Goodstead - ANY State of Mind

I always wanted to be a Beastie Boy. This, explains Ian Craigie, is where the inspiration for Goodstead can be traced back to. The self-assured stance and barefaced cheek of the Beasties has always been expressed in their look, and since the 80s the term 'streetwear' has expressed an interest in all things counter-culture, usually coupled with an unhealthy trainer obsession…

"Yeah, I'm basically just doing this to feed my trainer habit. I've been an addict and now I'm the dealer!" But it's not just sneaker-junkies the shop hopes to attract. "We were tired of mass produced fashion presented in a very generic way. We want to offer people something different," co-owner Graham Blakey explains. "We want to be to Edinburgh what Colette is to Paris." To emulate the ultimate avant-garde shopping experience is a bold ambition but it seems this pair have the dedication to pull it off.

Both have travelled across Europe to bring specific brands such as Aem Kei, WeSC, EIO, Gsus Sindustries, Pharmacy Industries and Trainerspotter to Goodstead. rom the wallpaper to the welcome sign, this has been a labour of love. Graham continues: "Having taken such care in bringing in the brands we wanted, we felt it was important to present the clothes in a setting that served them justice." Goodstead also houses an impressive range of works from young artists including Banksy, Antony Micallef, D*Face and Lucy Bennet.

Walking into Goodstead feels more like entering a store in New York, Paris or London and this is what's really exciting about the store's arrival; finally Edinburgh can cater to its own in-crowd.