Luxury from the past

Published in the magazine Ieva, 2024 No. 3 (28)

The fastest growing segment of the fashion sector over the past few years has been vintage items.
demand. There is no greater growth than in second-hand clothing sales, which
tripled and overtook the boom of fast fashion. The latter even in its native Spain, from
which has arisen, is facing an increasingly serious competitor – the fashion lovers’
individual shops with a range of second-hand goods. Here, in Valencia, in one
one of the most beautiful areas of the city, since 2016 El Vestidor vintage (Vintage
wardrobe), where the luxury and stories of the past live.

A place discovered by chance
My first personal experiences searching for vintage clothes took place before the pandemic.
In Barcelona. Most of the second-hand 90s style clothes were found in Poblenou
at the district's monthly fair - a tent full of clothes hung not only according to their
haircut, but also in terms of presentation, it was reminiscent of the aforementioned decade and shopping at the market.
Only the Spanish-bohemian atmosphere added romance, but not the shopping experience itself,
and the smell of old things was only overshadowed by the different smells from the food trucks around.
After moving to Valencia, finding vintage items became more enjoyable. Partly because
the fact that in recent years the number of such nostalgic places has increased significantly and
The offer has expanded significantly, partly because we have been able to get acquainted with vintage
enthusiasts. However, in Valencia, as in other European cities, the clothing fair
second-hand sales in pop-up style markets and prices per kilogram, large
does not attract the buyer.
I discovered one of the largest vintage stores in Valencia by complete accident.
thanks to the fact that once instead of taking a few metro stops, I chose to walk around a part of the city,
where you don't usually have to visit often. It was an unprecedented feeling to find yourself not only among
clothes from different decades, but also among vintage furniture, books, even music,
a history spanning at least three decades, was a good reason to get acquainted with this somewhat
the creator of an eclectic place.

Mariangela's story
It was not uncommon to wear clothes of the same tones from head to toe, with plenty of
Accessorized, elegant Mariangeles Miguel has been working in the fashion sector for 40 years.
years old. “I used to fill clients’ wardrobes, now I empty them,” he says with a smile.
summarizes their activities. Clothes that were bought with joy and enthusiasm are wanted
to bring things back to life – that is the concept of the store. The theme of sustainability is very important to the owner.
equally important, but nevertheless Mariangeles' original idea was to provide quality clothes,
which are now carefully selected by her own, another opportunity. Love for vintage, whose important
added value – uniqueness, accompanies the entrepreneur throughout her life. Eight years ago,
When I started my business, second-hand clothes were not as popular in Spain as they were in other countries.
In European countries. Although the current situation has changed, the further the vintage, the more
interests the masses, however, where does the creation of a business begin, based on a romantic idea
give a second life to luxury goods, but not new ones?
Mariangeles began her career in fashion in the late 80s in a Valencian
in a store that offered clothes from the most famous brands at the time: Versace, Jean Paul
Gaultier and others. The environment of that time itself was exceptional – fashion did not live on the catwalks or
not on the pages of magazines, but simply on the streets. People used to pay much more attention to
They would pick up on the trends of the new season and adopt them without personalizing them as much as is common now.
Valencia was a very fashionable city at that time: no matter how expensive it was to bring
clothes from other countries, the Spanish wanted them, bought them, and generally consumed a lot of fashion. According to
Mariangeles, in the 90s, you didn't have to look far for the famous Fendi baguettes, they were constantly
were seen on the streets of Valencia.
Not only were Mariangeles's youthful decades imbued with elegance and universal
Her love for fashion made her everyday life extremely stylish. Maxmara, Hermes, Salvatore
Ferragamo – former workplace of Mariangeles, current location of Hermes and S. Ferragamo
businesswoman worked as a store manager. This experience, absolute respect for fashion brands,
with whom she worked, Mariangeles eventually transferred it to her own business. Speaking about
The production process of a Hermes leather handbag, which I had the opportunity to observe up close,
Mariangeles does not hide her admiration and emphasizes that only after learning about the creation of luxury items
stories of how the leather is cut, how it is then sewn together, some parts by hand,
customers can understand their value and justify the high price.
An exceptional sense of aesthetics was formed not only by the work environment, but also conveyed
Mariangeles' grandmothers as a child. Mariangeles' grandmother herself always wore
perfectly coordinated clothes, highly valued high-quality fabrics, from which
sewed clothes not only for herself but also for her granddaughter. "When you see how your environment values
quality, over time you can no longer refuse it,” Mariangeles erases the invisible
fluff from her pants and her Hermes earrings jingle softly from the movement.
If I had to describe in one word the impression a Spanish woman of indeterminate age makes –
without a doubt it would be perfectionism. From her stories it is clear that if she thinks,
that they will not be able to offer the customer a high-quality experience, that idea is no longer being considered.
For example, children's clothes or dresses for young people, which customers are asking about, are currently
option was rejected because the shop owner believes that in both cases it would be necessary
additional rooms. It is not worth having several dresses for the bride, because each future
The bride deserves plenty of choice for her special day, and the same goes for children – if this
If there is no opportunity to offer a wide, high-quality assortment at the moment, then it is not for her.

