Welcome to Shop Small Saturday, a weekly feature where we celebrate our community of independent boutiques, from Bath to Berlin.
Situated in the heart of the hustle and bustle that is Shoreditch in London, is family run boutique Aida.
Aida was set up with the intention of embodying family values, friendship and a strong sense of community. “Our parents had been in retail for over 20 years when my sisters and I joined the company,” co-founder Helena explains “At the time, Aida was a run down industrial warehouse, and Shoreditch was a far cry from what it is today. We named the store after our nan because we wanted that vision to filter through every element of the store.”
Housing a mix of contemporary fashion favourites such as Bellerose, Veja and Rains alongside modern lifestyle labels like Aery, Earl of East and Steamery, Aida’s curation provides a contemporary cool while staying accessible and grounded in their community. “We listen to our customers - what they like, what they want to see more of. Other than that we always keep our eyes open for anything new that inspires us.”
To celebrate Aida’s 10th birthday, we caught up with Helena to chat about a changing East London, and brands with a conscience.