The crème de la crème of the independent fashion retail sector in the UK and Ireland, came together to celebrate Drapers Independents Awards at the Grosvenor House London on 22 September 2022.
The shortlist was one of the strongest ever, after the sector emerges from more than two years of pandemic during which retailers, brands and individuals worked hard to keep their businesses afloat and support their local communities.
See the winners and finalists below.
Judges noted all entries were exceptionally strong this year, but womenswear and menswear brand Aspiga was “totally holistic, head and shoulders above the rest”. The brand, which has eight stores across Wiltshire, Cornwall, Surrey, London and Barbados, submitted an extensive Impact Report which detailed its nine Sustainability Pillars. Judges were…
When Rosie Middleton joined independent womenswear brand Dancing Leopard in October 2018 as marketing manager, she had just one other team member. She now manages 10 direct reports across brand, ecommerce and customer service as head of ecommerce and brand. In the year to May 2022, Middleton had helped to…
Edinburgh-based designer womenswear retailer Jane Davidson won the Best Customer Experience award after scoring an exceptional 100% rating in a review conducted by Storecheckers – an independent company commissioned by Drapers to “secret shop” the finalists in this category. The reviewer visited the Jane Davidson store on Edinburgh New Town’s…
Humes Outfitters received unanimous praise from the judges for its impressive financials and business growth, as well as its revival of more traditional retailing methods such as mail order. In May 2021, the then-92-year-old menswear business opened its first dedicated womenswear store in its hometown of Kelso in the Scottish…
Described as “one of the most exciting entries over the entire awards”, judges predict that kidswear brand Dinoski will soon be a household name. Launched as a kids’ skiwear brand in 2018, Dinoski underwent a significant rebranding during the pandemic, when lockdown restrictions caused ski resorts to close. Its signature…
Sponsored by Faire
Sponsored by Faire
Judges praised ecommerce platform Cult Mia’s mission to champion unknown brands, its ability to compile “great” product edits and create “a real tribe of consumers”. Launched in October 2019, Cult Mia set out to close the gap in the market between luxury and fast fashion, offering unique products from independent…
Sponsored by Sook
One particularly slow day in October 2021, the Black White Denim team, led by founder Jo Davies, decided to try something new to attract more customers into the Wilmslow, Cheshire-based womenswear store. They took to Instagram Live to promote an in-store-only, mid-season Sale, bringing customers flocking to the empty store…
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