Bill Baber

What a lovely shop in the heart of the Grassmarket. I met Mr. Baber while stopping by and I enjoyed hearing about the history of his family run business. What a wonderful man who puts great care into his craft. I bought a number of beautiful garments for the women of my life, much to their delight. Thank you kindly Mr. Baber for what you do.

‘Where knitting comes naturally’
Established in 1977, Bill Baber is a family run business that specialises in distinctive, good quality womenswear. Each garment is designed and sewn on site and the company insist on using only organic and natural fibres like silk, cotton, merino and linen. The fact they’re made by hand by Bill and his wife also means each garment is different from the one before.
Whilst I appreciate the time, skill and energy that goes into each jacket, jumper, tunic top or dress that the company produces, I have to admit I find the designs a little old fashioned. I popped in with my mum — who confirmed my thoughts when she said the clothes reminded her of outfits she wore back in the seventies. She quite liked one or two garments but changed her mind when she noticed the price tags were very 2010!

If you are looking for real Scottish knitwear, Bill Baber is the place to go. Situated on the Grassmarket, Bill Baber is just a short walk from the Royal Mile and so it is a convenient place for tourists to reach.
Bill Baber handmade the most beautiful knitwear clothes. They sell a vast range of jumpers, jackets, dresses, skirts, tops and accessories, all of which are made with organic and natural fibres. I love to come here and admire the gorgeous clothes. I bought a jumper here last year, which is lovely and thick and I wear all the time in winter and it is so warm — was such a good buy! The clothes in this store are really classic and so they won’t go out of fashion in the blink of eye like most clothes in the shops. I bought a brooch here a few month ago for a friends birthday and she loved it — I wish I had bought one for myself too as it was beautiful.
The clothes are of an excellent quality, and the prices are really reasonable, with jumpers costing around £60 so it is fantastic value for money. Bill Baber is a great wee clothes store which is definitely worth a look.

This place is the twin shop of Joyce Forsyth, as far as I’m concerned. Or at least it looks pretty much exactly the same, though without the quirky knitting gear stashed in the corner.
Colours colours colours and funky patterns. I never know whether I want to buy something there to hang on my wall or buy something there to hang on myself. In any case, I ended up buying nothing at all.
Everyone gets that slightly uncomfortable feeling when they see someone else wearing exactly what they’re wearing. So, you’ll either have to learn how to start making clothes on your own, or go to Bill Baber, where everything is handmade. And one of a kind.
The stuff they knit is beyond my wildest crochet-​dreams. Whole jackets and dresses and tops. How anyone has the patience to even start or finish one of those is beyond me. But they’re oh so pretty.

The intricate, unique knits that are on sale in Bill Baber are truly delightful!
For the past few decades, Bill Baber and his wife have been running this entire business from their own shop. Each garment is hand knitted with love, and thus unique.
For all that, they pride themselves on continuously updating their fashions, and their knitwear is very contemporary and stylish as a consequence. The jumpers and skirts in here look timeless, plush and delicate without being flimsy.
A shop which sells long lasting but light knitwear that makes its mark as a fashion statement is a sure fire winner in my eyes. Universally appealing, Bill Baber is the sort of independent business that is absolutely deserving of its solid, good reputation.

Stopped in here on a recent trip to Edinburgh – what a treat!
The store is filled with beautiful fashionable knitwear in every shade imaginable. Dresses, cardigans, sweaters, you name it. And everything is super soft!
The owners are also probably the friendliest, most helpful people you’ll ever meet. Seriously. They’ll spend as much time with you as you need, trying things on, grabbing other items for you. My mom probably tried on 50 things, and they were super patient and helpful the whole time.
Definitely worth checking out.