Features

In With The Old

30 Apr 2009 by intern22

Shopping for vintage pieces can be a breeze if you know where to look. The Business Traveller team suggests some of the best vintage stores around


Looking stylish doesn’t necessarily mean you wear what just came off the runway. While being fashionably late is a faux pas, putting together a right vintage outfit means business, provided you know where to shop. The next time you think about throwing out your old clothes, think again.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, US

COUTURE MIX

Decades

Owner Cameron Silver knows best when it comes to Old Hollywood-style glamour. Renée Zellweger and Nicole Kidman were reportedly seen rummaging through timeless couture and accoutrements in his LA flagship, and later spotted on the red carpet wearing dresses bought from the store. Or take your cue from supermodel Heidi Klum as she strutted down the red carpet at this year’s Golden Globes in a vintage James Galanos pouf dress with a large red silk flower and red polka dots, also from the store.

In the Los Angeles flagship (Decades also has a shop in London’s Dover Street Market), past collections currently include the likes of Azzaro, Chanel Jewelry, Courrèges and Hermès. Other rare finds include 1980s mermaid gowns, Ossie Clark poppy dresses and a 1970s Kenneth J Lane enamel frog link bracelet. According to Katherine Fleming of Decades, they can cost anywhere between US$180 and US$25,000.

Decades organises trunk shows around the world and if you happen to be in cities like Hongkong other than LA and London, check with the store for upcoming trunk shows.

OPENING HOURS: From 11.30am to 6pm Monday-Saturday or call for an appointment.

CONTACT: 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (east of Harper), Los Angeles, CA 90046, tel 1 323 655 0223, www.decadesinc.com

TIME WATCH

Second Time Around Watch Company

One of the most talked-about vintage watch shops in Los Angeles, the Second Time Around Watch Company has been in business since 1976. With approximately 70 percent of its customers being avid collectors, demand for these timeless pieces is at an all-time high.

The shop offers a whole collection of watches including, for men, a 1958 self-winding Automatic Dress Bulova at US$1,100 and a classic 1940s Hamilton pocket watch with subsidiary seconds at US$650.

For ladies, choices include a 1930s elegant Elgin dress watch with its original dial and deco case for US$900.

“Vintage watches are considerably less expensive than a new watch, and therefore they are considered a great bargain and are much more affordable than a comparable new watch. The quality of many vintage watches is better than the quality of many current new manufactured watches,” says owner Jon Goldfarb.

OPENING HOURS: From 11am to 5pm Monday-Saturday.

CONTACT: Antiquarius Two, 8763 Rosewood Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90048, tel 310 271 6615, www.secondtimearoundwatchco.com

LONDON, UK

ANTIQUES AND MORE

Elemental

Step inside the store and take a moment to soak in its cool vintage surroundings. Precious old clocks and paintings adorn the walls, while oak cabinets with numerous drawers (that seemingly belong in a chemist) and 1960s French tambour cabinets give a warm cosy feel to the store, which looks more like a beautifully decorated living room.

“We love to recycle and reinvent products as much as restore antiques back to life,” says creative director Simon Heath, adding that “our clients range from individuals to interior designers, from celebrities to corporates”.

Elemental prides itself on products made by skilled craftsmen in its East London workshop. Take your pick, whether it’s a pair of 1920s brown-leather club chairs looking like they came straight off the set of The Godfather, or a pretty mosaic table for two to four people for a garden lunch setup.

Also available in store is a variety of lighting products, which include theatre lamps, old-school factory lamps and even a 1947 polyhedral disc chandelier originating from Murano, Italy.

OPENING HOURS: From 10am to 6pm Tuesday-Sunday.

CONTACT: 67 Brushfield Street, Old Spitalfields (between Liverpool and Aldgate East tube stations), London E1 6AA, tel 44 207 247 7588, www.elemental.uk.com

SHOE IN

Absolute Vintage

Aptly named, Absolute Vintage is (arguably) London’s best vintage shop in 2008, touted by fashion bible InStyle magazine. It stocks everything from the 1930s to

1980s, including second-hand footwear that has fashionistas and the media raving about. Although carrying a sizeable men’s selection, Absolute Vintage caters largely for the women.

Inside the store, clothes and handbags hang on the walls like retro wallpaper. Shoppers will find racks and racks of shoes arranged according to colour. These are sourced from Canada and Europe and range in styles – from cowboy-style boots in leather or suede, to flats, pumps and peep toes. There are some familiar cult labels too, such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Roberto Cavalli and Salvatore Ferragamo. Prices can start as low as £10 (US$15) – a steal, really.

Store manager Angela Jamieson sums it up best: “Vintage is timeless and the element of recycling is an added bonus for people wanting to go green.”

OPENING HOURS: From 12pm to 7pm Monday-Saturday, and 11am to 7pm on Sunday.

