Buy the basics and find your own style

At Hello Again in Cape Town you can shop for life

Hello Again is a small shop on Long Street. I chat to owner Lynne Groenewald.

Hello Again?

Why that name? Lynne says: "When we started the shop we had more second hand and used garments. It was the biggest portion of the business. Tobie, my husband came up with the name and now, even though the focus has changed to locally made new garments; we kept the name."

Hello Again - it kind of sounds sounds nostalgic. In a small corner you can also find a few second hand clothes - but don't worry, they don't look like you stole them from your granny's cupboard. Here you can always find sweet dresses and other garments with cute details.

What can we buy?

The main items for sale are: T-Shirts, V-necks, sweatshirts, cardigans, hoodies - for ladies and gentlemen. They are all locally made by Fittees. Fittees is Tobie's company. Tobie is Lynne's husband.

The name Fittees means that the Tees fit - literally. Fittees started in 2006, when Tobie decided that South Africa needs some beautifully cut, locally made fitted T-shirts to sell to the screen-printing and promotional industries. It started here in Cape Town, using locally sourced fabrics and making use of local labour.

Lynne was involved in the company from the beginning and through starting the Hello Again shop she became a customer as Tobie now supplies to her. 

Hello Again's philosophy

Lynne says: "We sell you a basic thing and we want you to go and do your own thing. Dress it up, be individual. We don't really want to subscribe to a big trend or fashion style. These things are forever.”

Next to all the basics you can buy leggings in any colour you can imagine. Furthermore Lynne has pretty dresses as well as a few second hand clothes.

Local designers

"I have two people supplying me: the one is Saloné from Vestibull. She is also a fine artist and she makes ladies’ and guys’ garments with cool prints of them. Then I have another label from PE called Silverspoon and they supply me with ladies clothing," says Hello Again owner Lynne. 

Accessories

At Lynne's shop you also get lots of awesome accessories. Designers like Lauren Sharps supplies her with the label called "World of none". She makes Perspex broaches. Another is Appleheart from PE who makes little bird broaches out of felt - really lovely.

Emerging designers usually come to Lynne and she looks at the stuff and decides if she wants it at the shop. However, she has also approached a few people who make brilliant stuff that she found online.

Hello's history

Hello Again opened in March 2007. The first store was in Dorp Street. In September 2008 Lynne moved with Hello Again to Bloem Street, in 2010 to Long Street. 

Hello Again is also a place for Lynne to showcase her own stuff: "I’m trying to use the shop as a vehicle for my expression."

She started making bags, T-shirt designs, dresses - watch this space!

Where is the trend going?

Lynne says: "Tights, as in stockings, with little waisted skirts, are gonna be huge, especially in florals. They are gonna be quite short and quite wide, a lot of details. And then the tops are normally gonna be a bit more oversized, but it's nice when you belt those. Cardigans, very soft and drape-y things... What we'll be doing will be basics for girls, cardigans, simple dresses, and we'll do a big range of different coloured leggings. Everyone should do his own thing.

Sometimes there are also cool events happening at Hello Again - events with bands and DJ's. When they launch a new range, there are snacks and wine as well as when an artist is opening an exhibition.

Who shops at Hello Again?

"I love the fact that I am a destination shop. People make a plan to come to Hello Again," says Lynne with a smile on her face. Mostly the target market is from 16 to 30, also a lot of older guys, coming in for the v-necks, a lot of creative people, art students, design students and all the cool trendy girls! 

by Antonia Heil | photographer: Desmond Louw

Hello Again
219 Long Street | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 426 0242

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