our regular (and new!) customers too much to ever go wholly online though! We are here to stay!"
"I love the village vibe of Darby St and the complementary nature of its independent businesses. Darby Street is a destination for not only locals but so many visitors discovering our transforming city.
"We love the fact so many of the businesses here on Darby Street are owner operated, you can engage with the actual makers, curators, and buyers of the stores... it's ALL about the experience."
Sarah
Shop: Betty Mim
"I love the amazing mix we have on Darby we've got the best shops, florist, cafes, deli, butcher & now with Harris Farm Markets it's definitely the place for everything."
International Women's Day
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