It’s no secret that the fashion industry is preoccupied with shedding its image of being wasteful and environmentally-unfriendly. According to a BBC report last July, the world is expected to trash more than 134 million tonnes of textiles annually by 2030.
As the industry’s ambitions for circular fashion practices become more pronounced in recent years, the popularity of curated vintage items has also come into focus once again – and seen as being part of the solution.
READ MORE: Gabriela Hearst Is Not Kidding About Making Chloe A Brand Of The Future
But is not just independent speciality shops that are leading the charge towards creating a more sustainable wardrobe. Even luxury watch and jewellery houses like Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels are solidifying their efforts to retail legitimately vintage (read: not inspired) designs from the past which they have acquired from private collectors and institutions, authenticated and restored.
It’s a wise move when one considers how mining for gold is not exactly Earth-friendly. A report in the Smithsonian Magazine cited data which said that obtaining raw gold to produce a single ring sees 20 tons of rock and soil extracted and discarded. Often, this excavation pollutes waterways and damages ecosystems far downstream from the mine site.
READ MORE: Can You Love Fashion And Still Be Sustainable? One Advocate Shares Her Manifesto
Back in Singapore, the vintage retail scene – dominated by names like Deja Vu Vintage and A Vintage Tale who are known for their chic designer threads from the ’50s to the ’70s – have also been reinvigorated. Today, a handful of stores are run by millennial entrepreneurs with a knack for curating streetwear and fashionable fits that stretched back to the ’80s and up to the Y2K era.
READ MORE: Which Designer Bags Have The Best Resale Value?
Some have also taken a more novel way to keep shoppers’ interest piqued. Clasico Casa, for one, adopts a monthly pop-up format. Says co-founder Greg Tan: “This keeps the items different and the experience is not repetitive for those who visit us monthly.”
Ready to dig through the vintage rack for your next shopping trip? Ahead, we suss out five stores with their own USPs tomes to scouring for fashion from the past.
What: Loop Garms (@loopgarms), a curated vintage clothing store in Veerasamy Rd specialising in the ’80s, ’90s and early ’00s pop-culture pieces. You’ll find apparel with lots of music, movie, TV and sporting references, all of which have a unique backstory that the owners are happy to share on.
Who: Founded three years ago by Isaac Ang and FJ Sai, both 29 this year. The duo has been into vintage since their early polytechnic days, buying most items on eBay back then. A trip to Japan, particularly the country’s vibrant vintage scene, inspired them to start this business.
Their USP: The importance that they give to the exchange and sharing of stories – whether it’s about the clothes they have in store or the people that walk through their doors. Says Sai: “Having a physical shopfront allows us to have meaningful conversations with people, and share more about our passion that is vintage clothing. Ultimately, if customers don’t buy anything from us, at least they leave the store with a story. We think of ourselves as a library, where the clothes are much like what books would be.”
Where they source: “Pieces are mostly from the US and Japan. We also have a buy/sell/trade system where customers are free to sell their items to us for either cash upfront or in exchange for store credits,” says Sai. “This has really opened our eyes to what Singaporeans have been hiding in their closets. You never know what customers might bring by, especially items from Singapore’s own history!”
Their dream vintage item: “The Great Singapore Workout tee from the ’90s. It’s a great piece of local history that we’d love to have in our store.”
Most common misconception about vintage: “Customers always confuse these three terms: secondhand, vintage, and thrift. Secondhand is anything that has had a previous owner. Thrift suggests lower prices and isn’t limited to clothing. You can find vintage at thrift stores, but not everything that you thrift is vintage.”
What: Fugu Vintage (@fuguvtg) curates clothing from all over the world. Fugu is the literal translation for the Chinese characters 复古 which translates into “retro”. By popularising vintage culture, its owners envision a greener Earth through consistent efforts.
Who: Helmed by husband-wife team Ken Tan and Jaz Ong, both in their mid-30s. While travelling in Europe, the duo was enamoured by the continent’s vintage culture. They then opened their shop at The Adelphi, to sell what they’d sourced from Europe, as well as Japan and the US. Last October, their business moved entirely to Instagram − though they’re in the midst of searching for a new brick-and-mortar location.
Their USP: The store stocks a handful of rare vintage military field jackets from the ’60s to ’90s. “We are confident of our goods because every piece is carefully studied to ensure the authenticity of its origin and quality. Every piece in our archive has its own unique background story,” says Ong.
Where they source: Before Covid-19 hit, the duo was able to travel overseas for their sourcing trips. During the pandemic, they’ve adapted and started to have clothing flown in via a network of trusted overseas sellers and business partners. Most of their goods come from Japan and the United States.
