Focus: Paige Richards (ITgirls)

Who are you and where are you from?
Hello, I am Paige Richards and I am the owner and designer of ITgirls, I am from and based in Gateshead. 

What is it you do?
I run the online clothing store: ‘ITgirls’ that specialises in vintage clothing from the 80’s and 90s as well as recently designing our own range of female empowerment prints for t-shirts, tote bags and prints. 

How long have you been doing it?
I opened ITgirls in 2016 when I was at university, I have always collected vintage clothing and have always daydreamed about one day owning my own vintage store. Although when I opened ITgirls back in 2016 I thought it would be more of a thing I did in my spare time. Little did I know I would sell all my items in the first month and it would be a success. Luckily I then went on to have two concessions stores and a successful online store for four years. I decided to temporarily close down in 2019, although I always knew I would re-open one day. I’m glad to have had a break though, because I’m now as passionate as ever, and ITgirls has matured and grown in the best way. 

What inspires you?
The name ITgirls actually derives from Alexa Chung’s infamous book ‘IT’! Like most women my age this book truly had me in a chokehold back in the day! We all wanted to be an IT girl like Alexa, a girl with a distinctive personal style, a girl who radiates confidence and has a magnetic personality. For me 90s fashion encapsulates this energy so well, it was experimental and daring and generally iconic! From the romantic grunge of Kate Moss to the tomboyish charm of the rave scene women were embracing every aspect of their bold personalities and showcasing them via their clothing which is exactly what ITgirls is all about! I want to create a brand that encourages women to stand out and dress with confidence again whilst expressing their personality through fashion!

Tell us about your work.
As well as selling 90s vintage that spans from branded jackets, jumpers/fleeces and vintage denim I have created a line of female empowerment prints that are available on t-shirts and tote bags and prints! We want our prints to inspire and relate to our ITgirls! For example one of my favourite designs we created features the quote “do not allow access to your heart until you fully love who you are”- I designed this after a pretty sh*tty breakup and think we could all be reminded of this daily! (plus it makes a banging tote bag!) 

PRINTS:
‘Thank you for reminding me who the F I am’. Available on t-shirts and tote bags.
A design for a daily reminder to remember who the F you are and not tolerate any nonsense. 

‘Do not allow access to your heart until you fully love who you are’. Available on t-shirts, tote bags and prints A4/A3.
A design to remind you that your vibe attracts your tribe, you have to fully love who you are. 

‘Emotionally Exhausted’. Available on t-shirts and tote bags.
A print because, who isn’t emotionally exhausted. Especially on a Monday morning. 

‘Do it for you’. Available on tote bags and prints A4/A3.
A print to encourage you to not do it for him, not for your mum, not for your friend. But only for yourself. 

‘If it costs you your peace it’s too damn expensive’. Available on prints A4/A3.
A print to remind you to not put up with any form of nonsense, if anything ruins your peace it is too expensive. 

What have you got coming up in the future?
I have a big collaborative photo-shoot coming up in May that I am very excited for, it is to promote my summer line and I can’t wait to get creative with a very talented team. I also have three more designs I am working on for prints, t-shirts and tote bags that will be launching mid summer. Along with more incredible vintage pieces that I will launch new drops off every month. ITgirls is a creative platform for creatives, so expect a lot of collaborative creative projects showcasing my work and clothing. 

Where can people find out more about you?
I launch on the 10th of April at 6pm on ASOS Marketplace and my website.
My website: www.itgirlsvintage.com 
ASOS Marketplace @ITgirls. 
Instagram: @itgirlsvintage 

Image by Jessie’s Whimsical Photography