Somebody Else's Guy takes upcycled, gender-neutral fashion from Newcastle to Fenwick

Corey Dixon never set out to run a fashion label. During the pandemic, after the loss of her mum, she began making face masks and donating the money to Cancer Research. The masks went viral, and that was the spark for Somebody Else's Guy, the Newcastle-based, gender-neutral label that has since become one of the most talked-about names in North East fashion.

The brand takes its name from the classic Jocelyn Brown song. Before the pandemic Dixon made costumes for cruise ships, and that theatrical background shows in work she has described as unique, loud and gender fluid. Every piece is upcycled from pre-loved clothing and made as a one-off. "My clothes are for everyone," she told ReVamp Magazine.

She began by upcycling clothes donated to her directly and sharing the results in social media videos. A turning point came when Sam Fender wore one of her designs, which was when, as she put it to FashionUnited, the North East first found the brand.

Rather than heading south, Dixon has built the label at home. "I didn't think everyone should have to be in London for fashion," she said. "I'm proud to be a Geordie."

That local loyalty has paid off. Dixon approached Fenwick directly to present her concept, held pop-ups at Fenwick Newcastle and went on to become the first gender-neutral brand on its shop floor. The partnership has since expanded to Fenwick York, where an upcycled collection made from shirts donated by York Football Club is set to go on sale.

In early September, with support from the magazine High Life North, she hosted what was billed as Newcastle's first Sustainable Fashion Show at Newcastle Contemporary Art on High Bridge, marking the brand's five-year anniversary. A talk with BBC Radio Newcastle presenter Kelly Scott and an upcycling workshop followed at the gallery as part of the London Fashion Week citywide programme, and a documentary about the show is awaiting its screening.

For Dixon, the purpose is about more than clothes. "I've chosen to do this brand to make people feel confident in who they are," she said. "I think fashion is like armour." Her longer-term dream is a North Eastern fashion house.

Somebody Else's Guy can be found on Instagram at @somebodyelsesguy and at Fenwick Newcastle.