Working with Vintage

[pigeon toe]

Recently I just applied for a summer internship to work with the lovely Revamp Vintage, and I'm quite excited. I'm probably going for an interview next week, my first official interview ever. I hope to someday open my own vintage clothing store and I'm hoping this internship will give me some experience working in the realm of vintage reproduction and retail.

So, my question for all of you is, how many of you have made vintage a part of your career? Do any of you own shops or have dabbled in it before? What's it like?

Hopefully there's not another thread like this that I'm missing, let me know if I'm being redundant!

 

[Elaina]

I'm in the process of opening up a boutique for plus sized women, with a focus on non-genetic women and an acceptance of women that work in the adult industry. Do I have vintage available? Yes. Can I design something vintage? Yes. Does it make good business sense? Not at all.

For me, I do it because I want to wear it, so I design it and have it available. In 2 years of doing it, I've sold exactly one. And it was for a Quinceañera. I think it boils down to any other business model: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

My clientèle ranges from everyone from a non-genetic female model, a plus sized adult actress and a lawyer. They all dress really different from one another, and you'd be surprised at other people's taste. None of the women I cater to care for it.

 

[Orgetorix]

non-genetic women

Is this another term for transgendered?

 

[Fletch]

Back when my cousin owned a countryfied boutique in Connecticut, I used to supply a few dozen 40s/50s ties every year for her men's collection. They always sold well, and at handsome prices.

 

[Elaina]

Is this another term for transgendered?

Yes, and I'll be darned if I know exactly what to say. Ma'am usually.

 

[dr greg]

the hard road

I sell vintage clothing at markets, and have done for many years, so not having overheads like power and constant rent helps, but the big thing is : sourcing your stock, it gets harder and harder to find the stuff, I often travel hundreds of miles through the backblocks hunting up stuff in small towns off the track. The city charity shops are useless as they are all charging top dollar themselves leaving no margin for profit, and I think it would be near impossible to do it in a big city unless you had good connections with a rag company or lived at the auctions. Antique dealers are regularly contacted by relatives to handle furniture and effects, but clothes typically are thrown out or given to charity. It's a game that gets tougher every year. Do your research before taking it on.

 

[carebear]

Yes, and I'll be darned if I know exactly what to say. Ma'am usually.

If it isn't a frat boy at a costume party, if someone is in a dress, I'll call them ma'am out of courtesy. Seems safest.

 

[pigeon toe]

I sell vintage clothing at markets, and have done for many years, so not having overheads like power and constant rent helps, but the big thing is : sourcing your stock, it gets harder and harder to find the stuff, I often travel hundreds of miles through the backblocks hunting up stuff in small towns off the track. The city charity shops are useless as they are all charging top dollar themselves leaving no margin for profit, and I think it would be near impossible to do it in a big city unless you had good connections with a rag company or lived at the auctions. Antique dealers are regularly contacted by relatives to handle furniture and effects, but clothes typically are thrown out or given to charity. It's a game that gets tougher every year. Do your research before taking it on.

Finding quality garments, accessories, etc. is exactly what I'm afraid of. And then the idea of the business failing is even more frightening. I would feel so horrible if it wasn't a success.

In LA though, there are so many vintage shops that mostly cater to 60's-80's clothing, whereas I'm most interested in 1900's-early 60's. The ones that do stock that sort of stuff in LA tend to be outrageously priced. I think there would be a good market for "affordable", quality vintage here. I may be just dreaming though!

 

[flat-top]

I owned and operated a vintage shop in the mid 90's. We specialized in women's apparel & accessories and had one rack of men's stuff. The store was in the "hip" part of town, frequented by artists and celebrities. Unfortunately, we became just one of the freaky stops on Main St; no one bought anything and the rent was ridiculous. We had a rough time and closed after about a year.
Less than a year after we closed, the swing craze of the 90's hit, which would have certainly saved us. ((sigh))

 

[reetpleat]

Finding quality garments, accessories, etc. is exactly what I'm afraid of. And then the idea of the business failing is even more frightening. I would feel so horrible if it wasn't a success.

