Deal, Kent has a new home for classic menswear. Six months ago, husband-and-wife duo Belinda and Thierry opened the doors to Studio 110 on the high street, bringing a curated edit of relaxed, contemporary style to the seaside town. We caught up with them to talk about their first year in retail, their lives before menswear, and what they're looking forward to about Autumn.
What is Studio 110? Where are you based and when did you open?
Thierry: Studio 110 is in Deal, Kent - near Dover. We are on the high street. And what was the other question?
Belinda: “What is Studio 110?” Studio 110 is a menswear store selling contemporary classic menswear - relaxed style for the everyday.
T: We opened on the 6th of March this year, so not a long time ago.
So, as you said, it's been about 6 months since you've opened the doors. How has the first half year been?
B: The first half year has been lots of things. It's been really good, it's been very exciting, we've learned a lot. And I would say all positive.
T: Extremely positive. I am overwhelmed with the welcome we received in Deal, because I think it was really something needed for the men. Because this is what I need, to be honest with you. And the men in Deal enjoy these clothes as well. The best comment I had was that, several times: “I wish this is my wardrobe at home”.
Opening Studio 110 was your first time venturing into menswear retail, and you've both come from your own respective backgrounds. Can you each tell us about your backgrounds before going into retail?
T: My background is in engineering. A long time ago, in early life, I wanted to do retail with my partner. Fortunately, it didn't happen, so I carried on my career. I was an expat, in power generation, mainly in the Far East. And then I retired. And we had the opportunity to have these premises, and we took advantage of it to open a menswear shop.
B: And from my side, I thought I was going to have a career in fashion. That was my intention. But I married very young, and had my family, my six kids. And so, I was a non-working mum for 20 years. And then in my early 40s, or in my 40th year I think, I opened a shop actually, but it was an interior design shop. I ran an interior design business for 25 years.
We met six years ago, and we talked about all the things we thought we were going to do, thought we were going to be, what had happened, what hadn't happened. And we both realised we had this common link, that we had both thought we wanted to be in the fashion industry. And it became a sort of theme of, shall we, maybe we could, should we, maybe we shouldn't. And then we did.
What is your favourite thing about Deal? What would you recommend to someone who's never been to Deal before?
T: For me, it's very simple, the sea, to start with. But then, there is a lot in Deal, mainly the community. The community is overwhelming, it's very nice. A lot of conversation in the street, you know, when you go around the high street and somewhere else, there is also a lot of nice little shops, which I love. And I love the old town as well.
B: Yeah, look at the architecture. Yeah, for me, it's all of those things as well. It's hard to put which one's top, I think. The essence of the place drew me, the architecture is special, the location by the sea is very special.The community is a big part of it, and the high street too. So, yeah, it's all those things, really. Plus, we have lots of places that you can eat really nicely, lots of places people can stay. It's an amazing place.
What do you look for in the brands that you stock at Studio 110?
T: To start with, it's what we like. Then, fabric and colour. And it reflects what we really love to wear. Both of us, you know, as a woman and a man. And I think that's a good combination of, you know, choosing the brands we are working with today.
B: I think my intention for the brand was to have quality product, quality style, quality fabric, to create a capsule collection of clothes that created versatility for men in a simple way. I suppose based a little bit on Thierry’s style. We took that essence and put it into a collection, in a way. Again, I think it's relaxed style for the everyday. I think that in today's world, that people want to be stylish but they want to be comfortable. So, we were looking for brands that offered us that.
Can you tell us a little bit about the pieces from the Oliver Spencer collection that you're wearing now, and what drew you to them?
T: The fabric is absolutely stunning, really. It feels so good, you know, when you wear that soft wool or brushed cotton. I feel good in these fabrics and this cut of trousers. So, it's a combination of both of them, but I absolutely love it.
B: I think the cut of this jacket is very beautiful. I particularly love this herringbone twill cotton that it's made out of, the indigo cotton. I think it's a very beautiful colour as well as the fabric itself. We have had another of these styles here as well. And it has been probably our most popular garment - the Kennard jacket.