CONTACT: 15 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields (close to Liverpool Street and Aldgate East tube stations), London, E1 6QR, tel 44 207 247 3883, www.absolutevintage.co.uk

PARIS, FRANCE

THE WEARABLES

Free ‘P’ Star

Located in the trendy Marais district, Free ‘P’ Star offers a vintage collection that will literally consume you. The store is filled to the brim with jackets, vests, denim waistcoats, dresses (including those by ’60s style icon Edie Sedgwick), T-shirts, chunky knits, leather boots, belts, bags and many more at bargained prices. Also, look out for vintage ties, cotton sweaters and 1970s botanical-print shirts.

Hear this – prices can start from a mere E2 (US$2.60).

Blogger Nookandspoon tells Guardian.co.uk: “Compared to other vintage boutiques in Paris, Free ‘P’ Star miraculously manages to keep its prices low, while not scrimping on quality.”

As if there’s not already enough to choose from (and buy), more vintage finds can be found in the shop’s basement. However, shop space is limited and manoeuvring through can be challenging. “The best part is, when you’re done shopping, you can re-examine your purchases over coffee in any of the eateries in Marais,” says Nookandspoon.

OPENING HOURS: From 12pm to 11pm Monday-Saturday and 2pm to 10pm on Sunday.

CONTACT: 8 Rue Saint-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie (metro stop: Hotel de Ville), Paris 75004, tel 33 1 4276 0372

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

STRUM A NOTE

Jacksons Rare Guitars

“Mahogany back and sides, spruce top, tortoise binding and scalloped bracing with a black or white wood nitrate strip rosette”. To the untrained ear, this may sound clueless. However, vintage guitar enthusiasts will quickly point out that it is a Collings D1-AV Sunburst speck vintage guitar.

Steve Jackson has been an avid collector from young and his passion prompted him to open a store back in 1988. His collection boasts a range of Fender, Gibson, Martin, Guild and Gretsch guitars as well as amplifiers.

Says David Roberts, general manager of Jacksons Rare Guitars: “Our customer base is broad and consists of high-profile musicians, regular musicians, bankers, lawyers, financial consultants, doctors and others from all walks of life.”

And the price tag? A 1965 Fender Telecaster Blonde Refinish can fetch a hefty A$19,950 (US$14,378), while a Gibson 1967 Sunburst will cost A$5,999 (US$4,323).

OPENING HOURS: From 10am to 6pm Monday-Friday, Saturday 10am to 4pm and appointments only on Sunday.

CONTACT: 37 Parramatta Road (walking distance of Central Station), Annandale NSW 2038 Sydney, tel 61 2 9565 5655, www.jacksonsrareguitars.com


ONLY FOR THE EARS

Pigeon Ground Records and Clothing

Not only does it sell men and women’s vintage clothing, this store also offers vinyl records dating back to the 1960s, with the likes of Pink Floyd, The Clash, Madonna, Run-DMC, King Tubby and James Brown.

Part owner and manager of Pigeon Ground Records and Clothing, Tim Barber explains that the age of a record doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more in demand.

“First pressings are usually worth more than re-issues, often by some margin,” he says.

“For example, a first UK pressing of the Beatles’ first album in mint condition (stereo) would be worth upwards of A$1,000 (US$720) whereas an ’80s re-issue of the same record in the same condition is only worth about A$10 (US$7),” Barber adds.

Records are priced from A$2 to A$100 (US$1.40-US$72), with the average price bordering A$10 to A$15 (US$7-US$10).

OPENING HOURS: Thursday 11am to 7pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 6pm and Sunday from noon to 5pm.

CONTACT: 102 Salisbury Road (CityRail station: Newtown), Camperdown, New South Wales 2050, tel 61 2 9557 6364, www.pigeonground.com


ONE-STOP SHOP

CUBAO X, MANILA

Nostalgia does not go out of style in the Philippines, where people have the irrepressible habit of holding on to pieces of the past while nevertheless enjoying and embracing present fads and lifestyle changes.

On your next trip to Manila, make it a point to visit Cubao X – an up-and-coming bohemian venue for the finicky and vibrant local café society. Formerly known as the Marikina Shoe Expo, the U-shape compound in Cubao, is home to hip cafés, cool art galleries and one-of-a-kind vintage boutiques.

Visits are best timed after 4pm when the venue really comes to life. Not to be missed are:

Karma for vintage furniture pieces from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s (Unit 58, from 1pm to 10pm Tuesday to Sunday, tel 63 2 437 0748)

Grand Thrift Shop for vintage magazines, brick-sized mobile phones, old cameras vinyl records and more (Units 20-21, 1pm to 8pm daily, tel 63 920 962 3079)

Vintage Pop showcases blast-from-the-past items given a funky, modern twist (Unit 66, open by appointment, tel 63 918 500 9460)

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