There’s a beautiful new slow fashion boutique now open in Blackrock

Open just a few weeks, Slow Street is a beautiful new boutique out in Blackrock. Their mission? To make sustainable clothing more accessible for all. Focusing on conscious consumerism over the high-street notion that more is always better, the store comes fully outfitted with an exclusive range of environmentally friendly and ethically-made products. 

South Dublin’s first sustainable clothing boutique, their opening comes at a time when customers have been making a real effort to shop local and support Irish retailers… and with renewed interest in all things pertaining to the environment, they couldn’t have timed their arrival better.

A complete labour of love by owner Evelyn Browne, she poured hours of hard work into ensuring the final product was all she dreamed it would be and safe to say, it paid off. Stocking a wide range of both clothing and lifestyle goods, all of the brands were carefully selected by Browne herself who chose them based on their sustainable practices and the fact that they are “paving a new way within the style industry”. As she puts it, “Some are better at production and some better at materials and energy management, but they are all constantly striving to do things differently and better.” 

Speaking as to the inspiration behind Slow Street, Browne commented that the shop is all about “making it easier for people to own positive-impact clothing, which is environmentally friendly and ethically made”. 

“We also want to help change the style mindset. I believe that with  quality comes longevity, enabling people to enjoy their clothing as  valued possessions instead of disposable trends.”

Acknowledging that navigating the sustainable fashion scene can be daunting at times, she’s tried to make the transition away from fast fashion as seamless as possible for customers.  “With lots of greenwashing and empty environmental and ethics claims by big fashion brands, navigating sustainable fashion can be time-consuming and overwhelming. We have done all the hard work, looking at fabrics used, labour practices, production processes and overall carbon footprint of each of the brands we select for our customers,” she added.

Telling people “this is good” isn’t necessarily always enough though, and Evelyn can often be found over on social media explaining the rationale behind why it’s good. Posting tidbits of information on everything from organic cotton to the downfalls of using synthetic fabrics, it’s clear that the new business owner is a wealth of knowledge on the topic – and only too keen to share. 

So, next time you find yourself in need of a white shirt to replace the one you’ve worn holes in, be sure to give Slow Street a visit. Find them online or at 16 Main Street in Blackrock village. 

Photography via Slow Street