Experience space
Mariangeles breaks down customers' stereotypes about second-hand items and it still amazes her
It's a wonder that there's no unpleasant smell of old things in her shop. That
the store environment would be unique and constantly worked on: there is no mass-produced furniture here,
items, from familiar antique dealers, come if they are interested in their history –
all this so that the space does not leave anyone indifferent and encourages them to live the experience. If you choose
there was a feeling of uncertainty about whether all the shelves would be filled,
now it's important to fit everything in, so if any furniture leaves the store, it
quickly replaced with another, but never while the selected furniture is still in the store, so that it remains
space for extra-wide fitting rooms, a massive sofa next to a bookshelf and, as if from
a home-made coffee table with an openwork lamp.
You can also browse fashion books in the store, but not all of them are for sale, because
belongs to the owner's personal collection. Mariangeles speaks of the latter with reserve,
but admits that the accumulated collection of fashion books is very carefully selected from her
creations from favorite designers like Balenciaga.
Mariangeles modestly talks about never turning down new collaborations
opportunities without even knowing what kind of feedback to expect. This is how common
projects with Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, where photos with
vintage finds, as well as some clothes bought for performances and
musicals, and some have gone on set to create films for the Netflix platform.
Asked if she would like clothes from her store to become one of Lily Collins'
The combination of the character Emily in Paris embodies, Mariangeles just laughs. According to her, the whole
the best of Paris is readily available to the series' stylist, but keeping in mind
character's eclectic style, you can expect anything. Then she surprises you by saying that she's waiting
the new season and even its premiere date.
As customer needs are constantly changing and growing, Mariangeles store is also
included in several commercial routes organized by the city of Valencia, when the city
shopping tours are offered to visitors. Most recently, the store was visited by a tour
agency representatives looking for new interesting recommendations for their clients.

Expert's picks
Mariangeles herself only hangs a new garment in her closet when she takes one out. And this
strictly adheres to the ratio - one piece of clothing is replaced by ONE new one. Clothes for herself
The woman chooses them very carefully – they all correspond exactly to the time of year and the occasion.
surprised that the big store owner's closet isn't that big. "Better 50"
of clothes that we wear all the time, more than 200, most of which we never wear – each of us
"The contents of the wardrobe must be carefully thought out," says Mariangeles. Clothes, according to her, are also
naturally constantly changing in all of our wardrobes, as we wear them, wash them, and iron them. Even
one rule that the stylish businesswoman follows is that a new item will be customized and
worn immediately, not left for the future, because that's how we deceive ourselves, waiting for the right time
an opportunity that doesn't always come. Mariangeles herself buys her clothes everywhere, and looking around,
happening in the market – its constant work.
Among Spanish fashion brands, Mariangales particularly values ​​Loewe, a brand that has been triumphant for 150 years.
In Spain, before the country had such a wide selection of fashion brands. Also
The businesswoman likes to select Juan Duyos, Fernando Lemoniez, Miguel for her store.
Palacio, Amaya Arzuaga – the work of current Spanish designers. And the last one
Mariangales' priority is hand-sewn, label-free models from the 70s and 80s,
which stand out for their uniqueness, excellent cut and fabrics.

Customer stories
How many items have been sold during those eight years of work, Mariangeles says
unimaginative and smilingly says that her focus is not on selling at all
not the quantity of items, but the joy that the clothes and accessories they purchase give their customers.
Mariangeles, who sell their clothes, have a similar attitude - the main thing is not
profit, but to give your beloved garment or accessory a new chance to continue to be dignified
In fact, the most sensitive moments in the store are when customers
gets excited (or even sad) when they discover a piece by their favorite designer. And sometimes
A charismatic printed tie is enough to make any young man shout out loud
through the store to find his item.
The store's founder is happy that now there are fewer and fewer sensitive situations when an item is stolen.
The owner, who believes that he has a luxury fashion brand product, has to be told that this
is not original and it will not be sold in her store. Sometimes verification is sought
and with the help of professional appraisers. Although clients know more and more about themselves every time,
the only thing that is sometimes lacking is accuracy in distinguishing vintage clothes
(this is second-hand clothes that are more than 15 years old) from retro-style items that
are made imitating the styles and silhouettes of the 40s and 50s. Mariangeles herself says that she works simply with
second-hand clothes, because even those that come to her store with tags are
are transferred from personal closets, not factories, and not all of them are even five years old.
To describe the type of customers who visit a thrift store, Mariangales says
unable, because they cover very different age groups and differ in financial
options. In addition, it is one of the few vintage stores with a wide range of
range for men, so here you can meet everything from young bohemian style guys to
mature age clients. Since the beginning of the activity, clients have become more aware and this is especially
clearly felt after the pandemic, when most people spent time at home and reviewed their
wardrobes – the current customer attitude towards quality items unites different generations.
Since the store is also visited by many foreigners (by the way, the owner remembers more than one
Lithuanian who became its customer), was asked what distinguishes local customers from visitors from other countries
countries, Mariangeles emphasizes that all clients are united by the desire to discover something special.
Brand priorities vary depending on the country: non-Europeans are looking for
European-made clothing, visitors to Slavic countries are still concerned about clothing,
emphasizing status, while Lithuanians, according to Mariangeles, an expert in their field, are much more
more open customers, more reminiscent of buyers not from the East, but from Central or Eastern Europe
north. It is no longer possible to judge a client's wishes, needs, or even more so financial capabilities from their appearance, but you can learn a lot from their attitude - how they feel,
appreciates clothing fabrics, how much interest their history reveals a lot of information about
customer. "Go to second-hand stores, not to look for a specific color dress, but
"Be open to discovery - then you are more likely to find something that suits you," - wishes
Mariangeles.
Spanish fashion maestro Cristóbal Balenciaga famously said that "prestige endures,
fame is fleeting", and such romantics, advocates of quality over quantity, as
Mariangeles confirms this. We live in a time when the luxuries of the past are still available.
to recover.