Some of our fave Marketplace boutiques are run by super talented couples - and what better time to share their love than on the lead-up to Valentine's Day? Read on to learn more about the loved-up pairs behind Lesty Vintage, Sophia Joy and House of Jam...
How long have you been together?
Coming up to 18 months now.
How did you meet?
Kyrsty: We went to school together, but never actually spoke! We met through friends at a quaint pub on a summer's day in Leo's home town of Maldon. We went halves on a jug of Pimms and the rest they say is history!
Kyrsty – Describe Leo's style:
I would say Leo's style is very urban-grunge. He wears very relaxed colours and you will rarely see him without a beanie on! He bought his first pair of Dr Martens this week so I think he's slowly turning more and more grunge...
And Leo – do you have a favourite outfit of Kyrsty's?
I would say my favourite winter outfit of hers is her grey acid wash spray on skinnies & vintage Liz Claiborne wool shirt. I bought her this amazing vintage leather bomber from Camden market which I also love!
What's great about working together?
Kyrsty: We love buying together wherever we go! We spent the summer in Ibiza together which is where we got a lot of inspiration, there's so much culture across the island and it was amazing to see the diversity of style. We also love seeing the boutique grow every week and planning new, exciting ventures for the future. Our styles aren't always the same but thats what makes our boutique so diverse!
Sophia & Miguel, Sophia Joy
How long have you been together?
Two years.
How did you meet?
Miguel: I was sat at the back of the bus on a wet and chilly day when I spotted someone who challenged all my ideals of fashion. The bright colours Sophia was wearing brought a ray of sunshine to my rather dull day!
I felt compelled to say something but couldn’t construct a cool enough icebreaker, and besides she was stood near the front of the door on this packed bus. I thought, if she gets off at my stop then I must say something.
Time was limited, and I had literally seconds to say hello before we went our separate ways. At this point I felt no connection between my brain and my mouth so what came out sounded like gibberish. I told her that I was a photographer, expressed how I admired her fashion sense and how I would love to take photos of her - kind of ironic hey? “I hate photos”, she replied. Not knowing what else to say I reached for my wallet and said, "Well if you ever consider it, take my card”. Unfortunately I had no more cards left - what are the chances?! Thankfully she replied, "Well take my card, I’m a graphic designer - contact me if you need one". Happy days!
Sophia – Describe Miguel's style:
I would describe Miguel's style as innovative geek. He creates a unique style by combining his love of geeky bow ties and specs with his passion for anything quirky and unique. He isn't afraid of injecting a bit of colour and pattern into his everyday attire.
And Miguel – do you have a favourite outfit of Sophia's?
It's hard to pick a favourite outfit of Sophia’s because she has the ability to bring life to some of the most unfashionable items of clothing. If I had to pick it would be her vintage blue and white jumpsuit. This is one of her more recent buys which she was planning to sell, but as I was so fond of it I convinced her to keep it!
What's great about working together?
Sophia: Miguel is very experimental and creative with his ideas regarding location and perspective. At times I like to rush photoshoots and focus purely on capturing the beauty of the garment, but Miguel encourages me to consider the overall look. While we both have different strengths and ideas, we also have a similar vision, which combined makes for a great photo shoot.
Miguel: Working together is effortless because it embodies my original vision on the day I met Sophia. My vision was on point, in that I imagined this beautiful person would be a joy to take photos of. Working together means we’re both doing something we enjoy which creates a tighter bond in our relationship.
Jazz & Steve, House of Jam
How long have you been together?
We've been together for just over two years now...although it sometimes feels like longer!
How did you meet?
Jazz: Steve likes to tell everyone we met on OkCupid, but we actually first met about six years ago in Leeds whilst at uni.
Steve – Describe Jazz's style!
It all depends on the time of day really. Daytime is always noir, she loves a black on black ensemble. In the evening she's effortlessly glam. I'm not sure if thats a 100% accurate description - but she always looks tidy!
And Jazz – do you have a favourite outfit of Steve's?
Not really. Someone call Gok Wan and sort him out!
What's great about working together?
Steve: Well not only do I not get to wear the trousers at home, I can't wear them to work either! Just joking! We haven't really been asked that before to be honest, we normally get "how do you not throttle each other?"
I suppose at times we take it for granted that we get to spend so much time together. We have a proper laugh most days and it's amazing to have such support from a business partner. It's great when we do take a step back and look at what have achieved together in getting HOJ to where it is today.