Woodchip Boutique shop review

Where is it?

Woodchip
Afflecks
3rd Floor
Short Street
Manchester

www.frooly.com/woodchipboutique

History:

Best friends, Donna Flowers and Kim Barnes started the business just over seven years ago when they realised they could turn a hobby into a career. They began screen printing dresses with images of fashion icons such as Twiggy and Bridget Bardot before selling them to shops in Preston and Manchester under the name ‘Woodchip’ - inspired by “retro kitch seen in all old houses woodchip wallpaper”, said Donna.

Upon realising the potential to sell independently, they began trading at the Manchester fashion market on Tib Street, each and every Saturday.

Donna said: “By then we had started experimenting, making handbags out of recycled leather and vintage fabric. We sold these alongside clothes, vintage scarves and beads.

“Over the years we have built up a strong customer base and developed our handbag range as well as our reworked and handmade vintage dresses.”

Most recently, after years of trading at markets - whatever the weather - Donna and Kim have treated themselves to a cosy unit on the third floor of Afflecks.

What do they sell?

This is the place to go for a good quality handmade leather handbag at an affordable price. Leather purses and handbags prices start from £4 and go up to £100. As well as these, vintage earrings and brooches cost from £2.50, vintage scarves from £3, vintage jumpers from £10 and reworked dresses from £10 up to £45. The most popular items are pretty dresses, small flower purses and leather bow bags. The girls can also offer a bespoke design service where you can choose a bag in any colour, size or style and design you desire.

Donna said: “Each product we sell is hand selected and unique and where possible, recycled leather and fabric is used. We like to be ethical.”

Aside from the vast range of accessories, the rails are full of one off reworked vintage pieces. Dresses can even be altered to fit for no extra charge.

Who shops there?

From six year-old girls who want to be princesses to students with a love of vintage and women of every age looking for something hand crafted and bespoke – Woodchip caters for all.

Why go there?

Donna and Kim take no short cuts when it comes to their stock. The amount of time and effort put in to each and every bag is enough to make you want to treasure it forever. If you’re lucky, you may even catch a new creation being put together by Donna or Kim in the shop, as they have a work station in the corner.

Donna said: “We create pieces that we find beautiful and that we would want to wear. It takes around 40 minutes to make a bag depending on size and detail. The process always starts with the leather.

“We look at the colour and even shape of the raw edges of the leather before cutting out details such as leaves and flowers to sew on. When all the pieces are ready, we sew the bag together (detail and buttons on last) and trim any threads off. I made a cute bag today while in the shop and within 30 minutes of pricing it, a lady came in and bought it.”

Future:

Donna said: “Kim and myself are really enjoying working in Afflecks as it’s something we have been working towards since we started all those years ago. Our plans for the future are to continue expanding, firstly by building up our new boutique in Afflecks and getting an online shop up and running too.

“We will continue to do the Tib Street fashion market, even though market trader life certainly has its ups and downs. Our days are often determined by the weather and in winter it can turn into an endurance test. However, we have enjoyed and continue to enjoy market life in Manchester overall.”

Verdict

Love leather? Wear Woodchip.

Follow LyndaMoyo on Twitter @lyndamoyo