Wood, while on the pricey side especially for its presumably young clientele, is the kind of place that Manchester needs with its stand-out designs and brands that you'll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. I'm sure they import some of their wares, hence the price (ever tried buying from Mishka online? The shipping will make up half of what you're paying).
Trying to categorise their clothing is basically a waste of time, unless you opt for the catch-all 'alternative' label. Think of it as a cheaper (not difficult), younger Oi Polloi. Some might scoff at this, but it's precisely the uncompromisingly rugged individuality of the shop which leads me to draw the comparison. They don't cater for any 'type' of person or dresser. The same goes for somewhere like Deep, which I also have a lot of time for and into which I would urge aforementioned 'alternatives' to venture forth.
The clothes themselves aren't all to my taste but I have got a tee from there which, despite what another reviewer says, is one of the best I've seen. It's eye-catching, bold and carries enough style to not look loud in a crass way like most of the boring designs a lot of Manchester seems to hold in high esteem. More importantly, if you want to actually bear some resemblance to an individual and not look like you've escaped from the Arndale cattle market, then you're very much in the right place.
In short: I don't like rampant consumerism. It's boring. What I do like are small indie stores that stock decent clothes that are stylish and look good. Wood is one of them. read more