In this episode, host Gareth goes on the ground in Digbeth, Birmingham, to meet the innovators who are completely dismantling the traditional clothing model.

From high energy warehouse takeovers to avant-garde streetwear rooted in military engineering, we explore what happens when you move away from mass production to look at fashion through the lens of community, grit, and live experience.

Part 1: Warehouse Takeover & Experiential Fashion with Kiilu & Dode

First up, Gareth sits down with Birmingham-based creator Kiilu to unpack his recent full-scale warehouse takeover alongside clothing brand Dode.

• Experiential: Learn how live screen printing, spray paint, and immersive storytelling turn everyday consumers into active co-creators.
• Flip the model: Moving away from mass production behind closed doors and leaning into high-energy creative workshops.
• Build Demand: The business mechanics of driving massive brand hype entirely through social media without a traditional retail storefront.

Part 2: High Performance Avant-Garde Design with Rags by Jak

In part two, we shift gears to high-touch, heavyweight streetwear with Jak and Lulu, the powerhouse duo behind Rags by Jak.

• From Ejection Seats to Streetwear: How Jak’s unconventional background engineering military ejection seats for the MoD and manufacturing protective motorcycle leathers shapes their design philosophy.
• 500 GSM: The reality of working with ultra-heavyweight, high-performance fabrics.
• Break the Bottleneck: How the brand transitioned from the operational constraints of strict made-to-order production to integrating small-batch factories without losing their creative grit.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:10 - Interview with Kiilu
• 12:53 - Interview with Jak and Lulu
• 21:07 - Outro

Guests Links:

• Kiilu IG: @Kii__lu TikTok: @by.kiilu
• Dode IG: @dodealreadywon
• Rags By Jak IG: @ragsbyjak w: ragsbyjak.com

Signal Stitch: signalstitch.co.uk

Whitby Goth Weekend is a sanctuary for craft, subculture, and the dark arts. In the second episode of our two-part special, we move from the workshop to the streets to explore heritage fashion, niche business scaling, and the alternative consumer mindset.

In this episode:

Mark Regan (Sunday Best Vintage): Why modern fast fashion is structurally built to fail, and the power of 100-year-old construction.

The Fans & Heritage: We sit down with Josie, Dan, Dave, and James to decode why alternative fashion thrives on upcycling and modification.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro

• 00:40 - Mark Regan of Sunday Best Vintage Clothes

• 10:49 - The Fans: Josie & Dan

• 14:36 - The Heritage: Dave & James

• 20:13 - Outro

Guests Links:

• Sunday Best Vintage: IG @sundaybestvintageclothes

• Signal Stitch: signalstitch.co.uk

Note: This is Part 2 of 2. Follow the show and subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Whitby Goth Weekend is a sanctuary for craft, subculture, and the dark arts. In the first of our two part special, I meet three creators who are defining the modern gothic aesthetic.

In this episode:

1. Josh (Art of Arklin): How ancient Norse and Greek mythology became a premium streetwear brand.
2. Satu (DF Creations): The "Apocalyptic Eco-Punk" jewelry made from upcycled bike parts.
3. Dave (Alex Henry): The haunting process behind mixed-media raven and skeleton sculptures.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Introduction: The Spirit of Whitby
• 01:12 - Josh of Art of Arklin
• 13:18 - Satu of D.F.Creations
• 19:10 - Dave of Alex Henry Mixed Media
• 26:44 - Outro

Guests Links:

• Art of Arklin: artofarklin.com, IG @artofarklin
• D.F.Creations: IG @d.f.creations, FB @D.F.Creations23
• Alex Henry Mixed Media: IG @alexhenrymixedmedia, FB @AlexHenrymixedmedia

This is Part 1 of 2. Follow the show to catch Part 2 next week!