This October, we were thrilled to be chosen as one of just 30 small retailers to take part in Mary Portas’ Thrive Street Market in Manchester. The market brought together independent British fashion and lifestyle brands championing craftsmanship, ethical manufacturing, and thoughtful design, values that sit at the core of inara. As a loungewear brand working with ethical production techniques and natural fabrics, being surrounded by like-minded independent businesses made the experience feel genuinely special. There are many businesses that share our goals for the future in many different ways, and we can all be part of the movement to slow down. You can read more about us and these others in The Guardian.
Community has always been at the heart of what we do at inara, and events like Thrive Street reinforce our belief that the return of the high street is not only possible, but already happening. The Guardian highlighted the market and the small businesses involved as part of a wider movement of independent brands reshaping modern retail. While inara is still an online-first business, our dream is to also build up a modern retail space as a way to re-establish the personal connections we all miss. You can read this follow-up piece (and see our faces!) here.