All Migh-T

As we are approaching March, spring is coming quickly and Shop 172 is happy to receive fresh, crisp and clean fashion delicacies by the week. First up is our newcomer migh-T from Japan. migh-T is Osaka-born Kumiko Watari whose new Spring / Summer collection is nothing short of breathtaking. Kumiko studied textile design in Kyoto before moving to London and boasting her outstanding talent at Central Saint Martins College where she received a distinction degree. Her styles combine a love for storytelling with excellent craftswomanship, expressed in traditional dying techniques and hand-drawn prints. Kumiko designs shorts, trousers, t-shirts and hats for a colourful and distinct and energetic spring-look. So come down, relax and get yourself ready for the sun...it is bound to come.

Bag It!

This week, Shop 172 treats you to a little foreplay to our upcoming Spring / Summer collection, administered in the shape of lovely handbags, designed by Mata Hari. Named after the notorious Dutch WWI double agent, danseuse and femme fatale, these clever bags reflect pure classy glamour and distinguished yet risqué sexiness. These carry-on gems were created in outspoken opposition to any standard designer handbag and most pieces are one-offs, mirroring the unique individuality of their wearers. The bags juxtapose the finest butter-soft leather and delicately crafted metalwork to provide you with an exciting tactile experience. The quality of their fabrics is perfectly complimented by their ballsy street-attitude to style. Come now and let yourself be spoiled by Mata Hari!

Fashion Week Sale

Calling all Fashionistas and Fashionistos! It is that time of year again, the ever-advancing cycle of worldwide fashion is coming our way. Next week the crème de la crème of international fashion design will descend upon London to spoil us with the latest outpourings of exquisite couture. We at Shop 172 celebrate this event by extending our sale until the end of the month. Why not stop by Brick Lane on your way back from the catwalk to experience the finest in young, innovative fashion at 30-50% off? We specialise in innovative and experimental boys and girlswear by the likes of Japanese master taylor Yuko Yoshitake, dressmaker Belle Sauvage and our in-house extraordinaire Orphan Age. Our wide range is topped off by sweet accessories like the 20's-inspired hats by Mich Dulce and eye-catching, mysterious jewellery by Noemi Klein. And the next gems are already in waiting. In March, we'll be presenting our Spring/Summer collection, starring our latest Japanese discovery BLANK. Come now and get your dress on!

Here's the Love

Alas, How depressing London winters can be! Since a few weeks now, constant drizzle, a thick layer of clouds and icy temperatures have eclipsed the sun in our hearts and in the sky. Brick Lane is deserted and devoid of its usual array of colourful fashionistas, dandies and stylish flaneurs. In these dire months, everyone can do with a little care package full of comfort and LOVE. Knowing this, we at Shop 172 have revamped our shop window and display to provide you with a special dose of fashion TLC. Ami and Marguerita invite you to come down, chill out, smile and relax while browsing through our exquisite collection of finest independent fashion design. Our range of wonderful clothes, jewellery and accessories will get you through the toughest winter days.

The finest in Bling

Already Marylin Monroe knew that diamonds are a girl's best friend and we wholeheartedly agree. Since its inception, Shop 172 has been representing not only fashion but also various other media that shape a beautiful, expressive style. Our extensive jewellery range is therfore well kept and constantly enhanced. This week, we received the latest treasure chest by the master jeweller Noemi Klein. Miss Klein is originally from Germany where she started fabricating jewellery inspired by German Romanticist motives like the enchanted forest and other medieval imagery around life and death, love and passion. Noemi then pursued silversmithing at Central St. Martins and Morley Colleges and settled in the mysterious corners of East London creativia from where she sends out her lovely creations into the world. Her current collection is multi-layered and complex incorporating gold, silver and coral and demonstrating a keen interest in traditional craftsmanship using silk, porcelain and natural stones. Come down and indulge in the luscious and symbolic world of Noemi Klein

QWAN By Jody

Shop 172 always has an ear to the street, digging out new styles and trends straight from the hands and minds of some of the most cutting-edge designers around, long established or right out of fashion school. We are therefore proud to present our latest protégé Jody Wong with her unique designs combining innocent playfulness with exquisite femininity. Jody is a small town girl raised in Suffolk who made it big at the London College of Fashion where she charmed everyone with her unique collection of womenswear. Jody makes clothes for people who want to stand out from the crowd. This individualism is reflected in her jackets and shirts that turn women into adventurous tomboys while preserving their sensual femininity. Freely mixing fabrics from knitwear to leather, her collection is for self-assertive girls that are out to convince. For Shop 172, Jody is working on a unisex collection of hoodies, t-shirts and leggins inspired by 90's streeet culture and hip hop. Come down and see for yourself what this sparkling fashion rookie has to show!

Visit her blog: http://qwanqwan.blogspot.com/

Beautiful, wild and on sale

January can be a dire time. The Christmas and New Year's festivities are over and we're shyly commencing a new decade. Will it be a good one? Will we keep up with our various resolutions, plans and projects? In January it seems like everyone can do with a little mojo-booster and we know that fashion is a good antidote against budding winter-depression. Therefore, we drastically reduced selected items by our top designers. A highlight in this series is Belle Sauvage who combines elegant clacissism with art rock in her carefully crafted jackets. Check out her 'Oh Boy' coat, cut short-waisted in military style and stepped with strips of leather, it is sweetly rounded off by meandering leather cuffs that make every arty rocker rejoice. In stark contrast is her dandy-ish multi-layer coat, made out of deliciously warm grey lambswool. With its silky mosaic lining, it is the right item for any neo-romanticist in search for a winter squeeze. Come down to Shop 172 and get your fix against winter depression!