Eclectic or one-of-a-kind vintage pieces are essential to any fashion lover’s wardrobe. A great vintage find, whether a bag, dress, or even a piece of jewelry, provides a look that no one else in the room will be wearing, guaranteed.
This weekend, deep in Brooklyn’s Industry City, over 80 vintage vendors from around the country will come together for A Current Affair. On Saturday and Sunday, you’ll be able to try on rare Comme des Garçons jackets, browse tweed Chanel blazers and get your fix of antique gowns from every decade imaginable. Best of all, a majority of the vendors sell online only, so the opportunity offers you the chance to try on that one-off Alaïa top you’ve been eyeing, before buying online and not knowing whether or not it fits.
Tickets for this shopping extravaganza start at $12 and can be purchased on A Current Affair’s website. But even if you’re not a fan of vintage, you’re bound to find some last minute Halloween costume inspiration or at least a few perfectly crafted Instagrams of designer goods from past decades. Here are five of the must-shop vendors who will be selling their treasures this weekend.
1) The Corner Store:
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Based in L.A and curated by Stacey Nishimoto, The Corner Store specializes in vintage fashion with an editorial twist. On the Instagram account, which has over 28k followers, Nishimoto styles one-off pieces on models wearing bold makeup (she originally trained as a makeup artist and even did makeup for Sophia Amoruso’s models when she was just starting out) and unusual accessories, such as ruffled collars or massive hoop earrings. This weekend, expect to find lots of ruffles, lace and pastel Victorian style dresses mixed with a gothic Lolita sensibility.
2) Morphew:
The founders of Morphew, based in New York City, have been consultants in the fashion industry for more than 10 years. As experts of curated vintage fashion, they have supplied pieces to fashion houses, such as Alexander McQueen and Phillip Lim. The designers cull inspiration from the silhouettes and prints, often reworking the pre-existing themes into their own collections. At A Current Affair, you’ll be able to shop Morphew’s rare finds, which are usually only available by appointment at their New York studio. Think: antique lace gowns or one-off designer pieces from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.
3) Screaming Mimis:
Screaming Mimi’s, located in Downtown New York, is the epitome of fun, vintage fashion. Since 1978, the boutique has been curating everything from bold, chunky plastic jewelry to vintage Dior and Chanel handbags. Best of all, Screaming Mimi’s sells vintage deadstock accessories (meaning pieces are brand new and never worn), such as Italian aviators or retro frames from France.
4) Raleigh Vintage
Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh Vintage specializes in gorgeous flapper dresses, Gypsy inspired caftans, ’50s party dresses and authentic accessories, like well-loved cowboy boots or the more quirky pocketknife necklace. Most pieces date back to before the ’60s. We’re hoping to snag some of the shop’s perfect fall accessories, including an oversized leather doctor bag and two-tone mod wingtips, straight from the ’60s.
5) Vintage le Monde
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Those looking to find dream pieces from Hermès, Chanel, Pucci, Gucci and Alaïa should head to Vintage le Monde’s booth. The online-only shop also sells quirky footwear by Commes des Garçons and rare chainmail pieces from Paco Rabanne. Most of all, they specialize in luxury vintage fashion–the stuff that collectors dream about. Their setup at A Current Affair will allow customers to see the incredible quality of the pieces in person.
