I'm tired guys, truly I am. Why, do you ask? Because being a vintage reseller can be a frustrating and thankless hobby (in my case its a hobby and I can't even imagine what doing this full time would be like!)
I'm going to tell you exactly why I think this.
I feel like the vintage market has become a breeding ground for negative behavior, price gouging, and unrealistic expectations on specific pieces. It has gone downhill and I have identified 4 main reasons.
Disclaimer: These are my observations, opinions and what I think about said topic. I'm not here to argue with anyone for the sake of arguing. I am wanting to have a dialogue with link minded people who know how to communicate in a respectful tone. So basically, I said what I said! Thanks for your understanding. Let's get to #1!
Celebrity Worship
I think some people have lost the plot on why they want to wear vintage designer pieces. Its no longer about self-expression, sustainability, and originality. It has become less and less of finding items that fit into your personal style and more about what the most popular celebrities are wearing. Don't get me wrong, I get excited too when I see Rihanna and her plethora of vintage Fendi and Dior bags, and even more elated when I see her wearing a bag that is also in my collection. I can understand wanting certain pieces because they are more visible in the media. But when it becomes annoying is when people complete overlook craftsmanship, certain designers, and pieces just to get the item they saw on their favorite celebrity. And as a vintage dealer it becomes a pressure powder keg of impossible requests for items based on social media.
I let some items fall by the wayside because I know some people will overlook them just because the right label isn't attached to it. It really is a shame. When buying vintage for myself, I don't care about the brand as long as it fits my style and I like it but overall when selling to others this can seriously affect revenue.
SCAMMERS
This particular part really gets me upset. The reason being that a small fraction of dishonest sellers make people distrustful of so many of us who are trying to share vintage with the world all while making extra money (or a living for that matter!). I won't have to name names, I'm sure most people who are into vintage fashion know who the culprits are. I feel sometimes I am operating from the stance of being mistrusted- even though my record shows otherwise.
My theory on why certain people are getting away with scamming time and time again is because of "aspirational buying". I think many people buy from certain sellers because they want to feel a closer proximity to their lifestyle and aspire to be like the person they're buying from. Instagram, posting vacations and hyper consumerism are all contributing factors to this. It is the only logical reason on why so many people ignore the warning signs and trust the same thieves over and over again.
Re-editions coming into play
Design houses are seeing how profitable their vintage archive pieces are making others money and wanted in on the action. Brands such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton and Gucci have put their most beloved collections back out there for everyone a chance to wear their most iconic designs!
My stance on re-editions? I'm not mad at it at all. I even indulged myself once and bought the cyber dot JPG re-edition (though I haven't really worn it since buying it almost two years ago 😭). I think those who are truly looking for vintage will continue to go the vintage route, while the re-editions give everyone a chance to wear designer at a more affordable price!
Prices are at an all time HIGH
I am sure as a consumer you are feeling the sting of prices increasing not only for vintage, but for every single thing- food, rent, car payments, etc. 90% of my customers are American and I am well aware that many Americans are struggling to keep up with inflation and paying for necessities. It makes me think sometimes how insignificant fashion can be when there are some people literally fighting to pay bills.
I have also thought about my own spending when it comes to buying vintage for KO and for myself. I have always had this approach to "the more inventory the better" but starting from next year, I want to take on a slower approach to sourcing, buying and marketing my items for sale. I want to enjoy the process more, be more creative and engage more meaningfully with my core customer base, all the while inviting newcomers to grow this fashion space I am trying to make. How will I do this? well for one, I will blog more often and really give more of my opinions on here. Twitter is not a safe space for this but I feel oddly safe to write what I feel on my blog. And it makes me super happy when I see people reading it. It makes me want to write more!
Anyway, thanks for reading until the end. Shop is officially closed for the year and I will be shipping again from January 3rd. Have an amazing holiday season and stay warm!
-PW
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