Few clothing shops left such an indelible mark on Liverpool fashion sense as Wade Smith, which launched 40 years ago.
It wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration to say it did for fashion what The Beatles had done for popular music decades earlier. Over the two decades of its existence, Wade Smith shaped a distinctive Liverpool style which was then adopted nationwide.
The store initially began in 1982 to bring designer wear to shoppers at a time when most of the big labels were staying away from the city. Wade Smith was the brainwave of its founder Robert Wade Smith, who spotted a niche in the market while working as a footwear buyer for Topman.
