In this episode, host Gareth goes on the ground in Digbeth, Birmingham, to meet the innovators who are completely rewriting the rules of physical retail and alternative artistry. We explore what happens when you step away from the digital noise to focus on real-world community, connection, and independent grit.

Part 1: The Offline Retail Revolution with The Goths Playground

First up, Gareth sits down with Curtis and Jordan, the driving forces behind Goths Playground in the Zellig Building, Digbeth.

• Filling the Void: How they evolved from a roaming popup market into a permanent home for over 40 independent alternative traders following the demise of Birmingham's historic Oasis Market.

• The Power of Offline: Why they are fiercely committed to staying off eCommerce to protect the magic, mystery, and physical experience of brick and mortar shopping.

• Nurturing Independents: The retail and visual merchandising advice they offer small alternative brands to help them scale without dropping their price points.

Part 2: Weird and Wonderful Natural Art with Ricochet Entomology

We shift gears to the delicate world of ethical insect preservation with Sam, the creator behind Ricochet Entomology.

• Beauty After Death: Inside the world of ethically sourced, beautifully framed butterflies, beetles, and arachnids from around the globe.

• From Buyer to Creator: How visiting alternative markets and taking workshops inspired Sam to embrace the dark aesthetic and start her own creative business.

• Evolving the Craft: Facing down a fear of spiders and expanding a niche brand from box frames to high-end glass domes.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:16 Curtis and Jordan from The Goths Playground

16:33 Sam from Ricochet Entomology

20:14 Outro

Guests Links:

• Goths Playground IG: @thegothsplayground
• Ricochet Entomology IG: @ricochetentomology w: ricochetentomology.sumupstore.com
• Signal Stitch: signalstitch.co.uk

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!