Catching up with the Camden Inspire winners — The Modfather Clothing Company

On December 6th 2018 at Camden Collective, we celebrated the best of Camden and Euston’s local independent businesses whose every day jobs are to offer a unique service, attract new customers and stand out from the crowd. It’s not easy, but what they do make our towns the special places they are. Running your own business in London means high rents and a hugely competitive market. But every day, these business owners continue to astound us with their commitment, innovation and fresh ideas. Putting it to the public vote, we asked you to show your appreciation. 70 businesses took part this year across 6 categories and we had an amazing 6,000 votes, which we only hope to double next year!

Now it’s time to catch up with the winners…

The Modfather Clothing Company in Camden Market won in our ‘Star Market Trader’ category so we decided to chat to them to co-founder Daniel Warner, to find out more about their business, what they like about being based in Camden, what sets them apart and how they felt when they won the award…

What’s the history of the Modfather Clothing Company?

“The Modfather Clothing Company is a family business, started by father and son Mario and Daniel Warner. It was born out of a lifelong passion for classic Italian scooters and British subcultural style from the 1960s to the present day. We’re blessed with a global customer base of likeminded individuals, who are passionate about what they wear, their musical preference and where they shop.”

Why did you choose to build a heritage fashion brand?

“We started off selling Italian-made official Lambretta cafe racer helmets that we designed together and complimented our range with a well-curated selection of clothing. Modfather Clothing was initially just an online concern, but we decided that Camden was a good place to test the water with a retail unit. As we worked weekends in the Camden store, we soon realised that we were missing out on scooter rallies and ride-outs that we would previously have been involved in, so we bought the party to us. Our original shop became a bit of a must-visit destination for scooter clubs around the UK and Europe and the range of clothing has grown along the way. We’re in the process of increasing our own label offerings in the shop, so as well as heritage British brands like Fred Perry, Baracuta, Ben Sherman, Belstaff & Tootal, Modfather Clothing will release more own label suiting, T-shirts, knitwear and womenswear in 2019.”

What do you like about being based in Camden?

“Camden has a rich music history, it’s an area you associate with British style tribes. The cover of the first Clash album was shot on the stairs opposite our store & Amy Winehouse and Madness are both synonymous with the local area. My Dad had a stall in the market back in the 70s and I have fond memories of visiting the market and rummaging around the vintage shops in my early teens. I always loved the sensory overload that is Camden Market and so when we decided to open a shop, the area appealed as one of the few places in London that you could still have a go as a start-up. There’s been lots of changes over the past seven years, but Camden still has its characters, and no two days are ever the same. Over the years, the market has allowed us to put on bands and DJs at the store and we regularly get involved with local events like ‘The London International Ska Festival’. Events such as this attract a global audience to the area and help strengthen the Market’s reputation as a must see tourist destination. We’ve also had Norman Jay (MBE) DJ at the store and Steve Cradock of Ocean Colour Scene playing acoustic sets out the front of our stores. Many of our customers own classic scooters, and at weekends you will regularly see vintage Lambrettas and Vespas parked up in the market, which the tourists and visitors really love. We’re definitely not your average clothes shop.”

What do loyal customers get at the Modfather that they can’t get elsewhere?

“Initially Dad and I worked seven days a week to get the business off the ground, but our team has since grown, so we get the occasional day off. Two of our customers have become members of staff and my little sister works weekends to help pay off her University fees. What I’m trying to say is, you get looked after by an extended family.
We recently held our annual Christmas party at Camden’s historic Dingwalls venue and completely sold the place out (for the second year running). Over 600 of our customers danced the night away to three rooms of live music. We go the extra mile for them, put on gigs, send out newsletters and make sure we offer the level of service that we would want to receive. We’ve got a really loyal customer base and see the same international faces appearing in the shop several times a year. You hope to achieve that with customers based in the UK, but to get regulars from Europe, Asia, Australia and America is incredibly humbling and something we’re very proud of.”

Why do you think you won ‘Star Market Trader’ in our Camden Inspire Awards and how did you feel when you won the award?

“When we opened our initial store in the North Yard of the market, we were told by many of our neighbours that we were too niche to survive. After seven years in business, I’m thankful that we proved our doubters wrong. We’re passionate about what we do and continually try to improve our offering. A visit to the shop is an immersive step back in time, with a great soundtrack, vintage shop fittings, curiosities on the walls, signed memorabilia, classic Italian scooters parked out the front and clothes that have stood the test of time.

Mod is a timeless look, but we offer so much more than that, we’re constantly moving forward and that’s what it’s all about. Our initial mission statement read….Whether you’re a mod, skinhead, scooterist or casual, Modfather Clothing have specifically selected lines that pay homage to the heritage and tradition of original British style…I think we’ve stayed true to those principals. To win an award for doing a job you love is a blessing, especially when you consider the strength of the competition. Camden is packed full of creative, individual businesses, with brilliant personalities behind each and every one of them, so to win Star Market Trader was a very proud moment for all involved with Modfather, but we won’t be resting on our laurels.”

Find out more about Modfather:

Twitter: @Modfatherlondon

Instagram: @modfatherclothing

Website: https://modfatherclothing.com/