It’s on Kingsland Road. It’s a ‘creative space’. Needless to say, the owner of One Good Deed Today has a beard. But Romain Camus is unashamed of the fact that he’s a bringer of gentrification, and in fact wears that badge proudly. ‘I see myself as part of gentrification, yes’, he says. ‘But I want to show that it’s more than just people moving into the city, it can also be about creating business and trying to give back as much as possible’.
Ethical retailer OGDT opened quietly a few months ago in a former office building that had been abandoned for some 15 years. In its new guise, it’s pleasing on the eye, complete with floors tiled in ice cream colours and geometric, shelfie-worthy displays. The space was designed in collaboration with hip London design studio Nice to be Nice.
The inspiration for the shop, Romain says, came from his 13-year stint in retail, including time in operations for brands including American Apparel and Opening Ceremony. ‘I just saw so much waste’, he says, ‘and felt that some of the companies I was working with were just money making machines. I wanted to create something different’. And the products here are different – you’ll find carefully sourced items here you’d be hard pushed to find elsewhere, and that Romain has discovered throughout his travels. Each brand has been subjected to extensive research, to ensure that they all meet his criteria: ethical and sustainable.
This pricing is based on a dry hire and is ideal for meet - ups, research days, co-creation and intimate away days.