Independent stores are less and less frequent these days, independent clothing stores especially so. Which is why we’d like to celebrate a Newcastle institution – Union Clothing – which marked its 35th birthday this month.
Found in various locations over its lifespan, primarily up and down High Bridge Street but with an outpost popping up on Grey Street at one point when there were four branches, Union has always specialised in excellent denim and men’s workwear, even as fashions elsewhere come and go. The clothes are always stylish and beautifully presented and it's always a pleasure to shop there. We spoke to Geoff Brownless, one of its founders, to ask about the shop and its history.
“Me and my brother-in-law, Doug Ellison, started up in 1987”, Geoff explains. “We actually began in manufacturing. I worked for a clothing company up until then in Saville Row in Newcastle, Sergeant Peppers, for about 15 years. I did all the pattern-cutting and design and manufacturing for them, and that’s what we started doing, as Hot Clothing.” Geoff had worked at Sergeant Peppers with Doug, and they married two sisters, Ilene and Glenda, so Union is also a strong family business. “Then we opened the men’s shop, started manufacturing for that and then started to buy in for it because the manufacturing was drying up. And the rest is history, we’ve just moved around a lot!”
While denim has always been the bedrock of Union’s business, they have moved with fashion to some extent. “Workwear goes up and down really, I’ve seen it so many times. It’s like the width of trousers bottoms, isn’t it? We went down the surf and skate route for a while, and that influence is still there to a certain extent - companies likes Obey and Brixton. Carharrt is probably the oldest brand we’ve worked with. When we started to sell it, it was American-based whereas now it’s a European licence. It’s a different ballgame – similar styles but not the American fit.”
Geoff admits things have slowed down after Brexit but the shop is still going strong. High Bridge Street used to have a dozen quality fashion shops when Union started, now there’s just a couple. So, what’s the secret of their staying power? “That’s a difficult one. I think it’s customer service really, looking after people. People like to come in, there’s an atmosphere I think. We’ve always had younger people working and people seem to enjoy shopping here.”
With the classic denim and workwear styles represented upstairs with brands like Edwins, Lee and Carharrt and the more skate-orientated brands like Obey, Dickies and the rest in the basement, Union is an oasis of fine clothes and expert knowledge built from years of experience. And Geoff’s right: it is a pleasure to shop there.
