Cornwall LivingIssue #123
Sustainable style
A calm retail space in Newquay is doing away with ‘fast fashion’ and instead curating products that are made to last a lifetime.
A clothing, accessories and lifestyle boutique based in the new Duchy development of Nansledan, Newquay, &KIN opened in December last year. The store brings beachy, California vibes to the north Cornish coast, stocking brands that bring with them high ethical and sustainable standards. “Our motto,” explains shop owner, Lottie, “is ‘We stock brands who give a damn!’”
Originally launching as an online shop during the chaos of the pandemic in January 2021, lockdowns and being furloughed allowed Lottie the time to focus on her lifelong dream of bringing her chosen, amazing brands from Australia, America and Europe, to Cornish shores. “These cult brands all have beautiful values and are so special that you won’t find them anywhere else in the UK.”
Having seen amazing success online, and having received consistent feedback that ‘you need to have a shop!’ during her summer pop-ups, Lottie decided it was time to look seriously into bricks and mortar. At the time, she held a part-time position at Teylu Trading, another beautiful shop in Nansledan. Her friend and boss, Lizzy, who owns Teylu, recommended the new units being built across the road, and by the time December had rolled around, the &KIN store was open! “I wanted to create a calm space in which healthy, considered purchases could be made,” says Lottie. “Purchases that would mean buying less, but buying better; investing in quality items that will last a lifetime.”
Pay a visit now, and you’ll find wares from brands that include Girl & The Sun, an Australian label specialising in pretty, feminine, floaty, boho style; Lacausa, an American brand producing basic staples, workwear style, and classic silhouettes; Find Me Now, another American label manufacturing edgy, colourful, fun and cute clothing; as well as other more local, Cornish makers. Among these are Porthleven based Hand & Palm, and St Ives artist, Roam Slow Studio, whose prints are proving incredibly popular.
Looking to the summer ahead, and Lottie is excited to have been approached by Boardmasters to be part of the festival’s new Cornish Market. Here, you’ll find an amazing array of small Cornish businesses displaying their wares. “We love this festival,” says Lottie, “and can’t wait to meet some new customers and hopefully some of our amazing regulars, too. You’ll be able to shop a selection of festival attire from our favourite brands, as well as beauty products and some lovely
lifestyle items.”
&KIN