Mark McEvoy’s striking photo of a barefoot smoker in a fur coat outside a Margate vintage shop

In October 2014, photographer Mark McEvoy captured a striking image of a young woman outside a vintage clothing store in Margate, England. She stands barefoot and barelegged in the cold, wearing only a fur coat, cigarette in hand. McEvoy, who had moved from London the previous year, was surprised by her lack of shoes and tights on such a chilly day. He suspected she worked in the shop or was a friend of someone who did, and that the coat might have been from the store’s stock, worn just to keep warm during a break. A gust of wind blowing back her hair added an extra element of drama to the scene. The shop has since become an ice-cream parlour, but the photograph preserves a moment of Margate’s vintage retail history. It’s a reminder of how everyday street scenes can become compelling visual stories.