Stores and businesses across the world have had to temporarily, and in some cases permanently, close, but there’s one type of sales that are still going strong.
Vintage clothing and accessories have been gaining popularity for sometime, but it seems perhaps now more than ever, it could be taking over from the traditional stores we buy clothes from.
Whether it’s Etsy, Instagram, Ebay, or Depop, online sellers of vintage goods are more than just surviving the pandemic, many of them are thriving during it.
Awareness of small or individually owned businesses have gone up, and as the possibility of them struggling increased, people have been more interested in supporting them, over big name businesses like Amazon.
Not only is the appeal knowing that you’re supporting a business that needs the support though, vintage clothing is also becoming more popular thanks to its sustainability, the fact that many pieces are one of a kind, or at least relatively rare, and purchasing through sites like Instagram or Depop results in a much more personal transaction.
When you also add into the equation that many of these sellers put huge amounts of effort into creating content, to advertise the items they’re selling, and its clear why they’re becoming more and more popular.
Many of these sellers are also the lone employee, taking on the roles of models, photographers, quality control, and being the person to deal with your transaction.
That’s without mentioning that many of these online ‘vintage’ stores are now producing their own items. As small sellers become small brands, all through their own hard work and dedication, their fans want to buy merchandise of the shop, and sellers are happy to provide.
It’s a caring community, rather than just stores, with the sellers often hiring small artists to design their merch. Many have even been donating proceeds to those who need it currently.
Where as the usual shopping experience is lonely and corporate, vintage sellers have created a warm and friendly environment, that feels personal, artistic, and like it really cares about what their audience wants to buy.
We may have seen people camping outside Primark on opening day, but vintage stores have become the new norm for many shoppers, and thats likely to carry on long after shops have reopened.