From the moment we opened our new Chiltern Street store, we felt at home in the heart of Marylebone, thanks largely to being alongside old friends and new. One such familiar face is Niwaki, the gardening tool and accessories brand founded by husband and wife duo Jake and Keiko.
“We started selling the shears on our website and they sold out within the first week,” Oli told the Financial Times, who recently declared the British-born, Japan-inspired brand as ‘the fashionable gardener’s favourite’. “Then we realised that there were a lot of gardeners out there who are really scruffy, so we launched clothing with them, which shared the same qualities as Niwaki’s tools — utilitarian and stylish,” he added.
Two capsule collections and many tools sold later, it feels right for us to be united in W1U. Ahead of their appearance at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024, we popped by the Niwaki store to meet Jake and the team, as they styled themselves in their pick of our recent collaborative capsule.
Oliver Spencer: Jake, thank you so much for inviting us into your beautiful store. Of course, we know you well but could you introduce yourself, and Niwaki?
Jake Hobson: You're welcome. I'm Jake Hobson, founder of Niwaki. We opened our shop here on Chiltern Street just over two years ago now, but we started the business a long time before that, over 15 years ago now. We're based down in Dorset, just outside of Shaftesbury and we basically sell great stuff from Japan; it's garden gear, it's amazing garden tripod ladders, woodworking tools and kitchen knives, things like that.
OS: How has Marylebone area impacted Niwaki?
JH: It's been really interesting. This was our first retail venue anywhere apart from our Dorset HQ and we were initially unsure about Marylebone, we were even unsure about London. But we ended up choosing Chiltern Street because it has this lovely balance, it's central London but it's slightly off the thoroughfare. It’s a lovely street, with the right people visiting and we love the shops around us too. It is a destination for people and it's lovely that so many of our Niwaki customers come here as a sort of pilgrimage. Then there are the customers who might not be familiar with Niwaki and come in to discover there really is something for everyone.
