STYLE SPACE - FIRST PAST THE POST
Fashion columnist Siobhan Maroney heads to Whitstable’s The Whiting Post to meet Helen Diamond and some colourful brands that are turning heads
Well hello there and welcome to another instalment of the style section of ‘cene.
Can you believe how quickly this has come around? Can it be that Summer is almost over? Hopefully by the time you are reading this the sun has decided to put his hat on and we are having an Indian Summer. Today though, Kent decided to do the stereotypical English Summer and pour it down with rain. Fortunately for me I was off to meet the ray of sunshine that is Helen Diamond.
Helen is the manager and senior buyer for The Whiting Post in Whitstable. The Whiting Post is a shop that I am sure everyone knows. It was one of the first shops I visited when I moved to Kent, perfectly placed on Harbour Street, with an array of beautiful apparel. I even bought my bridesmaid dresses from there.
Wind the clock forward a number of years, Helen and I have been passing comments backwards and forwards on each other’s Instagram for some time now. I just knew it was time to get to know her better. So off I popped to The Whiting Post with photographer Jade Pullen. As I have already mentioned it was the dullest, wettest day known to man, but none of that mattered. Helen’s welcome was of the warmest kind, instantly I knew she loved her job. We got straight to business with a tour and she talked me through her favourite pieces, where they came from and what each brand stood for. This girl knows her stuff!
Helen picked out the perfect outfit for me, The Isobel Dress in Paris Rose Garden from Emily & Fin’s new AW line, paired with a pastel pink petticoat from Palava, and we must not forget the neon pompom crown by Meri Meri! She had definitely remembered my current obsession for anything pink. I quickly changed into this epic OOTD, did a number of twirls around the shop and then sat down to a cup of tea ready to quiz her.
Siobhan Maroney (left) & Helen Diamond
So Helen, go on, tell me all about yourself?
“When I left school I went straight to college to study dark-room photography, whilst being a part time nanny to three lovely little girls. I've been working from the age of 15 really, starting as a Sunday girl in a little Whitstable florist and have gone on to experience lots of different roles. Some of my career highlights include assisting the head of
photography at BAFTA in Piccadilly and doing freelance management events for corporate companies such as Advertising Week.
“Also working for Vivien of Holloway for three years was amazing, too, I was Vivien's in-house product photographer and head of social media. I also helped with press loans and events from time to time which I loved, and I used to do a little bit of modelling every now and again but I preferred being the other side of the camera.”
After all this amazing experience why have you decided to work in Kent?
“Kent is where I grew up and definitely where my heart is. I enjoyed my time living and working in London, but I feel much more in my element being back on the coast. It really does feel like home. (It’s more laid back here ). I'm my happiest either by the sea or with a bit of nature around me. Plus it's so easy and quick to travel from here.
I’m Whitstable born and raised. My family have lived in and around Whitstable since the 1500's, and, although I really love to travel and I love my time in cities (London-New York-Amsterdam especially), It's always lovely to come home. I suppose I'm a bit of a country bumpkin at heart. There is definitely something about being so close to the sea that you can't beat.”
Tell me about your journey so far at The Whiting Post?
“I first started working for Nicky and Adrian before they opened The Whiting Post. I was a shop assistant in The Clothes Horse, at the other end of the high street.
I moved to London for a couple of years to work for a 1940s & 50s retro designer; Vivien of Holloway.
When Nicky found out I'd made the decision to move back to Whitstable she sent me a lovely email, asking me if I would work for her again.
“Of course I jumped at the chance, as I love both shops, their stock, their location and the other staff members. I've always found Nicky & Adrian's story of how they opened their first shop (The Clothes Horse) very inspiring, too. Nicky started her journey in the fashion industry with her own stall, selling vintage clothes at the famous Portobello Market and now has four very successful businesses in Whitstable.”
Talk me through an average day there?
“To be honest no two days are the same, which is definitely one of the reasons I love it as much as I do. We all get stuck in and help each other as much as possible. Every morning I have the same routine though. First of all I get the music on, “The Whiting Post” playlist on Spotify has a lot of fans. “The music is a massive part of the shops upbeat vibe. We then get the mannequins in their outfits, get our branded awnings out and count the float for the till, ready for the day ahead.
“Then it can be either, stock take, processing deliveries, ordering shop stock or customer requests, keeping the web stock updated, creating images for Instagram and personal styling (people can now book appointments with me). I also spend time sourcing specific items for customers and creating unique window displays.
“College students can now come to the shop and book in to ask questions on Visual Merchandising, Buying & Retail Psychology.
“I’ve also been working with a British designer, creating my own laser cut jewellery. Oh and, of course, making time for lots of coffee from Cafe & Kitchen.”
What are your favourite brands at the moment and why?
“I genuinely love all the different brands in shop at the moment. But my top five would have to be; Emily and Fin - they were started up in London by two best friends. They're very unique, but still inspired
by classic vintage styles, which works very well for The Whiting Post. They're always beautifully made, very versatile, timeless designs and well cut clothes, too.
“Palava - we have been in love with Palava from day one. There is nothing quite like their designs. All designed and hand illustrated and made in London, with a sustainable ethic. They're always so beautiful, each one come with a hand illustrated story book. I love the attention to detail.
“Run & Fly - they're another company that design and make everything in England, which I have a huge amount of respect for. They're really fun, retro prints and their large choice of fabrics means there is always something for everyone.
“Collectif - for me personally, their designs are some of the most flattering. I love their selection, they're always great for the classic 1950s looks but never stop creating outfits a little more on the unusual side, which is what I want more of in here. Plus they inject a little bit of extra glamour into the shop! I love that they started out in Camden Market too.
“Rice - Rice is a Danish homewares and accessories company, and one of the happiest and most fun-loving brands I know! They're best known for their colourful melamine cups, plates and bowls. We've dedicated a whole room to Rice in The Whiting Post and it’s impossible to feel fed up in. They're all such practical products but make everything that little bit brighter and more fun. It's always a pleasure doing buys with Rice, they have such lovely people working there."
So there you have it, Helen certainly loves The Whiting and I do, too. I even ended up making a little purchase for my up and coming holiday to Tuscany. If you haven’t visited The Whiting Post, I totally recommend taking yourself there. Pop me a message if you do at justauniform@gmail.com. I’d love to know how you get on.
See you next time, Big Love,
Siobhan