TRAD Collective: Leeds’ Home of Sustainable Fashion

Josefin Wanner and her partner in life and work, James Fenwick, run TRAD Collective, a sustainable fashion store on Vicar Lane in Leeds. From their upcycled clothing to ‘stitch and bitch’ events, the two are redefining second-hand shopping.

Jo (Josefine), the owner of TRAD Collective, already thought like an independent businesswoman in her mid-20s while studying fashion design in Milan.

As much as I love designing and had a passion for it, I didn’t want to be a part of the industry the way it was,” she says.

“Fashion, especially in luxury and fast fashion, is incredibly unsustainable. It just didn’t sit right with me”.

85% of all textiles go to dumps each year, recorded by Greenpeace. And since 2000, clothing sales have increased while their lifespan drastically decreases. Jo found her core values in sustainability to surpass the glamour of luxury. After Milan, she decided to start her up-cycled label.

“I started sewing clothes from my kitchen table,” she says. “It was during COVID, so everything was very slow”.

I found it hard to believe given the elegance of her pieces that dangled near me during our interview. Warm and poised, just like Jo herself. 

In England, COVID restrictions closed all ‘non-essential’ businesses, making it difficult for her designs to launch past social media. I ask Jo how she stayed hopeful during the pandemic.

“I don’t get that stressed about those kinds of things” she answers, laughing at herself. Scanning TRAD Collective, she clearly has an effective intuition. 

And while the rest of the world watched all 62 episodes of Breaking Bad during the pandemic, Jo grew her side hustle into a thriving establishment.

I realized that to grow my business, I needed to find a way to be more visible beyond just social media”.

Jo 

TRAD Collective on Vicar Lane/James Fenwick and Jo Wanner

Jo met her husband, James Fenwick, in Milan. Originally a teacher, he transitioned to co-running TRAD as the business grew. Having studied at the University of Leeds, he was familiar with the city’s rich fashion and sustainability culture, making it a clear home for TRAD.

“We realized there was a gap in the market here,” says Jo. “[There’s] nothing that has a good combination of everything where customer groups can find things,” she explains, alluding to the city’s renowned second-hand shopping.

“A lot of vintage shopping these days is still using the same overconsumption that fast fashion is, which we’re trying to move away from,” she says. 

Jo’s mission is to blend sustainability and quality-focused fashion into one space. TRAD Collective is built on a foundation centered on a capsule wardrobe.

“We try and focus on natural fibers…linen, silk, and cotton are our biggest ones,” says Jo, committing to long-lasting clothes. 

Amidst kitten heels, minimalistic jewelry, and LED neon light art, TRAD Collective markets itself as a fashion house rather than just a store. Beyond Jo’s upcycled label, TRAD also transform customers’ old pieces into new designs, sell second-hand clothing and artisan products, and offer alteration services at their in-house sewing studio.

Jo’s upcycled label/Fling clothing-rental service @ Trad/Local artisan jewelry sold at TRAD Collective

TRAD’s most recent advancement is a clothing rental rail, a service by Fling, making luxury more accessible and sustainable—including designer labels like Gucci.

“If you’re going for a formal event and only want to wear a dress once, it makes a lot of sense to rent it rather than buy it,” Jo says. 

James pulls out his vision board as we wrap up our conversation. Their ideas for TRAD are endless, all committed to sustainability. 

We want more people fixing their clothes and up-cycling them,” says James.

And there’s no gatekeeping. Each month, the couple hosts a ‘stitch and bitch’ event, offering two hours of seamstress assistance (with tea and coffee) for participants working on their projects. They also run workshops like ‘Learn to Alter Your Clothes’ and ‘Mending for Beginners.’

Their approach to the shop is playful—minimalistic accented with vibrant colours. It’s captivating, even from outside of the floor-to-ceiling front doors.

“It’s all Jo,” says James. “[She’s] the boss and chief designer.” While he speaks the words of a business partner, he looks at Jo with the eyes of a husband. Jo’s soft green wedding ring is as eclectic as they are.