From Cottonopolis to Indie style hub: Manchester’s tug of war with fashion

Credit: @afflecks_manchester/Instagram/ITV

If I ask you to think of the fashion industry, you might immediately be drawn to images of a scowling Miranda Priestly in the big apple, a young designer pushing their way onto a packed-out tube with a million garment bags in tow, or perhaps you think of the star-studded London fashion week, or even the Met Gala. 

But what if I told you that 200 miles from the capital, a new fashion hub is brewing under the surface, ready to claw its way onto the fashion map?

That's right, Manchester's impact on the fashion industry is a great - but often completely overlooked - one. It feels almost criminal that we still expect up-and-coming creatives to flock like sheep to London when, right under our noses, a new fashion revolution is unfolding in our rainy second city. But to understand where we are now, we have to rewind back over two centuries, when the UK's Cottonopolis was born.

Cotton, cotton and more cotton: The rise and fall of Cottonopolis

At the turn of the 19th century, Manchester cemented itself as one of the biggest international players in pure cotton production, at one point boasting a staggering 108 cotton mills. By 1841, the city had reached its heyday, with imports of raw cotton ballooning to over 200,000 tonnes. The landscape of the city changed, and with it came its new nickname - Cottonopolis. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Manchester Archive (@manchesterarchive)

However, as quickly as it had taken off, Cottonopolis came to an end. Production branched out to the surrounding towns of Bolton, Blackburn, Oldham and Stockport, to name a few, but soon enough, the reliance of importing cotton from distant locations became unfavourable, with production rising in countries closer to the raw material, which could also offer cheaper labour. 

While the ghost of the redundant trade still lingers along the cobbled streets of Ancoats, Manchester's fashion story doesn't end there.

The factories have fallen silent. What came next? 

Off the back of Manchester's booming cotton trade came the formation of The Cotton Board in 1940, which birthed the Colour, Style and Design Centre aimed at encouraging designers and manufacturers to use the material. At the time, cotton was embroiled in a tug of war with nylon, the new 'it' fabric rising in the ranks amongst fashion buffs. In a bid to keep cotton in the now, the organisation held a fashion show in Ancoats - an idea which quickly snowballed throughout the fifties. Many of the items showcased at the time have since found a home in The Gallery of Costume in Manchester's Platt Field Hall - little pieces of history still available to view today.

A second wind: Madchester 

Picture this: a sea of baggy flared jeans, bucket hats, funky shirts, cagoules and casual sportswear-styles boogying under the Haçienda roof. Welcome to Madchester - the cultural zeitgeist of the 80s and 90s that spawned the time-transcending indie and hipster fashion scene we still see today. 

Credit: ITV

Credit: ITV

What was once an old textile factory was transformed into Manchester's iconic Haçienda nightclub by New Order and Factory Records' Tony Wilson, marrying a whole new musical and fashion movement right where it began all those years ago. The venue reached its peak during the Second Summer of Love, filling the room with party-goers, great music and great fashion. Drawing inspiration from rave culture, retro 1960s styles and hipsters, the term 'baggy music' was coined, sported by the likes of The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, The Happy Mondays, and as we moved into the Britpop era, Oasis too. 

The influence of Madchester can still be seen today, joining up two great jewels of the city - music and fashion. 

The elephant in the room

If we fast forward right through the 21st century, Manchester's Cottonopolis legacy seems to have come to the surface more than ever before - albeit, in digital form. Many big-name fast fashion brands including Boohoo have taken the plunge and made Manchester their home - the city now at the forefront of the multi-million-pound e-commerce business. And while the city has once again put its stamp on textile production, there is something of an elephant in the room. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gaia | sustainable fashion (@ssustainably_)

Its Cotton-laden history has crafted the perfect environment for the fast fashion sector to thrive, but of course, I couldn't write this piece without turning my attention to the obvious - overconsumption. Anyone who has taken a scroll through their TikTok or Instagram will probably be aware of the issues fast fashion poses to the planet. Overconsumption, alarmingly fast trend cycles (Uggs, I'm looking at you!) and the underuse of clothing are just the tip of the iceberg, with over 350,000 tonnes of clothing heading to landfill every year in the UK alone. That's not to say change isn't brewing, and there's no doubt that people are beginning to open their eyes to sustainability issues.

Luckily, just one grain of change could be 15 minutes down the road in Manchester's Northern Quarter. 

The new Indieopolis

Anyone who has taken a walk through the Northern Quarter will know it's home to a plethora of vintage shops and independent brands. From Pop Boutique to Gone Fishing Vintage, COW to Oi Polloi, and of course, the beating heart of NQ - Afflecks. There's a beautiful tapestry of sustainable, pre-loved clothing at our fingertips, weaving together the soul and youth culture of Manchester today.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AFFLECKS (@afflecks_manchester)

Shopping more consciously and carving out our own personal style so as to not conform to fleeting trends is a vital act of change, and it could start by walking into just one of NQ's offerings. 

Is this the unofficial fashion capital?

From its rich history within the textile and cotton industry, to its unique street style and plethora of independent vintage labels, it could be argued the city - and indeed, the North West in general - has played a much larger role in the fashion industry than many give it credit for. 

The footprints of those that walked before are still visible, whether it's in the cocktail bar and restaurant named Cottonopolis, the gangs of kids donning the baggy music style brushing in and out of Afflecks, or the mills still standing like familiar shadows over Ancoats. 

Cottonopolis may be over, but there's no doubt Manchester 

is still putting its pin firmly on the coveted fashion map.