Their dream vintage item: The P41 Herringbone Twill (HBT) Utility Jacket worn by the United States Marine Corps that was worn by most soldiers throughout World War II. “We love how the HBT construction of this jacket makes it versatile and durable yet lightweight,” says Ong. “Together with its copper buttons and three big functional pockets, this is definitely the type of workwear jacket that was built to last. We are actively looking for one with the right size and condition. If you’ve seen one with sizing ‘pit 23/24’, let us know!”
Most common misconception about vintage: “A handful of people are still reluctant about buying used clothing because they do not see its worth and think that it should not cost more than a few cents. In reality, a good piece of vintage clothing is as good as a collectable antique and will definitely be worth its price tag,” says Ong.
“Some people also think vintage shops are just thrift shops that sell old, unwanted clothing. In fact, we are far from that! We’re a unique boutique collecting and reselling clothing which is wearable, durable and has a story to tell.”
What: Haji Lane store Flame Vintage (@flam3v) stocks authentic vintage apparel from well-known brands, as well as garments featuring relatable pop culture references. Most of their items are rare and difficult to come by.
Who: Founded by 26 year-old Hafiz Arif and his partner Sufiyan Yahya. Hafiz has always harboured an interest in ’90s street fashion. He started the business at 23, not wanting a 9-to-5 desk job he wasn’t passionate about.
Their USP: Original streetwear fits and authentic vintage products.”This differentiates us from many other sellers because they have a blend of authentic and copied vintage pieces. I also curate only the products that are in good condition and we QC our items to ensure there are no major defects,” says Hafiz.
Where they source: They source from all over the world, because these items are in abundance in countries with higher populations compared to Singapore. Street style pieces are also extremely popular in countries like South Korea and Japan.
Their dream vintage item: The Live Aid 1985 Concert T-shirt. Says Hafiz: “This concert was held at Wembley Stadium and the T-shirts were exclusively sold to the people who attended it. They are now worth more than US$200, and it’s extremely rare to find one in perfect condition. I really want this T-shirt because I love Queen and their performance made a significant impact in raising money for famine relief in Africa.”
Most common misconception about vintage: “That secondhand clothes should be sold for a cheaper price than fast fashion items because they are ‘used’,” he says. “But that could not be further from the truth. Secondhand clothes have more value because they are not made anymore. How would you be able to track down special releases by retired NBA players like Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman, if it weren’t for vintage collectors?”
What: Vintage Weeknd, started six years ago as a passion project focusing on original vintage pieces. Now a full-time business, the brand, which is located at 50 Serangoon North Ave 4, features more reworked items that are made from discarded and excess fabrics from fashion production.
Who: The business was founded by couple Eileen Tan and Eden Tay, both 28. They believe in creating an inclusive brand that provides affordable options for anyone looking to enjoy sustainable fashion.
Their USP: “We have a wide range of vintage items and styles, as well as reworked items that appeal to people of all ages, sizes and fashion aesthetics,” says Tan. “When I shopped at other vintage stores in Singapore, many were very niche and only appealed to a specific demographic.”
Where they source: Their vintage items are sourced from various countries around the world, while the reworked design use materials from garment waste discarded by manufacturing factories and facilities.
Their dream vintage item: “I would love to stock original Gunnesax dresses as I think they are absolutely gorgeous,” says Tan. “I have a dream of wearing one on my wedding day!”
Most common misconception about vintage: “That vintage has a very specific look for only a certain group of enthusiasts. To us, it’s for everyone,” she says.
What: Clasico Casa (@clasicocasa) is an event-based online vintage store that opens once a month to host pop-ups with a wide variety of vintage sellers.
Who: Founded by Greg Tan (previously of Exit Vintage) and Cecilia Yeo, both 23. The duo opened their business after witnessing a shortage of good vintage pop-ups and events here.
Their USP: “We collaborate with online vendors and only open once a month. This means that every month, the entire inventory changes. This keeps the items different and the experience is not repetitive for those who visit us monthly,” explains Tan. “With different vendors, this also means that we can cater to a huge crowd with different tastes in fashion.”
Where they source: The company handpicks most of their wares from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Stateside.
Their dream vintage item: “As a fan of Marvel comics and movies, a vintage Spider-Man tee,” says Tan. “Legit vintage Marvel tees can cost quite a substantial sum and they are generally rare to find. As I grew up with Spider-Man, the comics hold a special value to me.”
Most common misconception about vintage: “Lots of people mix thrift and vintage up. Thrift is mostly items that are $1 to $10 in price and come with defects or do not hold much [resale] value in general. Vintage items are curated, pre-owned items with specific designs, and can fetch a high price in the resale market.”