4 female-owned fashion brands in the North East that you need to know about

The past year or so has been a time of shifting priorities and, for many of us, that has partly come in the form of a reinvigorated decision to shop more locally.

Quite aside from boosting the region’s economy and helping to reduce the retail industry’s carbon footprint (both of which are incredibly good reasons, btw), shopping locally also gives us access to some incredible craftsmanship, (or maybe that should be craftswomanship). Especially when we live in the bloody glorious North East of England.

And what else is there to do when we discover these incredibly talented local creatives than to scream and shout about them?! After all, that was the driving force behind our decision to set up our shoot in the first place – to bring a whole host of North East innovators together and create some magic.

A big part of that magic? Fashion, baby.

So without further ado, here are our four fabulous, female-owned, fiercely independent fashion brands – all based right here in the North East – that you reeeeally need to check out for yourself…

There’s nothing that screams luxury more than House of Zana’s collection. Embrace your inner queen with these designs, all carefully handmade with stunning and vibrant fabrics.

With a selection of kimonos, casual day and evening wear, House of Zana is home to 20 local and emerging independent brands, and is fuelled by the belief in sustainable, ethical, and high-quality luxury garments.

Need something to wear for that upcoming special occasion, but don’t want to face that awkward moment of walking in and finding someone else wearing the exact same dress?! This fashion boutique is the perfect place to find a unique ‘fit that’ll definitely make heads turn. Plus, they also offer bespoke one-off pieces to make sure you get the outfit of your dreams.

Bored of wearing the same old style of clothing? Fancy being that little bit braver and bolder with your fashion choices? We’ve found just the local brand for you. Best of all, it’s super sustainable.

Bringing old, unused fabrics back to life with a modern twist, Studio Courtenay’s fun and fabulous vintage collection is guaranteed to brighten up our wardrobes this Summer.

From bold neon colours to satin animal-print dresses, Studio Courtenay combines maximalism, contemporary silhouettes, and vintage flourishes to create responsibly-made garments that don’t sacrifice style. Looking incredible while doing your bit for the environment… what’s not to love?

No outfit is complete without the perfect accessories, and this is where SALOME Designs comes in. Their collection of handcrafted bohemian jewellery is made with natural gemstones, bringing our Summer outfits to life while adding that symbolic something special.

Inspired by founder Kellie Daniels’ Louisiana roots and the power of natural gemstones, SALOME’s collections are centred around uplifting and inspiring us day and night through our fashion choices. So whether that’s by wearing your birthstone around your neck or harnessing the power of pearls in your ears, SALOME has got just the jewellery piece for you.

Harlow Collection has our backs from day to night. From cute, knitted loungewear sets that let us relax in style to gorgeously classic dresses that are the perfect pairing with cocktails, each piece is designed to be utterly timeless – giving us wardrobe staples that can be pulled out season after season.

Oh, and the best part about their stunning collection? Each garment has been designed to be versatile: able to be mixed and matched with other items in the collection, or styled with pieces from your own wardrobe. Which gives us endless outfit possibilities with just a few staple purchases. Cracking.