Shop Small Saturday: Percy Langley

Originating in Norfolk, Percy Langley recently celebrated its second birthday and a move to the hustle and bustle of East London’s Old Spitalfields Market. With an array of British made clothing, accessories and home decor pieces, the boutique is known for small-scale production, high quality and heritage brands with Freya Simonne, Dilli Grey and jewellery brand Bella Riley making up just some of its curated and considered collection.

“Percy Langley is a boutique where you will always find beautiful new garments. We're a modern day Aladdin’s Cave, with something for everyone and a well edited collection of gifts, too. We started Percy Langley as a discovery platform for British design and innovation. We love beautifully designed clothes and the rich history and superior quality of the British fashion and textiles industry, but we struggled to find affordable British designers making clothes ethically. Percy Langley opened nearly two years ago, firstly in Burnham Market, Norfolk, but we have since relocated the business to Old Spitalfields Market, East London. 

We curate seasonal edits of the most sought after garments from independent British clothing designers. Our collections are a celebration of the modern British aesthetic, hardworking investment pieces injecting British humour. Great design always comes first, followed by a firm desire to produce garments designed to be worn or used for many years to come, making garments in a more sustainable way.”

“We're looking for a permanent home in London and would love to be based in East London near where we both live. We love the market, the food, the independent retailers, the history and the vibe. It's a really special place to be located in London. 

We’re both big fans of escaping city life for time in the country or at the beach. We are mothers with young children so the perfect Saturday is all about spending time with family and friends, ideally outdoors, exploring the beautiful country we live in - whatever the weather.”

“The day always starts with us sending out online orders. We often have stylists and influencers dropping by to see what new pieces we have in. Because we regularly use fabric that already exists to make our clothing, there are many one off pieces or limited edition runs that sell out quickly. We always have new collections arriving, all made ethically, often in the UK. 

We open at 11am but as many small business owners will know you never really switch off from running your own business. It’s a 24/7 job. Our lunch breaks are for eating something delicious as we're located next to the best food market in London. Lunchtime and after work in the market are the busiest times. If you're looking for an oasis of calm in London, mid afternoon on a weekday is a very relaxing time to visit.”

“With new pieces and emerging designers arriving all the time, we end up re-merchandising most days, the collection is constantly evolving. We may be best known for clothing but our jewellery collection is a repeat favourite among loyal customers. Once you've bought pieces from our talented jewellers, who all make pieces themselves in the UK, it's hard to find anything to rival the beauty and quality of their pieces. The chunky pearl and hematite necklaces and bracelets by London based Bella Riley always sell out fast.”

Percy Langley's Heroes:

Describe your boutique in 3 words?

Beautiful, contemporary, British.

What are your top 3 pieces/brands for SS23?

Pick a few pieces you love and wear them on repeat. For us that would be one of our summer dresses, one of Freya Simonne’s beautiful jackets paired with a maxi skirt, we’re living in denim skirts or slip skirts this summer.

What hero pieces in your own wardrobe could you not live without?

Floral maxi dresses are always a wardrobe go to, they can be dressed up or down with such ease. I love the fact that you can wear our dresses everywhere from a wedding to a pub lunch, work or the school run and never look over or under dressed. Truly sustainable fashion means garments are worn over and over again, they must have longevity in your wardrobe. That means they need to be well made, fit perfectly and be multi functional.

You’ve shut up shop for the day, what does Saturday evening look like?

It's certainly a fun area to hang out in after work, we love the restaurant Galvin La Chapelle and we're opposite the Ten Bells pub on Commercial Street, do check them out next time you're in the area.