Malton: Why this town could become Yorkshire's capital of fashion as well as food

Antonio Carluccio might be seen on the High Street and TV crews and foodies would often descend. Earlier this year, the King and Queen popped by for an ice cream.

Slowly, however, I have felt a shift. There’s still my favourite Roost coffee and Florian macarons but, joining the party are a lot more non-food related independent businesses as a number of great ihomewares and fashion boutiques have chosen Malton as their home, creating a lovely diverse market town for residents and visitors alike.

One new indie fashion boutique is Bias Malton, which has relocated from Harrogate. Bias founder Sally Hindle started visiting Malton when her partner bought a house in the town. She too was ready for a change.

Sally says: “I launched Bias in September, 2012. At the time I was based in London, I had been teaching for 29 years. I left my headship in the February and, still very much governed by term times, vowed to open Bias by September.

“The original concept was to focus on British Brands, helping women build better wardrobes of clothes so they could buy less but feel and look better.

“Brands with strong sustainability credentials have always been a focus but, over the years I have started tending towards more Danish labels, which are often leading the way in creating new and wonderful fabrics and always keeping that timeless style.”

Sally moved to Yorkshire in 2015 to help support her stepfather in caring for her mother.

Having recently ended a long-term relationship, it was a good time to relocate. She wanted to find somewhere close to Durham (where her mother and stepfather were based), that would also be a good location for opening a shop.

Sally says: “I chose Harrogate as, at the time, there was a great independent fashion scene and lots of like-minded people.”

Over the coming years Sally would open a second shop in Leeds. Then, during the pandemic, Sally met her current partner. She says: “Reopening after the pandemic, I saw a real shift in how people were shopping in Harrogate, the different tourists etc. I started thinking it might be time for a change.

“Then I started visiting Malton with my partner, and it felt right. There are so many great independent fashion and interior brands. There’s a real community feel.

"We have lots of regular customers as well as tourists visiting for the day, which is lovely. The shop is always buzzing and we have been welcomed with open arms.”

Bias Malton stocks Sally’s edit of fashion brands, jewellery, candles and some beauty. She says: “I’d much rather our customers bought fewer pieces that they can interweave with classics than over-consume.

“I’m very unhappy about the fast fashion movement and try hard to promote the concept of buying less and styling it so that it can be worn in numerous ways and across all seasons. We have regular pre-loved and post-season collections so that we can help reduce the number of clothes that go to landfill.

“One of my favourite books is by Patrick Grant and it’s called LESS - Stop Buying So Much Rubbish. How having fewer, better things can make us happier. That might soundcounterintuitive for a shop owner but it’s absolutely what I believe.

“We always sell great basics and hard-working wardrobe staples, plus pieces that can be worn in different ways, depending on your day.”

Summum Woman is one of Sally’s clients’ favourites, especially for this time of year. It’s a down-to-earth Dutch brand which uses high-quality fabrics and creates great-fitting clothing for every moment of the day. Their pieces are on-trend but at the same time timeless, and you can tell that each piece is lovingly and thoughtfully designed.

Another favourite is Blanche. Copenhagen-based, it was founded with a commitment to responsibility and a focus on the value of quality over quantity. Each piece in the collection is a result of meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail.

In Blanche’s latest pre-fall collection, Louise Amstrup, creative director and designer, draws inspiration from the realms of spiritism, nature, and abstraction. This collection represents the brand essence of timeless designs that seamlessly blend modernity with enduring icons.

“We buy a range of crisp cottons, tailored pieces, progressive denim and bold knitwear from Blanche. Their pieces are great wardrobe warriors for updating and uplifting our clients’ wardrobes,” Sally says.

There are exclusive collaborations including one with The Stitch Society. Sally says: “They’re based in Keighley, just near Bradford, and create great workwear pieces using bolt-ends of fabric from mainly Lancashire mills. We work with them on a collaborative basis. They use their patterns and we choose the fabrics to create a unique collection for Bias.”

Bias also stocks Italian fashion brand Max Mara and Sofie Schnoor, a Danish fashion brand that has created shoes, clothing, children's clothing and shoes for over 20 years, and Ambustum candles, alongside bath and body products from Bath House.

Sally’s mantra is “Do one thing well”.

She says: “In 2012, when I gave up a brilliant job (and salary) because it wasn’t good for my overall health, it was a risk.

"I lost friends, there were some scary days in the beginning, but I feel so fortunate to have let myself take that leap, as it’s been a wonderful journey, with lots of amazing new friends and experiences and now a new chapter in Malton.”

Bias Malton is at 13, Finkle Street Malton and biasstores.co.uk