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
22 min
21 min