Cult fashion brand YMC (You Must Create), have officially opened their second standalone store in London’s East End, where their journey began 15 years ago.  The store is based in a brand new space at 23 Hanbury Street, in part of the fashionable Truman Brewery that hosts Brick Lane’s famous Sunday Up Market.

Founder and designer Fraser Moss created the concept for the new store interior which is heavily influenced by the Victorian days, in correlation with their Poland Street store which houses Victorian curiosities, and a bleak Industrial aesthetic emanating from the space the store locates. The Victorian theme plays on the macabre and industrial toil with direct references to abattoirs, mausoleums, schools and factories. All features & fittings were sourced from around the world by the YMC team & are mostly original vintage pieces, including authentic post war leather and wood prosthetic limbs (for displaying shoes and accessories), a fully functioning 1920’s till, and a beautiful antique French metal postal desk.

The store features a unique Victorian-feel wood frontage encasing a beautiful stained glass lettering YMC above the door. A double-faced station clock, an original timepiece from nearby Old Street station in the 1930’s, sits up-high outside the store giving passers-by a teaser of what lies within.

The interior walls have be tiled with irregular sized white brick tiles, accentuated with a combination of cement & parquet wood flooring. A central authentic mausoleum slab counter acts as a display unit, while another slab doubles as a desk and counter at the back of the store.  Clothing rails are custom-made from original Victorian nut carts on iron wheels, with Sunday school benches, Victorian shelving and tables on casters all adding to the feel.

Industrial references are seen throughout in metal design features from prison doors adorning the changing rooms, giant factory lights, ceramic glove mould cage lights down each wall, and an interior double faced factory clock. These elements are offset with more curious elements of intrigue such as various real animal skeletons & vintage medical charts, all combining to epitomise a unique mixture of styles and influences, socharacteristic of the YMC brand.

photo credit: YMC