The Drapers Interview: David Mallon

Streetwear svengali David Mallon is planning a new fashion retail concept that will shake up Manchester's independent scene. Lauretta Roberts finds out more

"It's like waiting for Jesus, isn't it?" whispers John Brady, a partner at Manchester chartered surveyor Bradys. He has arranged for Drapers to meet David Mallon, founder of streetwear brands Ringspun and Elvis Jesus, and one of the forces behind a new fashion retail concept in Manchester, The General Store.

We are meeting in one of Mallon's other business ventures, private members' club The Circle, but Mallon is nowhere to be seen and Brady is slightly nervously eyeing the Son of
God-themed artwork on the club walls.

Staff assure us Mallon was seen the night before so is "definitely in the country", which is a relief. They say they will text him to let him know we're here. Brady asks whether it would be better to call, but is told Mallon "never answers his phone".

While we are waiting, we learn that Mallon never wears shoes either; like Jesus he only wears sandals, even in the depths of winter. Though presumably not when he's snowboarding, which is his other great love.

After several progress reports ("he's on his way", "he's nearly here", "he's literally outside right now") Mallon appears wearing an Elvis Jesus T-shirt, combat trousers and, sure enough, Birkenstocks and is looking slightly wary. He spots the photographer, but he does not like having his picture taken.

Mallon's camera-shyness is curious, seeing as he is one of the most recognised faces on the Manchester fashion and social scene. But after a bit of cajoling and promises that we will look away, he duly sits for the pictures. He even smiles for some of them.

However, when it comes to the interview Mallon needs no encouragement. "You can't stop me when I get going," he says, and it's true; particularly because he is talking about a project that is so close to his heart and which he is impatient to get up and running. "I've been working on it [The General Store] for about 15 years." Really? "Well, it'll be almost a year."

Mallon's exaggeration stems from the frustrations he has been having with the city's apparently intransigent planning department about his refit of the 4,000sq ft space. It will house his brands and those of his business partners: Darren Collins, owner of Religion and Buddhist Punk; and All Saints founder Stuart Trevor who, having sold the All Saints brand, now owns Bolongaro Trevor. "We're going to be sympathetic, but they want a museum. This place was built for retail and that's what we're doing – visually it's going to be really good," he grumbles.

The General Store is the trio's first retail outlet and is based in Manchester's Grade II-listed Barton Arcade. The arcade was built between 1871 and 1874 and is undergoing a dramatic revamp with a view to making it one of Manchester's premier shopping destinations, which is where Brady comes in. He is helping to execute the vision of the arcade's new owners, a consortium of investors led by Limerick-based property tycoon Morgan Leahy, who wants the focus to be strictly on independent,or at least more individual, retailers. The consortium even convinced off-licence chain Oddbins to change to its more upscale sister fascia Nicolas.

"My client bought The Barton Arcade in January this year," says Brady. "Previously the occupiers were there by chance as opposed to design and we're now bringing some design to the letting strategy. The General Store will be a catalyst to other independents. We don't want to be mainstream, we want to get that individual thrust." And Mallon and co can certainly bring that. "It will be rock 'n' roll, which is what the others want," says Mallon of the store's look and feel. "I'm a bit more kitsch myself. I'm thinking of a Tales of the Unexpected theme for the window."

The impetus to move from wholesale brand distribution to retail has come partly from a desire for the trio to "give something back" to the industry, and partly out of necessity. The dwindling independent retail scene troubles Mallon. He wants to swell the ranks by setting up his own store, but he also wants to create a new and exciting space in which to sell his own and his colleagues' collections.

Setting up another multi-brand retailer did not appeal. "I could never come to terms with buying in lots of brands because then you're just another independent," he says. "We have a handful of brands that will work together, and that will give points of difference in terms of price and style."

Mallon, whose career in fashion started in 1991 selling rock band T-shirts at Manchester's independent shopping emporium Affleck's Palace, founded young fashion line Ringspun in 1995. The brand is now a broad mid-priced collection of denim, tops, skirts, combat pants, overcoats and accessories. Elvis Jesus, which is perhaps best known for its T-shirts fusing rock album and religious imagery, usually with a healthy helping of crystals, came in 2006.

Stuart Trevor's Bolongaro Trevor brand, which he designs with wife Kait Bolongaro, offers a more sophisticated take on rock 'n' roll styling, with its quirky tailoring for men and women. Collins' Buddhist Punk and Religion brands bring a glamorous and directional handwriting to rock chic.

Mallon adds that being able to show the full collections under one roof was appealing to all three brand owners. "No one ever buys all of the collection – they pick it out piecemeal and they show it piecemeal. You can't buy every brand wholly but it's still a frustration," he explains.

The General Store will take one unit on the ground floor of the Barton Arcade and three on the first floor. Mallon's Ringspun will sit downstairs, directly underneath Elvis Jesus and Buddhist Punk. Religion will be based in the top right-hand unit, with Bolongaro Trevor on the top left. Each unit will have a distinct feel – the idea is that all or parts of The General Store concept can be replicated elsewhere.

All the brands have several international distributors in common, explains Mallon. "We're going to force each of them…" he pauses and wonders whether that is too strong a word. Perhaps 'encourage' would be better? "No, we're going to force each of them to open a store in their own country," he asserts, adding that if the distributors are seriously committed to the brands they will do it.

Some are already excited by the idea – his distributor in Dubai is talking about opening three stores. Given that Mallon sells pretty much across the globe (the best-preforming  territories are Italy, Germany, Greece and  Spain), the international potential is huge.

However, UK expansion plans will only proceed once the team is happy they have fully grasped the detailed art and science of retail. "You have to get the systems and the back-of-house sorted out before you open another store. We're based in Manchester and we have our hands all over this. But we need to create a format that we can open in Liverpool, in Leeds or in Brighton."

Given Mallon's impatience with the city planning department, this approach shows great restraint. But once he is standing outside the store, it is obvious that this restraint only appears in patches. Much to the bemusement of passing cars and the queue of people at the bus stop, a group of workers are covering the front of the store with branded tape to make it look like a crime scene, covering up the work in progress inside. They have even fashioned the outline of a dead body on the floor for full effect. Mallon seems delighted with the results and does not seem to care what the city planners might make of it. After all, he says, it will all come off "or someone will nick it".

While this exercise comes across as a bit of fun and mischief making, it is clearly all part of a carefully constructed marketing campaign. As well as the shoppers at the bus stop, the scene is taking place in full view of the bars and restaurants of one of Manchester's busiest social streets, Deansgate, where the store's target clientele hang out every night.

The store's construction, which benefits from beautiful arched windows facing right onto the street, is "almost like a pre-marketing exercise", says Mallon. "This location also gives us really good visibility, even when the store is not open."

The rear of the store backs onto the arcade's decorative interior, with first-floor balconies that would provide the perfect opportunity to stage catwalk shows. And, fortuitously, the after-show party could be held at The Circle Club, which is just round the corner. The Circle already hosts a Ringspun night once a week, but that will become a Fashion night to promote The General Store's full line-up.

It's hard to see how The General Store concept could be replicated elsewhere in the UK, at least not on this scale or with the added opportunities for related marketing, catwalks and parties. But given Mallon's confidence and drive it is clear he will give the retail expansion strategy a serious shot. In independent retail terms, the arrival of a fresh new concept that makes many multiples look moribund by comparison is akin to a second coming.