In the swinging fashion scene of 1970s London, few places were more emblematic of cool than King’s Road, Chelsea — and among its standout names was The Great Gear Trading Company.
Opened in 1973 at Gigi’s former restaurant site at 120 King’s Road, the Great Gear Trading Company wasn’t a single shop but an indoor arcade of sorts — one of London’s first multi-brand lifestyle boutiques. Founded by John Paul and James Wedge, it quickly became a magnet for young designers, musicians, and trendsetters.
Inside its multi-level space, shoppers could browse everything from avant-garde fashion and jewellery to interior décor, futuristic furniture, and hi-tech gadgets — much of it sourced from small, cutting-edge British designers. The aim was to bring together “gear” from across style genres: punk, glam, space-age, new wave — all under one roof.
In its heyday, the Great Gear Trading Company drew a fashionable crowd and served as a launchpad for many now-famous labels. It mirrored the wider shift of King’s Road from the mod and hippie scenes of the ‘60s to the more eclectic and hard-edged styles of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
Though the original venture faded as tastes and retail shifted in the 1980s, its influence remained — helping set the stage for modern concept stores and lifestyle retail as we know them today.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.