Glasgow

Glasgow
might be the second-largest shopping hub in the UK, but
a few years ago, when couple Jolene Crawford and Mil Stricevic
found themselves on the hunt for sustainably made, playful
sleepwear and bedding, they hit a brick wall. Discovering this gap
in the market was the catalyst for them founding their company,
Irregular Sleep Pattern, which produces a collection of durable,
gender-neutral sleepwear including pyjamas, nightshirts and duvet
covers in a range of exuberant, artist-designed prints.

“We love fashion,” says Crawford, a former TV producer, “but
we’re not fans of the fashion business, nor of the waste generated
by its cyclical nature. We don’t release new lines seasonally, only
in small batches, when we feel like it, rather than at the whim of
the traditional fashion calendar.”

The collection is designed by Stricevic, who graduated from and
now teaches at Glasgow School of Art, and manufactured in India in
SMETA-regulated factories, in 100 per cent organic cotton. “A key
part of our ethos is slow shopping,” he says. “By asking customers
to refer to our Irregular Body Library and check measurements, and
by offering mix-and-match sizing, rather than the standard S, M, L,
we’ve been able to cut down on unnecessary returns, and therefore
carbon emissions.”

We sat down with the creative duo to ask them for their top tips
on the Glasgow places worth getting out of bed for.

The cat’s pyjamas: a design-driven tour of Glasgow with
Irregular Sleep Pattern

What’s Glasgow’s vibe?

Creative, gritty, arty, friendly.

What’s the weather like now?

It’s raining – get used to it. Bring appropriate clothing!

When you have visitors, where do you take them first?

The East End: if it’s a weekend, nothing beats a stroll round
the historic Barras Market, where old Glasgow meets new (check out
Ripe Mags
and Submarine Shop).
The nearby Necropolis, modelled on Paris’ Père-Lachaise, has great
views over the city, and at its foot is brewery Drygate, where you can get good pub
food and locally made beer.

Where should we stay?

We’re budget hotel kind of people and Citizen M offers excellent
value and amazing design classic furniture in the communal areas.
Otherwise, Kimpton Blytheswood Square Hotel in the city centre has
a spa, and Hotel Du Vin is on a beautiful tree-lined terrace in the
West End.

How should we get around?

The city is small and most things can be accessed on foot. We
also have a pretty good cycle network, and bikes available to hire.
Public transport in Glasgow is great – we have the world’s
third-oldest underground, known affectionately as “The Clockwork
Orange”, which operates on a single loop, and a network of
overground trains.

Any under-the-radar neighbourhood we should check out?

Shawlands, on the south side, has a lot of good things
happening, and a beautiful park with panoramic views of the
city.

Where should we go for breakfast?

Outlier. It’s
always packed, but worth the wait for a table. Check out design
details like the Ingo Maurer light over the barista station, and
the gallery space showcasing the work of recent Glasgow School of
Art graduates. We also love Kelvin
Pocket, in the West End.

Lunch?

Café
Gandolfi in the Merchant City – a Glasgow institution serving
modern Scottish food, with furniture made by the late British
sculptor Tim Stead.

Dinner?

Sylvan, in Charing
Cross, just on the edge of the city centre, is an amazing
vegetarian restaurant with a great selection of natural wines.

What’s the classic drink to order, and where would you go to
get one?

Head to The Ben
Nevis in Finnieston, which has a huge selection of malt
whiskies and live traditional music sessions a couple of times a
week. When in Scotland…

Is there a defining figure in the city’s history we should know
about?

One of Glasgow’s unsung heroes is the artist and writer Alasdair
Gray, “the father figure of the renaissance in Scottish literature
and art”. Alight on Byres Road at Hillhead Underground to find the
last mural he made. Take a detour down Ashton Lane to the Ubiquitous
Chip, where Gray painted a mural on the staircase in exchange
for food and drink. At the top of Byres Road is the former church
turned venue Oran Mor, where he spent several years completing the
largest public artwork in Scotland, the ceiling of the grand
auditorium. A wonderful archive to preserve his legacy was
established in 2020 a year after his death, and can be visited by
appointment.

What’s your favourite green space in the city?

The Gaelic translation of Glasgow is “Our Dear Green Place” and
we like different parks for different reasons. The history of
Glasgow Green is great – you can still see the public drying greens
where women would take their washing together. These are overlooked
by the majestic Templeton on the Green building, a former carpet
factory inspired by the Doge’s Palace in Venice, which, at its
peak, supplied carpets for Westminster Abbey, the White House and
the Titanic.

Must-visit independent shop?

Draw Art
Store, an indie retailer of stationery and graphic arts
supplies from Japan, Europe and the US.

Where would you recommend for a day trip?

In the days of factories and shipyards, it was tradition for
Glaswegians to go “doon the watter” for day trips and holidays, and
we definitely recommend it. Going to the Isle of Bute for the day
is magical – you hop on a train to Wemyss Bay, which
has a beautifully restored Victorian station that is also the ferry
terminal. After you’ve enjoyed your short windswept crossing, you
can explore the main town of Rothesay – a Victorian seaside resort.
We love Bute Fabrics,
which was founded in 1947 by the 5th Marquess of Bute with the sole
purpose of providing employment for service people returning home
from the Second World War. You should also catch a bus along the
coast to Mount Stuart —
a stately home with extravagant interiors and a beautiful garden
dating back to 1719 (Stella McCartney got married here), which also
has a visual arts programme.

Where should we go on a rainy day?

Armed with an umbrella for dashing from place to place, head to
Mono vegan café – home
to Monorail record store –
for a browse and something to eat and drink. Next door is Glasgow’s
original vintage store, Mr Ben. Nearby are two
contemporary galleries run by The Modern Institute, as
well as Street Level
Photoworks and Glasgow
Print Studio. Round the corner is Good Press bookstore and The Passenger Press
letterpress studio.

What would be a good souvenir to take home?

Other than some sleepwear
from us, textiles by the Glaswegian designer Robert Stewart, who
was a contemporary of Lucienne Day, available from CAT at Glasgow School of Art,
which reprints classic textiles.

A book to read while we’re in town?

Alasdair Gray’s Lanark is a great Glasgow novel, or, for
architecture fans, Exploring Glasgow by Robin Ward.

What comes next for Irregular Sleep Pattern?

We’re working on our second full collection of bedding and
sleepwear, to be released in the autumn.