Fashion / That Thing
That Thing launch their independent festival fashion brands for 2019
Stokes Croft fashionistas, That Thing kick off the festival season with their annual independent designer showcase, a colourful and exciting in-store shopping event, revealing what you should be wearing this festival season.
“The new ranges from our festival designers sit so well together”, says Joh Rindom, founder of That Thing. “The colours pop and the patterns really zing against each other. I am absolutely on cloud nine right now!”
The Festival Edition event is always buzzing with fashionistas, designers and supportive locals, promoting independent designers ranges whilst getting that festival party started with an uplifting soundtrack provided, on this occasion, by local DJ Si Chai.
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That Thing customers browsing through the new festival fashion ranges
With inspiring festival ranges for both men and women, that include festival wear, headdresses, bio glitter, accessories and jewellery, there is something for everyone at That Thing this season.
By creating an in-store platform for independent designers to display and sell their incredible new lines and dazzling one-offs pieces, That Thing are super supportive when it comes to local talent.
Fun pom pom headresses by Sophie Kitten Clothing at That Thing
An incredible 12 designers were showing, with three of these being brand new to the shop, including Kiss My Disco, Carny Valley and a last-minute edition, Sophie Kitten Clothing, arriving just hours before the party. The That Thing collective mainly support local, independent designers.
“One of our new brands, An Original Leroy, is Birmingham based, their stuff is so sick and is one of the exceptions to being a Bristol based brand, along with Brighton based Pica Pica Feathers“.
There are many local designers selling at the That Thing store this season including fun and playful upcycling brands Balulu and Duvet Days, with Bang Bang Crash and Kiss My Disco bringing the fresh bodycon brights to the party.
Cat Jameson, founder of Carny Valley capes available at That Thing (left) and a young fashionista holding a handpainted La Folle Fan. (right)
There are fantastically outrageous headdresses, turbans and sequin hair wraps featuring oversized pom poms, fruit, bows and flowers from Headcase Headwear and Sophie Kitten Clothing, with cosmic Jewellery delights from Dakota Rae Dust and signature handmade bumbags from Joh’s own festival brand, Butchi and Gosmos.
Following on from last year’s festival fashion obsessions with rainbows and sequins Joh doesn’t hesitate to predict this year’s big, bold festival trend. “Neon everything!”
“We are seeing a lot of neon colours and textures from the designers” adds Joh. “Pair this hot zingy trend with pastels and sprinkle with holographic or iridescent textures to really make it stand out!”
Beautiful handmade earrings by Dakota Rae Dust
“If bright zingy tones aren’t your thing, don’t worry! We’ve got lots of muted tones too, Rosa Pietsch mixes muted shades with metallics in her jewellery ranges and we have amazing unisex rain capes in every colour, including earthy tones, from new brand Carny Valley”.
There are a few challenges that come with UK festivalling from downpours of rain to generally not having a clue what to wear. What are Joh’s top tips for staying stylish at a festival this summer?
“I would say accessories, every time!” says Joh. “You can take something in your wardrobe and dress it up with just a few accessories, and you’re ready to go! Our sequinned headbands from Pica Pica Feathers are perfect for this! They have wire inside, which you can twist into a magical bow, their oversized velvet bow headbands look amazing too!”.
Fun oversized bow headbands by Pica Pica Feathers avaiable at That Thing
“Earrings from Dakota Rae Dust are incredible show stoppers and such a great accessory to any outfit. Apart from that I’d say layer up! Have fun with what you’re wearing, make informed choices of versatile items that will last you season after season”.
As we push towards a more sustainable fashion outlook with independent designers at the forefront of slow fashion, has there been a rise in sustainable fashion and what does this mean for the fast fashion corporates?
“Absolutely! It’s such an interesting time to be in the fashion world, right now! We’re seeing a lot of independent designers shift their focus to become more sustainable”, says Joh.
“The last few years, particularly since independent online retail has become an obtainable platform for small brands, we’ve seen a trend in big companies copying small designers wares and that is absolutely not cool, and has to stop!”
“Aside from this battle, the focus, right now, is on the smaller fashion brands, slow, sustainable and local fashion. And that is wonderful! The big brands aren’t able to keep copying the smaller brands when it comes to sustainability”.
Balulu designer Lulu Harrison (left) and customers hunting for festival fashions (right)
“These big brands are going to take a long time to catch up on transparency, and that really sucks, but sustainability is more important than ever, so don’t let them catch up! Vote with your money, buy less, buy well and buy independent”.
“We really feel this at the shop too, we’ve never had such high levels of engagement and conversations with our customers, as we do now, about sustainability, transparency, and the real cost of fashion, and that’s incredible!”
With regular social media posts promoting sustainable living and their #greenmissionmondays campaigns, whilst bigging up their latest in-store designers, That Thing certainly keep themselves super busy.
Fabulous fashion accessories at That Thing (left) and An Original Leroy designer Tasha with That Thing founder Joh Rindom (right)
The festival season sees the return of Joh’s festival alter-ego, The FashPack; a fashion pop up, that provides festival revellers with everything from fabulous independent fashions and accessories to an eco-friendly glitter station.
“We’ve plenty of festivals ahead”, says Joh. “The FashPack will be starting the season with Love Saves The Day, then I’m off to Glastonbury with my own brand, Butchi & Gosmos, selling as part of a small collective called The GolDen, alongside Pica Pica Feathers and Madwag. I can’t wait to be back out in the colourful fields of the best UK festivals again!”
Catch The FashPack at Love Saves The Day, Shambala, The Downs Festival and Tokyo World and The GolDEN at Glastonbury and Wilderness Festivals. Visit That Thing, 45-47 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3QP
Read fashion editor Emma’s blog No Debutante
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