Among the independent bookstores and artisanal coffee shops dotting the streets of a very trendy London Fields, is the rather unassuming entrance to Brother_LDN. Head through a cobalt blue threshold and up a flight of stairs to reach the loft-turned-retro-futurist-inspired concept store at the forefront of a new type of archive shopping experience. Expect hard-hitting labels—Ann Demeulemeester, Yohji Yamamoto, Tom Ford-era Gucci—among rare copies of Madonna’s legendary Sex publication, bespoke jewellery from emerging designers like MQT, and an array of ironic tees. My favourite? A white one reading, ‘MY SHOES ARE RICK OWENS NOT CONVERSE’.
What first stands out is the space itself: a combination of harsh industrial fixtures, retro television sets and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Speaking to Natasha Demetriou, who founded the store in 2016, Brother_LDN’s design language is built on a combination of overlapping references spanning everything from 1965’s The 10th Victim to *NSYNC videos and 1982’s Blade Runner. “It’s about high contrast, futuristic backdrops and sleek tech,” Demetriou tells me. “I have a rule that if it feels like an IRL version of a 90s back issue of i-D, then I’m on the right track.”
This vision draws heavily on London’s underground scene in the 80s and 90s. “It was brimming with new designers,” Demetriou says. “Along with The Blitz Kids, WAG Club, and Leigh Bowery, there were DIY booms coming from the Kensington Markets and West London. Stores like Sign of the Times and Vivienne Westwood’s Sex were shaping what a store should be—even now.”
Drawing on this sense of rebellion, Brother_LDN’s ethos rests on the idea that this energy can be reframed in today’s world. That’s where the archive comes in: “You’re taking forgotten pieces and breathing a new energy into them. Plus, placing value on these items reinforces in people’s minds that things shouldn’t be thrown away.” You may forget about the latest Shein haul on TikTok, but John Galliano’s Spring/Summer 2005 collection for Dior is here to stay.
Reflecting on the rising interest in archive shopping, Demetriou tells me: “We’re part of a new way of shopping that people have been craving. People want stories, they want to attach meaning and value to the item that they’re buying. Archive pieces come with an era, a season, a collection—often with a runway photograph.” One must only look online for proof of this growing interest in the archive—see the wave of Hedi Boys, Philophiles, and Rick Kids dominating TikTok. Not to mention a flurry of recent archive collections from brands like Balenciaga, Maison Margiela, and Dolce & Gabbana’s Kim Kardashian show.
Though there’s more to Brother_LDN than its collection of ‘CLOTHING, BOOKS, AUDIO, AND OBJECTS, ETC’—that’s what’s printed on the discreet metallic signage marking its entryway. Alongside an increasingly prominent role in the archive fashion scene, the store is becoming a venue for emerging and established brands to share their work. In the past few months alone, Demetriou has played host to a ready-to-wear showcase for Grete Henriette’s eponymous label, another for MQT Jewellery, and even an in-store performance from Aziya.
Why turn towards events? For Demetriou, the answer is clear: “It’s about community. In a world where dopamine levels are constantly hit, people need to invest in real life—from a drink to an immersive play. It’s not just about buying something—it’s about being part of a narrative, a community, a point of view.”