Since its launch on November 15, word of Lady Lane Market has been spreading. The market which aims to rejuvenate the historical Petticoat Lane Markets through a community of independent female entrepreneurs, is the brainchild of Tower Hamlets council, in collaboration with the City of London.
Lady Lane Market comprises of nine stalls selling a range of homemade products such as crafts, skincare, clothing, food, and gift ideas, with more expected to launch in time for Christmas.
To give them a head-start, the stall owners were provided with business and digital training by Tower Hamlets Council.
According to the corporate director of Tower Hamlets, Ann Sutcliffe, Lady Lane is a refreshing facelift to East End’s enduring market legacy, which has “traditionally been male-dominated spaces”.
Raven News recently paid Lady Lane Market a visit to meet the traders and chat about their experiences so far.
It was a buzzing scene of women hailing from diverse backgrounds including Somalia, Africa and Brazil. Most importantly, each woman had a story to tell.
Lubjoo’s founder, Anila Babla (Photo credit: Jessica Liew)
With its quirky, eye-catching accessories, Lubjoo is hard to resist. It is run by young web designer Anila Babla, who is also an art therapist. The Goldsmiths University alum has curated a range of feel-good pin badges, cards and handmade accessories, evoking the brand name that’s interpreted as ‘Love You’, whilst she finalises her range of self-designed goods.
Hot sauce recipe developer at Amira’s Basbaas, Amira Ismail (Photo credit: Jessica Liew)
Over at Amira’s Foods, home cook Amira Ismail sells authentic Somalian Basbaas hot sauce. A distinctive infusion of date paste and tamarind makes it a rare find, and has drawn Somalians to the stall, hankering for a taste of home.
Authentic Somalian Basbaas hot sauce at Amira’s Foods (Photo credit: Jessica Liew)
“Feedback has been really good. This market is giving me more publicity. Eventually, I want my hot sauce to end up in the supermarket,” Ismail tells.
East London Stitched founder, Audrey Aymer (Photo credit: Jessica Liew)
Next to her is the smiling proprietor of East London Stitched, Audrey Aymer. Aymer sells an assorted range of knitted goods, from scarves to mermaid blankets and jumpers, a skill she picked up as a child by observing her friend’s mother, In 2015, with her son’s support, she turned the hobby into a home business and has been kept busy ever since.
“I’ve had many jobs but because of health reasons, I realised I can’t be around negative people,” Aymer tells us candidly. “It was nice going into a marketplace. So being in a group, we know each other and watch each and every other’s back.”
Teacher Hettie Cyrille runs The Black Gift Shop, which aims to promote books and greeting cards by black authors and artists. Hettie sources rare titles from the US and lends her support to independent black British writers she meets at events.
The Black Gift Shop run by teacher Hettie Smith sells cards by black artists (Photo credit: Jessica Liew)
Cyrille splits her time between Roman Road and Lady Lane Markets, but it’s at Lady Lane where she’s found her ‘squad’. “Doing business on your own as a lonely journey is true. (Here) we’re a team, we can work together, we can talk about things, we can share,” Cyrille shares.
Brazilian artist Shirley Smith is expressively grateful to Lady Lane Market for enabling the launch of DJS, a charitable brand bearing positive messages designed by herself. Smith’s stall carries three ranges; Love Never Fails, She, and Jesus Loves U., encompassing statement T-shirts and tote bags from organic material and rose-themed fashion pieces.
Founder of DJS Shirley Smith and her friend Lydia (Photo credit: Jessica Liew)
In the beginning, Smith’s creativity was a form of therapy. “I was in a hostel facing very difficult moments and times. The only thing I could thing I could think of was to draw, read, make music, sew art,” Smith reveals. “I never thought I’d have a shop one day. I use the money from my Love Life Charity sales to help other homeless people.”
Lady Lane Market on Wentworth Street, Petticoat Lane Markets, is open every Friday from 10am to 3pm.