Gio Stockings – A History Of British Perfection

Vintage stockings are always a treat, and so many women love this type of legwear. We also love them, and they are one of the most exciting things that we ever got to see here at UK Tights. That is why we were super happy to start a partnership with Gio for the first time many years ago. These are some of the most impressive stockings in history. They are perhaps the very best brand of vintage stockings we have ever worn. That’s a bold claim indeed. There are so many vintage stockings designs out there, and so many of them try their very best to be the most authentic around, but Gio Stockings do take the cake.

Why Do Gio Stockings Make Their Designs Using Old Machinery?

Gio is all about authenticity. That is why they have made their items with machinery used in the 1920s, rather than modern knitted and weaving machines. This makes the process slower. But its finish is much higher thanks to the meticulous and precise way the legs are made. It also involves ten times the amount of handiwork in the process, as no stockings were made in the 1920s by a machine more than they were by hand.

Why Are Gio Stockings Made With Original Nylon?

Gio Stockings only use the types of fabrics that would have been available at the time too. They make items from a very early and robust form of nylon that significantly benefit other modern materials. It is not nearly as stretchy. Indeed this is a downside as stretch makes an item easy to conform to your shape? That is one way to do it but if you use a more authentic blend of nylon and elastane, what you get is something exciting. The material is not as stretchy, so manufacturers had to shape the stocking to your leg a century ago.

If you lay down a pair of vintage backseam stockings and a pair of modern ones, you will see the former is shaped like a leg, and the latter is just a tube of material. The shaped stocking will always fit more comfortably. And they will not pull or stretch in odd ways, making the shimmer disappear over time and make the material degrade more quickly. Having cut and sewn stockings are like wearing a tailored jacket over one from off the rack. It makes a world of difference.

Why Do All Gio Stockings Have A Backseam?

That is related to what we mentioned above. Gio Stockings have a backseam every time because it is the most authentic way to make your stockings. Backseam stockings were not just a fashion choice, although they are eternally stylish. This is how you had to make all legwear in the past for the same reasons. You had to shape your stockings into the form of a leg. And to do that, you would cut a piece of fabric to size and stitch it together at the back.

Just like the seam down the side of a pair of jeans that allows them to fit you perfectly or one down the centre of your back on a blazer, which means the shape of the jacket can be more fitted rather than just a straight length of material. Backseam stockings do precisely that for your legs. This means that the fit of a back seam stockings design is unrivalled.

Beware, though, as modern backseams are just added artificially and do not improve the fit. This is where Gio stand out. They make everything by hand and sow the backseam themselves, so the fit is essentially unbeatable. Now we can start to see just how far Gio goes to make the best stockings in the world. But there is perhaps one more step that goes even further. They have such a superb range of backseam items, with contrasting coloured backseam stockings, Cuban heel stockings, point heel stockings, and so many other favourites.

Why Are Gio Stockings All Made In Britain?

This is, for us, the best and most incredible thing about Gio Stockings. They are all made right here in the United Kingdom. British-made stockings are a real treat as they are so rare. Gio Stockings might be the only stockings manufacturer left in the whole country that makes their items in the original. This decline is the story of many manufacturing types, with machinery making it easier than ever for companies to make their items quickly and cheaply. Thanks to this, pricier stockings have gone out of fashion. Not just that, but with more and more clothing being made by machines, it is much easier for companies to send their manufacturing sector to developing countries that have less of a historical tradition of apparel design.

This means that all clothing will eventually get cheaper and more standardised. Authentic tailored items or traditional stockings will become a niche area. But Gio wants to make sure there is always the option for those that want their items made here in the UK. If you’re going to shop for more traditional well-made pieces of clothing, then Gio offers you the perfect option for finding just that right here in the UK. Their items are all made by hand by skilled craftsmen and seamstresses. They aren’t nearly as expensive as many would believe from a design made here in the UK.

These elements have come together to make Gio perhaps the most unique brand for backseam stockings and vintage stockings in the world. British-made, high quality, with thought and consideration put into the design. If this is the kind of legwear you want in your life, then Gio Stockings will soon become your new favourite designer.