For the People, by the People: Goodhood on Redefining London Retail

Goodhood is embarking on a new journey. After 17 years in business, the UK-based retailer is charging into the next stage of expansion, opening a community-oriented storefront in east London while continuing its trek towards retail domination. Goodhood embraces fashion lovers from all walks of life and has become synonymous with eccentric and bold dressers. Founders Jo Sindle and Kyle Stewart are taking Goodhood to the next level, going from a petite concept store to a fully-fledged fashion dynasty redefining British retail. Goodhood isn’t your typical streetwear store. The British entity looks to champion young and emerging brands by giving them a platform to shine. Its motto — “Selected Goods for the Independent Mind” — outlines Goodhood’s core values and has attracted well-dressed communities that embrace unique styles that stray from the norm. The brand continues to influence fashion across the UK, merging top-tier brands and contemporary gear that adopts the great outdoors. With their expansive new flagship store on Hanbury Street, Goodhood’s Sindle and Stewart hope to examine their shoppers’ interests through a Japanese lens. Employing the idea of “otaku,” Goodhood will tap into its consumers’ interests with a curated selection of menswear, accessories, and home goods. “We're excited to program some interesting moments in store for our customers – so far, it's mostly been parties with a DJ and some beers, but it feels like we can get more creative in our new home,” the founders mention, eyeing the future with a community-focused optimism. As they prepare to enter a new chapter, Goodhood’s Jo Sindle and Kyle Stewart discuss the brand’s influence on contemporary trends and what we can expect to see at their new east London location. How did Goodhood first come about, and how has its output changed over the years?It came about because there wasn’t a shop selling the things we wanted to buy; Jo and I had worked in fashion before and had always been obsessed with products, so we wanted to create a space that reflected what we loved. The output has grown as we have - we started with the fashion offering, and then we grew to become a full lifestyle space when we introduced the Lifestore. It was a natural progression, really; we're just as into discovering a ceramicist working out of his garage in LA as we are with an under-the-radar streetwear brand in Seoul - it's about the craft and an aesthetic that we think is cool. Goodhood is going from a concept store to a fully-fledged physical location. What can we expect to see at the new store?The new store is versatile and spacious giving us the opportunity to work in new ways. The design is deliberately modular - literally, the fixtures are on wheels - because we want to switch it up and be reactive. If we feel like one week we want to take over the space to do a Japanese camping edit because that's what our customers are into or do a brand takeover and event, then this space will let us do that. We're excited to program some interesting moments in store for our customers - so far, it's mostly been parties with a DJ and some beers, but it feels like we can get more creative in our new home. We’ve also just launched a creative agency, Goo, to encompass all the other consultancy and design work we do. Goo is the space between brands and our community, working on projects to bring everyone together and define what retail and brands look and feel like in 2024. How has Goodhood continued to influence contemporary fashion and lifestyle markets in the UK?I think the move into lifestyle is heavily referenced and copied, but we were pretty ahead of the game with the way we thought about that crossover between fashion and lifestyle. The category expansion and new brand launch aspects of Goodhood are often heavily referenced by bigger competitors, while on a ground level, the introduction of new brands and products constantly resonates with the changing zeitgeist of our community. How would you describe traditional Goodhood shoppers, and how have you changed and evolved with them over the past two decades?Weirdos, Stylers, Punks, and Outsiders were always our vibe. It’s not changed much since then, there’s a collective mindset that pulls us all together. What do you see as an emerging trend within the Goodhood community in 2024?Real Life Hangouts.In your opinion, how has shopping changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? How have consumer tendencies changed?Everyone is sick of e-commerce, and we're seeing the ripple effects of that change, especially now. People want to see, touch, smell, and feel again, and we definitely see that in our community, which has always seen the beauty of our bricks-and-mortar. It really is the heartbeat of what we do, and we work hard to make sure it's a place where people want to come and feel inspired to shop in.Goodhood is entering a new era. What are the key characteristics that will define this new chapter? Adaptability, Diversification, and genuine community. How will the new space continue to champion and merge creative communities across London and beyond?We will be watching, listening, appreciating, and learning as ever — pulling together projects, gatherings, collaborations, and events that resonate.Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast