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Vintage Shopping has always been a big passion of mine. I love the hunt and the history. One of my first jobs was at Oonas a vintage store in Boston, MA. Another passion is classic films, with the fashion and styles worn. Recently, I watched a mini-series from the 80’s with Farrah Fawcett playing the Woolrich heiress, Barbara Hutton in the “Poor Little Rich Girl.” I love the fashion in the film, and Barbara’s style was from the 1930’s, as she was wearing clothes from Elsa Schiaparelli. During the Great Depression, Barbara was one of the wealthiest women in the world, appeared in fashion features in Vogue, and married eight men over her lifetime.

From my interviewing of great vintage stores, I noticed each owner is a vintage lover, and each store represents a unique style. I discovered them at the Manhattan Vintage Show. A great event that comes to New York City two times a year.

Foreword by Alison Hernon, Editor-In-Chief, PhotoBook Magazine

Website: http://www.timesvintage.com and Instagram: @thetimesvintage

Store Name?
The store name is The Times Vintage.
Owner Name?
My name is Elizabeth Sweigart.
Location of store?
The store is located in Greenport, Long Island.
How long has the store been around?
The store has been open for 5 years.
Tell us about your shop? What is the premise of the clothing?
Our shop is a culmination of all things vintage. Though we sell a little bit of everything from vinyl to home furnishings, Vintage clothing from around the 1930-1970’s is our specialty! Most of our inventory comes from word of mouth and people bringing things in - we get new inventory on the daily!
Why did you decide to open a vintage store?
It was a dream of mine to have my own vintage shop from a very young age. Ever since I can remember, I was referred to as an “old soul.” I was truly mesmerized by things of the past & always felt that I belonged in a different era. Opening the shop was the closest gateway to the past - a way of “time traveling” so to speak by way of clothing & objects. I love sharing that with our customers.
Do you wear vintage clothing yourself?
Absolutely.
The store itself is quite impressive, tell us about it?
The shop lives in what once was the old Suffolk Times Newspaper building, built around 1900. Our name, The Times Vintage, gives homage to its origin as well as perfectly sums up what we were all about. We carry a large variety of items from all different time periods.
Do any celebrities shop at your store?
There’s been a few, but one of my favorite moments was when photographer Mick Rock came in & remarked about a David Bowie print we had on the wall that he had actually taken.
Do you see a trend with vintage wear being very popular now?
Yes, I think it’s much more accessible to everyone now thanks to internet & social media platforms. Perhaps because there’s less hunting that has to be done to find what people are looking for. Instead of scouting for hours, you can search for anything!
What is your take on Slow Fashion? Vintage Wear is considered in this category due to recycled clothing.
I think it’s a very good thing. One thing I appreciate about living out on the North Fork, similarly to what I appreciate about slow fashion, is that it is a community that supports small businesses rather than corporations. There are literally no chains or big commercial shopping centers rather an abundance of local eco-driven entrepreneurs. Vintage is probably the slowest form of slow fashion in that we are recycling pieces that have been around for years. Also, as trends come back around again & again, you can’t go wrong with a classic vintage piece!
What is your motto in life?
My favorite quote comes from my Mom; “Relationships come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.” I pretty much live by that.

2. Website: butterfleasbrocante@gmail.com and Instagram: @la_garconne_boutique

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LaGarconneBoutique?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Photograph by La Garçonne Boutique team.

Store Name?
The store name is La Garçonne Boutique.
Owner Name?
My name is Stephanie Cavalli.
How long has the store been around?
The store has been around three and a half years.
Tell us about your shop? What is the premise of the clothing?
The thought behind La Garçonne revolves around the concept that we are constantly producing waste that will be increasingly difficult to dispose of. Buying, selling, and sometimes re-interpreting vintage and antique garments is for me a way to recycle, allowing incredible pieces to come back to life, all whilst wearing something unique that fits your taste to a T. It's good for the earth, good for yourself!
Why did you decide to open a vintage store?
I always had a real fascination for everything past. It has survived decades without losing its luster: even when it's still dirty, or damaged, one can still see when it is a special piece. I really think it's a shame to let it go to the dumpster.
I travel to find special pieces, I get to meet a lot of people with the same interests, many with a knowledge over the subject that is astounding. Therefore my shop is an opportunity to create a ever-changing collection of beautiful things and share them with whomever might like them.. It is a lot of fun!
Do you wear vintage clothing yourself?
Absolutely.
Tell us about your shop in Etsy, how this help grow your business?
Having a shop on Etsy is useful to better understand the business, while keeping all of the vintage lovers connected.
Do any celebrities shop at your store?
No. Or at least not that I know of…
Do you see a trend with vintage wear being very popular now?
Definitely. There are so many people who turned to vintage, looking for something different from the mainstream fashion, which has the tendency to make us all look fairly good, but all the same.
What is your take on Slow Fashion? Vintage Wear is considered in this category due to recycled clothing.
It is the only fashion that will become a precious antique, one day.

11. What is your motto in life?
"Rome wasn't built in a day". I am not aiming to build an empire (!), but it is good to remind myself to be
patient and to not cut corners. Also, I am from Rome so I like it even more.

3. Website: http://www.zingaravintage.rocks and Instagram: @zingaravintage

Store Name?
Zingara Vintage & Handmade Treasures. Zingara means Gypsy in Italian. I think of the items I collect, restore and find homes for as the gypsies, the travelers and story tellers. Each item has a soul. A history. It’s my honor to be able to posses such treasures even for a short time and it’s my deepest pleasure to see them leave my shop with people that appreciate them.
Location of store?
Zingara is located on Beach 91st street in Rockaway Beach, NY, a small and magical peninsula South of NYC and East of Long Island. The Atlantic Ocean is just a few hundred feet away from the shop and Jamaica Bay on the North Shore. The Bay is beautiful. The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is right over the bridge, as is JFK international airport. Rockaway Beach is also home to NYC’s only surfing beaches. People come from all over the world to surf here, enjoy our unique beach culture , amazing restaurants, shops and small town vibes just around the corner from NYC. The shop is also one block from the highway, one block from the subway and a few block from the NYC Ferry which will get you to the beach from downtown Manhattan in 45 minutes for $2.75, just sayin’.
How long has the store been around?
I’m cruising into my fourth winter in the shop. I opened in June of 2015, although Zingara was alive and well for a few years in Rockaway before it had walls. I would take the train 2+hours from Brooklyn with my 6 year old and a suitcase stuffed with treasures and a few poles and set up a rack anywhere and everywhere. Friend’s driveways, local restaurants like Whit’s End ( when visiting Rockaway, make sure you eat here as often as possible, it’s absolutely fantastic) outside coffee shops, on the boardwalk, at community yard sales and markets. I had been keeping an eye out for the right spot and the right time and I found my forever home in a big beautiful bright corner space in one of the oldest buildings in Rockaway. The space itself is truly enchanting.
Tell us about your shop? What is the premise of the clothing?
The shop is open all year. That might not sound unusual, but Rockaway is a largely seasonal tourist town, although that’s quickly changing as more shops open and big beautiful housing and new hotels are being built. During the winter months, I open the Zingara Lounge and have musicians perform and I serve fancy cocktails at the donation bar. These parties always end up being dress-up parties and they really are so much fun. I also host all kinds of workshops.
I suppose it begins with my van, my cherished van. Her name is Gypsy too and we go on the best adventures together with my daughter. On our trips , I find all kinds of things in all kinds of places. I mostly focus on clothing but who can resist the perfect little stool or walking stick? I often adopt items that need restoration. This is the case with many estates. I regularly work very closely with families and this is probably my favorite way to acquire collections because they are consistent, and I learn the story of the clothing. I fully restore about 90% of the garments that end up in the shop. I take great care and find so much joy in bring back to life clothing that would otherwise definitely get thrown out because of it’s condition.
A few years ago, I acquired the estate of an art teacher here in Rockaway. I got all of her clothes from the 40s to the 90s and it was an absolutely exquisite collection, although it took months of hand washing and sewing about 400 garments.
The last few years, I’ve been collecting vintage Terrycloth. It’s become quite the obsession. I have several hundred pieces now from the 40’a to the 80’s in my collection including accessories and shoes. I’m waiting for the right time to release it but every once in awhile, I let a few pieces go and the only way to know when is to keep an eye on my social media.
Why did you decide to open a vintage store?
I never planned on opening up a vintage shop, but always fantasized about what it would be like to have one. Being the oldest of four children raised by a single mother with excellent taste, I spent a lot of time as a child in little shops with my Mom, sifting through potential fixer-uppers.
I studied fine art in college for almost a decade but never graduated. I was a bartender for 18 years and became a single mother with a 2 year old at the age of 28. I always had very interesting and creative jobs. I taught after school art classes. I worked as an assistant to an art conservator, volunteered in my daughter’s school for years. But somehow, I was bored. And sad. And lonely. I spent a lot of time thinking of how I wanted my life to be and the adventures I wanted to go on and what kind of lifestyle I wanted for my daughter and I. It was strange and almost immediate. I like, gave myself permission to pursue my desires. I decided to actually do all the things I dreamt I wanted to do.
I bought my first car, my van when I was 36 years old and it changed my life. I woke up one day and decided to go all in. I didn’t have any background in business, I certainly didn’t have savings and I had no business plan, but I had guts and faith and passion.
There was no place I loved more than Rockaway Beach. When I first signed my lease to the shop, after writing the first check I had one dollar left. One actual dollar. I made a deal to pay the first month’s rent when I opened the shop and earned every penny serving one cocktail at a time. I called in favors and bartered for work. I opened that shop with blind and strong will.
Do you wear vintage clothing yourself?
I love vintage clothing. Now, I’m a regular sized gal. In the vintage world, it isn’t easy to find things in my size. This a one of the reasons I began collecting vintage, to at least have that pretty little thing for a short while. Now that I’ve been in the business for over a decade, I have a vast collection of vintage clothing that I wear regularly. I wear a lot of vintage jewelry. I’m particularly fond of large silver rings. I have a beautiful collection of vintage kimonos which I wear at home lounging, or out instead of a demim jacket or formally. A girl can’t have enough rings or kimonos.
I’m definitely not a all-vintage-all-the-time person though. I often mix vintage and modern and when I do buy new clothes, I prefer to buy them directly from their creator.
I’m lucky enough to have some amazingly talented friends that are designers and make beautiful clothing in small batches. I like knowing the process, where the materials come from, knowing the people that produced them make a fair wage and that they were made locally. Some of my favorite pieces right now are from OFF SEASON and De La Mer 1981, both local brands of the highest quality and beauty.
Are there other vintage shops in the Rockaway area?
Across the street from Zingara is The Rockaway Cottage. Jenny carries an eclectic collection of furniture and housewares and the occasional garments. We are constantly sending our clients to each other. I love shopping there too and Jenny owns some beautiful dresses from my shop and I own some beautiful furniture from hers.
Do any celebrities shop at your store?
Over the years, many celebrities have shopped at the store and I have quite a few regulars. They like anyone else, come back because I carry high quality vintage at very reasonable prices, and I take time to get to really get to know them, what they like, what they’re into and I always think forward for special events. I’m also a personal shopper and keep notes of people’s wishlists. If I don’t have a particular item being sought, I can find it. Sometimes I’m like, ‘ c’mon, throw a dog a bone and shout a sister out’ but at the same time, I think it’s important for shopping at Zingara to truly be intimate. I respect the vibes that people seek when they come in, and I’m pretty good at reading what kind of attention people need. It’s my art.
Do you see a trend with vintage wear being very popular now?
More than seeing a trend in vintage clothing’s popularity, I see a shift in consumer consciousness altogether . People care now more than ever about the environment and sustainability. I think my customers love coming to my shop because it’s a full sensory experience. I provide one on one attention that is far less common these days, especially with the connivence of e commerce. I think other boutique owners will agree. Also, there is just nothing like a one of a kind piece. There certainly is a trend in retail about expressing your individuality. What better way to do that than with vintage. I also love thinking about how a person can go to a hundred vintage shops and never see the same thing twice.
What is your motto in life?
It’s better to know than to wonder’. It just is. It’s carved into the sign outside my shop. It means, Don’t just look through the window, just come in? It means, don’t wonder if it’ll fit you, just try it on, try a dozen things on, if not only to have fun. It means, take the trip, ask all the questions, go on all the adventures, make that thing you’ve been thinking about, write down that idea. More simply said, why not?

4. Website: https://www.shoprockredux.com and Instagram: @rockredux

Store Name?
The store name is Rock Redux.
Owner Name?
Laura Satzman
Location of store?
The store is online but based in New York City.
How long has the store been around?
It’s has been around for one year.
Tell us about your shop? What is the premise of the clothing?
Rock Redux is a collection of vintage clothing and accessories focused on different music genres from the 1950’s-1990’s. Rock-n-Roll history, so to speak.
Why did you decide to open a vintage store?
It happened pretty organically. I had started collecting vintage clothing to incorporate into my artwork (I do portraits of my favorite musicians ). Having worked as a bag designer for 16 years, I missed being involved in fashion, so selling vintage now is the perfect outlet.
Do you wear vintage clothing yourself?
Of course! I mix it with modern pieces and always with a rock-n-roll vibe.
The store has a rock-n-roll feel, are you a big music fan?
YES! Everything I do is inspired by music.
Do any celebrities shop at your store?
Not yet.
Do you see a trend with vintage wear being very popular now?
Absolutely! I think people want to be more creative in how they dress.
What is your take on Slow Fashion? Vintage Wear is considered in this category due to recycled clothing.
I am very happy to be involved in the slow fashion of selling vintage. Fast fashion is the reason why I took a break from the industry, when I was a bag designer. I am a strong believer in the appreciation of quality.
What is your motto in life?
Live your dreams!

5. Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AmandasAtticVintage, Instagram: @amandasatticvintage

Photograph by Amanda’s Attic Vintage team.

Store Name?
Amanda's Attic Vintage
Owner Name?
Amanda Becan
Location of store?
I do not have a brick & mortar store. I sell vintage clothing and accessories on Etsy. I also allow local clients to shop my inventory by appointment at my residence in Richboro, Pennsylvania. I have also expanded my clientele by becoming a vendor at the Manhattan Vintage Show and plan on finding additional vintage shows to participate in.
How long has the store been around?
I have been selling on Etsy since 2013. I have also been working part-time for a vintage clothing auction, Andi Charkow's Auction Services, based in Horsham, Pennsylvania for the past 5 years.
Tell us about your shop? What is the premise of the clothing?
I specialize in vintage clothing and accessories from as early as the 1850's through the 1990's. The bulk of these items are from the Victorian era (the late 1800's) through the 1970's.
Why did you decide to open a vintage store?
I initially started collecting and wearing vintage clothing during my Junior and Senior years of high school. I was particularly drawn to the 60's and 70's clothing because they were funky and unique. My mother would go to estate sales and buy bulks of vintage clothing, not knowing if they would fit me or not. As I grew older, I became more interested in items from the 1920's through the 1950's. Eventually I had amassed a collection of over 6,000 pieces that I decided I needed to share my incredible finds with other lovers of vintage clothing.
You have really nice pieces from a collection of decades, are you very particular about your product sold?
Since I have been collecting for almost 20 years, I tend to focus on pieces that are timeless and unique. I don't know how to sew, therefore, most of my inventory is in good to excellent condition.
Do you wear vintage clothing yourself?
Unfortunately, a lot of the clothing is not in my size, but I have found a few pieces that do fit that I wear on occasion.
Do any celebrities shop at your store?
I have not had any celebrities buy pieces from me, as of yet.
Do you see a trend with vintage wear being very popular now?
The great thing about vintage clothing and fashion is that every style will come back into trend eventually. Last year, jumpsuits came back into style, which was popular in the 1960's and 1970's.
What is your take on Slow Fashion? Vintage Wear is considered in this category due to recycled clothing.
Vintage Wear is considered in this category due to recycled clothing. People are drawn to vintage clothing and accessories not only for their unique style, but due to its durability. The clothing produced today are very unlikely to last 100+ years.
What is your motto in life?
If you enjoy your job, you will never work a day in your life. Nothing is unattainable if you have the motivation and the drive to achieve it

6. Website: http://www.veevintage.com and Instagram: @veeisforvintage

Store Name?
Vee Vintage
Owner Name?
Virginia Frances
Location of store?
I primarily do PopUp Shops and Flea Markets in Seattle. This past October I did the Manhattan Vintage Show in New York for the first time. It was a blast and I’m planning to do it again in 2019. I’m also hoping to do some shows this Winter and Spring in LA so I can get a SUN-cation in while I work. I sell online through VEEVINTAGE.COM as well as on Instagram, but in-person is my preference because I love interacting with my customers.
How long has the store been around?
I’ve been in business since 2014.
Tell us about your shop? What is the premise of the clothing?
It’s a bit eclectic. Primarily I collect and sell 1940s to 1990s with a strong lean toward unique pieces with vibrant colors and patterns. 80s and 90s street fashion is usually in the mix. Wearable art is also my jam. I also just love well-tailored classic pieces. Needless to say, there’s a little something for everyone.
Why did you decide to open a vintage store?
I’ve always been an avid thrifter and style enthusiast. In high school I wore a lot of 70s fashion from the goodwill in town. I did a style column for our school newspaper and was also a theater geek where I began playing around with costuming. In my mid 20s I started a blog to showcase my thrifted outfits. I kept thrifting more and more to maintain content and then it just sort of morphed into buying things that didn’t just fit me and that’s when I decided to give the flea market thing a try. That first flea market was insane. I felt so much in my element, had a ton of fun and was shocked by how much money I made, so I decided to become a legit business and build a brand for myself. About a year later I reduced my day job to just 20 hours a week, which was very exciting.
I noticed that you offer styling services, please tell us what is that about?
I work with customers to outfit them for special events (like a wedding or an on-stage performance) or for general closet revamping. I also provide decade specific wardrobe for photoshoots and film sets.
Do you wear vintage clothing yourself?
Of course! I’d be a total hypocrite if I didn’t. I do a lot of vintage and modern mixing and I encourage my customers to do the same. If I’m wearing something modern it most likely came from a thrift store. I’m cheap and am also obsessed with finding rare and funky pieces. I’ll definitely drop some cash on new shoes though, so I guess it all sort of balances out.
Do any celebrities shop at your store?
Not that I’m aware of. I’m more interested in dressing everyday people who just love stand-out fashion and are bold enough to wear it.
Do you see a trend with vintage wear being very popular now?
Most trends come back around in some form every 20-30 years, but even the vintage styles that resurface are not made in the same quality and care as the original and I think people are starting to take notice. The beauty of wearing vintage is that you have 70+ years of fashion to choose from. You can pull from the best of each era (and leave behind the god-awful ones). Any great designer of today is gathering inspiration from the past. Mixing and matching from different decades is a great way to experiment and create a style that is truly yours and not just a cookie-cutter look of this season's trends.
What is your take on Slow Fashion? Vintage Wear is considered in this category due to recycled clothing.
My professional background is social work and I tend to view the world through the ways that our political systems and institutions impact people, communities and the environment. While a 1950s dress still wears beautifully today, there's a pile of last year's trends making their way to a landfill near you because they were made to be worn for one season only and then disposed of. This is not sustainable! In addition, vintage clothes were made at a time when American society, and the American political system, valued factory workers and believed in fair wages and good working conditions. Inside many vintage clothes you will see a labor union tag designating the worker's union representing the very person who created the garment. This tag is a symbol of humanity and you will be hard pressed to find such a tag in anything made today. Most of today's mainstream clothes are made overseas in the most horrific working conditions, paying people barely enough to eat for the day- quite the contrast from just a few decades ago. So for me, wearing and selling vintage is as much about values as it is about style.
What is your motto in life?
Be kind; always think BIGGER; and try to have as much fun as possible along the way.

8. Website: https://www.classicallycurated.com and Instagram: @classicallycurated

Photograph by The Classically Curated team.

Store Name?
The store’s name is Classically Curated.
Owner Name?
My name is Mallory DeLuca.
Location of store?
The location of the store is Charleston, SC.
How long has the store been around?
I launched Classically Curated in the Summer 2018.
It was always a dream of mine to share my carefully curated racks of clothing from numerous decades with others. I believe fashion should not be solely trendy, but should also include elements that make an individual feel sexy, confident, and classy. I was determined to create a website to exhibit modern, gently worn, pre-owned fashion alongside my carefully collected vintage pieces.
Tell us about your shop? What is the premise of the clothing?
Feminine, classic, effortless, cool, and unique are some words that describle the store/clothing. I make sure each piece is in excellent condition. I don’t buy inventory on the basis that it is “vintage.” I curate based on quality, style, and fabrics.
Why did you decide to open a vintage store?
Fashion has always been a passion of mine. I created CLASSICALLY CURATED based on my passion for pairing vintage and modern garments and accessories to create unique, classic fashion statements.
Tell us about living and owning a store in Charleston, SC, what kind of clientele do you get?
I do not currently have a storefront. I am part of the local markets and fleas. Similar to Brooklyn Flea. I hope to have a brick and mortar someday, however online and markets seem to be the way of the future.
I like that you have pre-owned pieces, not necessarily vintage and time period oriented. Tell us why this is important to you.
Pre-owned pieces are important to me because not only is it sustainable, it’s economical, practical and stylish. I enjoy the idea of sharing closets. Consignment stores have come a long way. Pre-Owned/vintage pieces are a good way to get the handbag/clothing of your dreams without draining your bank account.
Do you wear vintage clothing yourself?
Absolutely! I have my own private collection. I love pairing vintage with modern pieces to create a vintage look with a modern touch or a modern look with a hint of vintage timelessness.
Do any celebrities shop at your store?
Not yet!
Do you see a trend with vintage wear being very popular now?
Vintage will never go out of style. Those who truly love and know fashion will always have a place for vintage in their closets. Styles always circle back.
What is your take on Slow Fashion? Vintage Wear is considered in this category due to recycled clothing.
I think it’s fantastic. The Tortoise and the Hair….The Tortoise always wins. I think that is a good analogy here. Slow fashion creates fashion consciously with etiquette.
What is your motto in life?
Fashion should always compliment the soul; live happy, stylish and just be yourself.

