It’s just clothes

From the east end of London, husband and wife Enric and Estefi Jorba run a vintage clothing company that’s sought out by stylists, celebrities and major fashion labels. But Silk & Rope is old school – it doesn’t even have a website. Ana Santi talks fashion, freedom and how to avoid being naked when people want to buy the clothes off your back.

In the early morning light, as Portobello market traders shift rusty clothes rails and sweet smoke fills the air, hand-embroidered dresses and prized Edwardian tulle blouses are being hung in prime position. Enric Jorba has been here since 6am. “That’s not early, 3am is!” he laughs. Silk & Rope – a vintage fashion duo, formed with his wife Estefania Vidal – often attend appointments in the dark.

Their life is a world away from mainstream fashion, rooted in personal, face-to-face relationships for the exchange of exquisite, vintage clothing. There is no website, only Instagram, and there’s not even a computer at their archive in east London, a floor-to-ceiling treasure trove where the collection is housed.

“I take ages to reply to emails,” Estefi moans over FaceTime (she’s skipping the markets for now to be home with their three-month-old daughter Lulu, a sister to Coco). But it doesn’t matter; when Florence Welch wants an outfit, her stylist Aldene Johnson picks up the phone.