Article 2Sutible for Cosmopolitan Magazine. Written by Ella Sedman
The Noisy
Re-Birth Of
re u t u o C Hidden amongst Manchester’s hectic city centre is the intrecat workings of fashion design duo, ‘Denise and Daz’.
Following the 1996 Manchester bombing,‘Yap Yap Couture’ was born which today continues to bring a unique outlook on
Fashion
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Fashion
Bringing you The Smiths, Man U years on, a combination of unconventional and the Hacienda, Manchester proudly fabrics and interesting tailoring has owns the rights to many historical gems. developed a distinctive brand for the However, one which people would rather duo. Heavily influenced by the likes of forget occurred in the 90’s and changed fashionista God, Vivienne Westwood, their Manchester’s history forever. On a sunny passion has become a glamorous daily Saturday morning on the 15th of June, indulgence within the ever-changing world 1996, an IRA placed bomb went off in of fashion. Manchester’s thriving city centre. Upon meeting Denise Although amazingly no fatalities and Daz in their fabric occurred, numerous businesses covered workspace, their were destroyed and were forced warm and welcoming to re-build everything they had personalities become Marvin, Pip, lost. Amongst all that chaos was apparent. Featuring their Fudge & Ruby own collectable, 25kg weight a small yet unique clothes brand called Holder & Pennington. Vivienne Westwood book Now reborn as YapYap Couture, and a vintage Elvis clock, company owners and eccentric their vibrant workshop is the duo Denise Holder (50) and Darren ‘Daz’ perfect backdrop for creating new, exciting Pennington (45) are again making their fashion ideas. Often found amongst the mark on Manchester’s fashion scene. brightly dressed mannequins are their Hidden away down one of four Pavilion/Chihuahua dogs, Marvin, Manchester’s highly fashionable, Pip, Fudge and Ruby. Frequently featured alternative city centre backstreets, lives within new designs, the four dogs provide YapYap’s design studio. Established in the perfect background noise for YapYap’s 2010, YapYap’s quirky ideas surrounding loud brand. However, underneath the fashion began to take shape. Nearly five beautiful clothes and warm hospitality,
Vivienne Westwood
MANCHESTER
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you could never guess the ordeal their independent fashion brand has endured… In the decade of big hair, neon clothing and New Order, Denise moved to Manchester in 1982 and, two years later, met Salford-born Daz in a nightclub. After realising their joint love for fashion, ‘Holder & Pennington’ was established during 1989. By 1996, their brand and speciality shop was based in Manchester’s prestigious Royal Exchange Theatre. Well established and thriving, Denise says“[we were] wholesaling to boutiques nationally and some other countries such as Japan, Germany, Israel whilst having concessions in TopShop”. However, due to being in such a prime location, Denise and Daz’s store was only 0.2 miles from the explosion point on that fateful Saturday morning. After an anonymous tip off, luckily thousands of Saturday shoppers were evacuated from Manchester’s prime retail area. Denise and Daz lost their shop and livelihood. Like many other retailers, this was a bleak and disheartening time. However, after a decade of completing
individual and united projects including Daz completing an art foundation degree, Denise and Daz came together once again. By 2010, Holder and Pennington evolved and became YapYap Couture. So what’s coming up for Denise and Daz? “We’re constantly looking for new avenues for YapYap,” says Denise. “We’re trying a bit of screen printing at the moment whilst looking for new stockists.” Now selling their clothing through industry giants such as AsosMarketPlace and Etsy, YapYap’s future is looking exciting. Although mainly focusing on women’s clothing, in-house model and son of Denise, Sam (16), is doing it for the boys. Occasionally working the Sunday shift in-between college, Sam often sports the latest designs outside the world of YapYap Couture and on the streets on Manchester. With accounts on both Instagram and Twitter alongside a flourishing Facebook page, YapYap’s social media accommodates their young, target market. Fortunately, due to a £32 million investment and a two-and-a-half year
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reconstruction project, Manchester’s influential fashion culture was reborn even stronger out of adversity which continues to flourish more than ever. And adding to this style-conscious, alternative scene is the wonderfully eccentric work of YapYap Couture and their four yapping
dogs.
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