9. Website: http://www.iconstyle.net and Instagram: @iconstylenyc

Photographed by Teddy Telles, IG’s @teddyt.

Store Name?
The store is called Icon Style.
Owner Name?
My name is Lara Kornbluh.
Location of store?
104 W. 70th St, New York NY (between Broadway and Columbus) on the Upper West Side.
How long has the store been around?
We have been at our current location for almost 6 years. Before that we had a spot on West 69th for a couple years, and we've been a part of the Upper West Side scene for more than a decade.
Tell us about your shop? What is the premise of your jewelry line?
We are an antique and vintage shop specializing in jewelry with everything from fine, to silver, to costume pieces. We also carry vintage clothing and accessories. There are two sides to our business- we are half coming at it from the vintage fashion and styling perspective, and half historians of early antique jewelry and clothing.
Why did you decide to open this store?
My degree was fine arts- metalsmithing. For more than a decade I was a gallery artist and jeweler. On weekends as a passion project I would sell antique jewelry at flea markets and high end shows. My degree had taught me craftsmanship, artists to know, and the history of antique and vintage jewelry. The more time I spent in the vintage community the more I knew I wanted to be a part of it. The more I learned, the more I knew how deeply I felt about preserving this history. There is so much love and energy in these pieces that have been worn and treasured by others for decades or centuries, and at the store we are working to keep the legacies alive of the artists that created these pieces, and the people who wore them. We want to keep it all in the hands of people who will value and understand it for what it is, and love it as much as we do. These pieces hold our memories... "I found this ring wandering a flea market in Paris" or "I wore this dress on my first date with my honey."
Tell us why people are still interested in have the bag/accessory that Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor wore?
We look to "icons of style" for inspirational fashion- they provide a great jumping off point. We love putting a twist on timeless looks from throughout history. There are great moments and ideas from every era, and we are all about figuring out which moments work for an individual's style, and how we can continue the cycle of fashion in a way that is fresh and interesting.
Do you wear vintage clothing/jewelry yourself?
Every chance I get! Which is everyday.
Do any celebrities shop at your store?
Yes, but we don't dress and tell... We do personal styling for events like the Oscars & Grammys, public appearances, or casual daywear, as well as costuming and styling for television, film and editorial. I am always honored to be able to style any of my clients for their most intimate or momentous occasions, whether it's a wedding, an everyday look, or a night out.
Do you see a trend with vintage wear being very popular now?
Yes, in several ways... You have designers we all know and love pulling inspiration and referencing vintage pieces. And then people are following those trends, but there's always a desire to have something no one else has, so you can come in to a shop like ours and buy an original one of a kind piece. There is also a green aspect of this business that is definitely gaining popularity. Our shop buys nothing new, we produce nothing new, my life's work is restoring and reclaiming pieces of the past. All these great, creative, high-quality pieces are out there for us to enjoy without having to keep producing more and more stuff, and people are starting to increasingly value that.
What is your take on Slow Fashion? Vintage Wear is considered in this category due to recycled clothing.
Mass production and consumerism have had a tremendous effect on the quality of clothing and jewelry and the way people think about style and shopping for fashion. A big part of our society is producing and purchasing so much more and so quickly now that quality has been sacrificed for price point. The advent of fast fashion has brought about abuse of labor, negative environmental impact, and a terrible track record of stealing ideas from the original designer. Vintage fashion combats a lot of those negatives. There is so much great vintage and antique clothing and jewelry with incredible original designs, amazing quality of craftsmanship, and on top of all that you are reusing these materials and products. You get to avoid the wastefulness of disposable fashion and look great doing it.
What is your motto in life?
Work Hard, Be Kind, Live Your Passion! Never be afraid to be yourself and be different- it is your greatest asset.