I took a detour after the school run yesterday. Rather than going straight home to sit with a coffee and overthink everything, I jumped in my car and did my overthinking on the M6 for a change. My journey was taking me to a part of England I’ve neglected to visit until now: Birmingham.
This was a trip I’ve been itching to make since last spring. I first discovered Disorder Boutique after seeing a photo of Cheddar Gorgeous looking absolutely sensational on the slopes in a custom-made ski suit. It was one of those “immediate follow” moments. Anyone who could create an all-in-one, pink tartan ski suit was a legend in my eyes.
I waited a few months before messaging the owner, Mark, to ask if he could make me a dress out of the exact same fabric. When it arrived, it was love at first sight. The weight and feel of the tartan was divine, and the way the dress fitted – no matter which way I wore it – told me this was a company that truly makes clothes to make you feel your best self. I promised him I’d visit the studio soon.
Lo and behold, time has a habit of running away from me, and 2026 arrived before I’d had a chance to drive up. But finally, thanks to Mark’s well written directions, I found myself pulling up outside a gorgeous, turquoise-fronted studio right next to his family home.
The Antidote to Fast Fashion
I was greeted with a hug and a mug of delicious homemade ginger tea (the trick, apparently, is to add cloves to the brew and keep the skin on the ginger). We stood chatting for what felt like minutes, but I soon realised was a good hour or more.
Mark’s knowledge of Birmingham and its rave scene, combined with his experience in making clothes for people who refuse to conform to societal trends, was genuinely inspiring. Throughout our chat, I learned that Disorder Boutique had designed and made outfits for the Commonwealth Games, been crowned ‘Best Independent Retailer’ by Mary Portas, and scooped up a whole host of other awards. But my absolute favourite thing about the brand? Their unyielding dedication to sustainable, ethical fashion. From choosing to only use fabrics and findings made in Britain, to hand-painting designs using environmentally friendly paints, this is a company with ethics at its core. It is the absolute epitome of slow fashion.
The SALVAGE Masterpiece
One of the best examples of this ethos was a dress I’d spotted on their Instagram (which, spoiler alert, I ended up buying). It was made entirely from offcuts of wool tartan.
As Mark explained, when fabric is so lovingly made in Scotland and costs £75 a metre, wastage is simply heartbreaking. So, he sewed the offcuts together to create a structural fabric, which he then draped onto a dress form and hand-pinned to shape. The result is an exceptional dress that screams punk-meets-elegance. It was inevitable she was coming home with me.
Beyond the dresses I fell in love with, Disorder makes jackets, coats, T-shirts, jumpers, and spectacularly designed men’s suits. With diagonal zips and contrast panels, these are clothes defiantly not made to conform.
Clothes, Culture, and a Little Chaos
Beyond the rails of clothes, our conversation drifted to international politics and his profound love for Burma – Mark’s wife and business partner, Thiri, is of Burmese origin.
We talked about how huge conglomerates are sterilising the high street by driving out independent brands, and how we all deeply crave the joy and creativity that comes from the arts.
This was a visit to Birmingham I won’t quickly forget. Thanks, Mark, for the chat, the tea, and the clothes that make me feel like my most unapologetic self.