Finnieston Clothing
When a brand manages to tap into the emotive side of the consumer, perhaps through nostalgia or by complete honesty and transparency…then things are looking good.
For us at Dapper Chapper, those elements signify the integrity of a brand, which is something that has become ever prominent due to recent global issues.
Built on those solid foundations, Glasgow-based apparel brand Finnieston Clothing is a young business doing everything right – channeling a working class heritage and key sense of humour with quality, durability and its mantra of buying less and wearing more.
Highlighting the heritage of Glasgow’s shipbuilding history along the banks of The Clyde, and in particular the area of Finnieston, founder and creative director Ross Geddes is a Scot, proud of his roots and completely switched on to doing things correctly.
“I was working as a director for my family’s retail business, but decided to step out and use my experience to create something new. I felt there was a gap in the market for a good honest heritage brand from Glasgow – here we are,” he says.
With a mission to provide a higher quality but at more accessible prices, Geddes believes that the devil is in the detail both in terms of accessibility to customers and in the stories behind each and every garment where the credibility and importance of heritage plays out.
“We have products in our jacket range called Riveters, Workers and Donkey and if you don’t design these pieces correctly, then without a shadow of doubt, it questions the whole integrity of the brand. These manual workers needed hard-wearing gear that would last years, and Finnieston Outerwear has to echo that,” he adds.
Creating their own brand that sits alongside other well-known labels including Danner Boots, Filson and Pendleton and with a flagship concept store just barely having opened – delayed by the pandemic – Finnieston is happy to pay homage to its forefathers but also wants to stand alongside its contemporaries.
“We are looking to create that more relaxed day-to-day wearability. In addition to our statement outerwear pieces we see our tees, sweats and accessories perform well with people returning for new colour options,” says Geddes.
“Myself and Luke Miller who is the Digital Manager, both live in the tees, sweats and beanies. They’re just easy to wear teamed with selvedge denims, work pants and a good pair of sneakers or boots. It’s good for customers to see this too – we absolutely stand by everything we design and make.” He adds.
With a pro bricks and mortar attitude where the good old principles of customer service are strong, both Geddes and Miller believe that people are crying out for that proper shopping experience. “While we’ve had great success online so far, our outerwear really needs to be seen to be appreciated,” says Geddes. “When you’re a new brand, people can be reluctant to invest, this is where the store comes in. It’s a chance for people to come in, see for themselves and have that one-to-one experience with us.”
So, what’s next?
“We’re developing our lines, filling gaps in our range and taking our first foray into trouser options and shirting this year,” says Miller. “We’re just desperate to get back into our brand new store, as we feel we haven’t had the chance to celebrate that – it’s a huge milestone for us and because of restrictions we had a modest launch because we were straight into the busiest and most important week of the year in the lead up to Christmas.”
“We’re hoping to continue to grow that local support, develop our offering and become the West End of Glasgow’s go-to independent outfitters, while growing our online support further afield,” adds Geddes.
Additionally, Finnieston also offers products from local brands, craftspeople, artists, homeware and even some reading material too – basically a go-to destination for grown-ups with pocket money, an a support mechanism for local talent. Please visit www.finniestonclothing.com