Following on from conversations with Jacket Required co-founder Craig Ford surrounding the launch of his very own anon* retail venture, the next instalment in our series of store visits remains in our very own London, just a few footsteps away from our seasonal residence at The Old Truman Brewery.
Home to artists, musicians and designers who have chosen to transform the derelict store fronts and old warehouses of the East London district, Bethnal Green is one of the capital’s more diverse neighbourhoods – with a recent influx of newly opened shops, restaurants and galleries, the area provides the perfect antidote to the manic trading atmosphere of The City, transporting you to a nearby, creative cultural world.
Residing at number 129 Bethnal Green Road, just around the corner from the 24 hour beigel shops of Brick Lane, there’s a new kid in town. Embracing culture, wellbeing and style, Pam Pam offers the finest carefully chosen, well-known and independent international brands – and what’s more? They’re all for women.
Having clocked up 10 years working in the menswear industry, founders Bethany Heggarty and Rio Holland noticed a gap in the premium casualwear market for ladies. Within the 1,500 square feet of space, the lifestyle store sleekly showcases a superbly select edit of brands, not just including sneakers from Vans, Adidas, Reebok and New Balance; but clothing by Edwin, Vanishing Elephant, Libertine-Libertine and Elka, along with accessories from Sandqvist, Han Kjøbenhavn and homeware by Vija Rhodes and Woolen Milk. Not content with that, the store also holds yoga classes, with the plan to start women’s running and cycling groups in the not-too-distant future.
Since its opening just a few months ago, it’s been non-stop for the dynamic duo, with little opportunity to enjoy any chance of calm before the stylish storm. Jacket Required managed to steal an afternoon with the pair, to proudly present our friends, Pam Pam.
“Ambition? We set out to launch a world-renowned women’s sneaker destination store. We want to attract women who feel comfortable in their own choice in style – from sophisticated street, to casual, to lifestyle-orientated.”
“The space you surround yourself with is very important. It can affect your mood, and the way you feel about yourself. We wanted to create an elegant, mature environment, beautifully furnished and produced – pared back to allow the product to have space to speak for itself. We spent time planning and designing the space and all the furniture and fixtures ourselves – sourcing local craftsmen to work with. The metal work has been designed to work in a modular system with free standing stools and benches. Benches are three times as long the stools and sit perfectly under the rails. They can be stacked, laid side by side, flipped upside down so the space constantly changes – making the store feel fresh with each visit. Pops of colour add distinction and special fixtures – exposed woodwork, wall mounted-lights from Anglepoise, mirrors, provide lots of personal touches.”
“Our buying style is considered, but eclectic! Being the first all-women’s sneaker store here in the UK and with the key accounts we've secured – we were very lucky in that the brands understood our message and vibe right away. The sneaker brands in particular, are all currently focusing a lot on the women’s side of things, so we knew this was our opportunity to get in there first. And, we were lucky enough to get top tier accounts with most of the brands where available.”
On the clothing front, we've curated a collection of selected suiting, button-ups and amazing denim, casualwear, streetwear and a concise premium footwear selection. For our lifestyle offering, we’re introducing artisan product in stoneware, ceramics, apothecary, textiles, jewellery and leather goods from around the world. Pam Pam is very much interested in supporting the independent maker; the production of the product is important to us.”
“We’re not about fashion fads or trends – we’re very much about providing well-designed, well-produced product that stands the test of time. Naturally, we’re keen to support new and local brands – London based Bethnals is doing incredibly well for us because of its great cuts and fabrics. We’re also excited about Swedish/London based brand Feldt – again its offering also champions great cuts and considered colour-ways. Plus we have just confirmed new accounts with Puma and Le Coq Sportif – more trainers!
Our brand list consists of a collection of labels that sit well together, with a wide enough variety of brand style, enabling us to appeal to a broad range of women – catering for all ages and backgrounds. Exclusive, yet inclusive – that’s Pam Pam.”