The vintage renaissance
July 29, 2024
Fashion trends are becoming more fleeting than ever. Thanks to social media, micro-trends and viral aesthetics come and go in the blink of an eye, creating a frenzy of ever-shifting styles. Scroll and you might miss it. From ‘cottage core’ to ‘clean girl’, for individuals wanting to keep up with the latest fashion, this nonchalant approach to staying stylish can be detrimental to not only a bank balance, but the planet too.
Amidst this whirlwind, a refreshing shift has emerged: vintage shopping. Once upon a time, secondhand shopping came with a stigma of low quality, unclean and outdated clothing. Now, the art of thrifting has evolved, and the rise of the sustainability movement has not only encouraged shoppers to find unique, cost-effective items in an eco-friendlier way, but influenced the trends themselves.
Leading the charge in the North East is Laura Jackson, owner of Newcastle-based vintage store Friday Vintage. Here, Laura speaks to Kate Hewison about her business, the detrimental nature of fast fashion and how we still have a long way to go, in more ways than one.
Vintage clothing has always influenced fashion.
From iconic 50s biker jackets to 90s short shorts and sweatshirts reminiscent of Princess Diana, vintage style repeatedly finds its way back into the wardrobes of today.
This cyclical nature is testament to the timeless appeal and enduring quality of pre-loved pieces, where shoppers can find items that stand the test of time.
Friday Vintage is one place offering such.
Having begun as a stall in Ouseburn Market, it quickly switched to a rented space in the centre of Newcastle under the guidance of owner Laura Jackson.
The business stemmed from Laura’s passion for vintage clothing, which has been a huge part of her life since she was a teenager going in and out of charity shops with her mum.
She says: “I’ve always loved being able to find hidden treasures, things you couldn’t get in normal high street stores.
“And as I got older, it progressed into, ‘I want to find quality pieces’.
“As the years have gone on, and I’ve been hunting for more vintage, the quality of high street clothes has gone significantly down.
“So that then progressed into me wanting to source good pieces for other people too.”
- Laura Jackson, Friday Vintage founder
Fast fashion allows shoppers to purchase low-cost clothing in the masses, something that can be attractive to those wanting to shop on a budget.
With this, alongside the rise of online marketplaces such as Vinted and Depop, Laura believes the demand for pre-loved clothing is only going to increase, simply out of necessity.
She says: “I think sustainability is something that is really on the rise at the minute – it’s on people’s radar a lot more than it was.
“But it’s going to have to be on people’s radars within the next decade.
“The future of fashion is going to be second-hand, regardless of whether it’s vintage or second-hand, because we can’t keep going on the way we are with fast fashion.”
Fast fashion is one of the biggest polluters on the planet, and is responsible for 20 per cent of global waste water.
Yet, despite the alarming statistics, the industry is still set to grow rapidly.
But with an industry so clearly damaging the planet, what is the appeal of fast fashion?
Laura adds: “It’s because we want new clothes; but there’s enough clothes on this planet right now to last every single person for the next seven generations.
“It’s just greed. It’s something we can definitely go without.”
But affordability is something that is not necessarily associated with high-quality garments, a narrative Laura is on a mission to change.
She says: “There’s no value on things anymore.
“There are certain things in here I’d sell – for example, a leather jacket for £50 to £70 – and sometimes you will get people that are unsure whether that’s out of their budget.
“But then they’ll go into Urban Outfitters, and there will be a faux leather jacket for £70 and everybody’s wearing it.
“People are losing a sense of what is valuable.
“We’ve got pieces that start from £5 that then go up to £200 – there really is something for everyone.”
Alongside a physical and online shop, Laura has expanded Friday Vintage’s presence, with social media playing a significant role in the business’ growth.
The brand boasts an Instagram following of more than 5000, cultivating a loyal and engaged online community.
Yet despite the rising demand for vintage clothing, and the increasing prominence of the sustainability movement, Laura has still had to overcome certain stigmas.
For instance, when searching for a location for her store, Laura encountered resistance from a potential landlord.
She says: “I went back and forth for about three months, secured a loan and everything.
“Then the landlord turned around and said it was low balling by having a second-hand clothing store in his building, and that he didn’t want it.”
Ultimately, this begs the question: why does a bias against second-hand clothing still exist in an era that increasingly values sustainability and ethical fashion choices?
Laura’s perseverance in the face of such challenges emphasises the importance of challenging outdated perceptions and promoting the value of vintage fashion, which goes far beyond style, trends and TikTok.
July 29, 2024
- Arts & Culture