In LA though, there are so many vintage shops that mostly cater to 60's-80's clothing, whereas I'm most interested in 1900's-early 60's. The ones that do stock that sort of stuff in LA tend to be outrageously priced. I think there would be a good market for "affordable", quality vintage here. I may be just dreaming though!

Having worked actively in the vintage realm in San Francisco, I feel qualified to comment a little.

I do not think there is much future in Vintage clothing, especially owning a shop. there are some pickers that make pretty good money by keeping up on all trends, dealing in designer stuff, intage and new, and having a lot of connections.

the supply is minimal and competition over it is fierce. I have known a number of shop owners tha are open for a few years, then they always go out of business. rents in any decent area is high and few people buy it anymore.

Grantd, LA is a beter market than most and there is alot more stuff out there than in some areas. But then again, you are competing with many shops for customers.

There are a few small shops that have their niche and do well, so if you want to bad enough, go for it. Don't let me stop you. The real money is with reproduction, and in running a large shop like wasteland that buys chep and sells cheap. But I am nt sure how fun that wold be to just cater to whatever the kids are wearing this week.

As far as running a shop that is affordable, i applaud your desire to make it affordable, but you are running a business, not a charity for poor vintage enthusiasts. I suggest you make a much money as you can off any given piece, without pricing yourself so high as to lose customers of course. If you carry the choice stuff, which is all people seem to want anymore, you will need and have right to charge top dollar for it. Especially in LA where there is so much money you relly need not feel guilty for parting them from their ill gotten gains.

If you are interestd though, I suggest that rather than work for a repro clothing company (unless that is what you want to get into) start working as a wholesaler and at one or more flea markets. LA is great for that. Learn a lot from talking to your customers and the shop owners, and then you will be well educated as to how to run a business. You might even find a shop tha wants to sell or take on a partner.

 

[reetpleat]

I owned and operated a vintage shop in the mid 90's. We specialized in women's apparel & accessories and had one rack of men's stuff. The store was in the "hip" part of town, frequented by artists and celebrities. Unfortunately, we became just one of the freaky stops on Main St; no one bought anything and the rent was ridiculous. We had a rough time and closed after about a year.
Less than a year after we closed, the swing craze of the 90's hit, which would have certainly saved us. ((sigh))

YOu are right, the swing craze was great for years and allowed you to ssell a lot of mediocre stuff and a lot more of it. These days though, it is well over and you can only mostly sell the choice stuff, or cater to the kids and their love of eighties clothes. If you can figure out what they want that is.

 

[flat-top]

Actually, the way to go these days is Ebay. I am a seller (well I buy more than I sell, but..) and I sell most of my stuff to overseas buyers. It's really amazing how the vintage scene is thriving EVERYWHERE but the US. California being the one exception. A store definitely could succeed there. But still, you won't get the kind of exposure that Ebay gives you.

 

[Lady Day]

First off, congrads on applying for the internship. I hope you get it.

I 'intern' at a sewing lounge here in the citay called Stitch Lounge. Its pretty cool. I get to be around a lot of seamstresses, and learn from them. Alas, out of all of them I am the only one interested in vintage.

Because I am there, Im interested in doing some vintage commissions and see how that goes. They have a boutique of sale things and I was gonna put a coat or two in there, see if it moves, also some hand made glasses cases and small coin purses, stuff like that. So I guess that is a part of my working with vintage clothes.

As an illustrator, I do a few vintage inspired illustrations often, mainly in technique rather than subject matter. For a children's book Im hoping to work on, I want to see if I can run by the author of setting it in the late 50s.

As for my fine art, Im doing a series of Blackface linoleum cuts and 40s Jazz inspired posters. Those I do for fun, but they are turning out well I may have to sell a few

So there you have it. It seems my love of vintage is seeping into my wallet, and not in the take out since

Good luck,

LD

 

[cookie]

Vintage Sewing

Oh to be talented like! Keep it up!